Sen. Steve Stadelman

If and only if Senate Bill 867 of the 103rd General Assembly becomes law, amends the State Parks Act. Provides that the land management agreement with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and other necessary parties for the purpose of managing, maintaining, or operating the real property conveyed to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation shall contain restrictions on gaming operations. Effective immediately or on the date Senate Bill 867 of the 103rd General Assembly becomes law, whichever is later.

Amends the Collection Agency Act. Provides that a debtor is not liable for any coerced debt, as defined in the Act, and may assert that they have incurred a coerced debt by providing to a collection agency an oral or written Statement of Coerced Debt, as specified. Sets forth provisions concerning notice of coerced debt to a collection agency; duties of a collection agency upon receiving an incomplete statement of coerced debt; affirmative defenses in collection actions or arbitration; civil liability; protections from perpetrators of coerced debt; restrictions on waivers; and liability of collection agencies for violations of the Act. Provides that, upon receiving the debtor's complete statement of coerced debt and specified supporting information, a collection agency shall review and consider all the information received from the debtor as well as any other information available in the collection agency's file or from the creditor related to the alleged coerced debt within 90 days after receipt of the statement of coerced debt. Requires a collection agency, within 5 days after receipt of the complete statement of coerced debt and supporting information, to cease any pre-judgment attempts to collect the coerced debt from the debtor, including refraining from filing any lawsuit or arbitration to collect the coerced debt, and notify any consumer reporting agency to which the collection agency or creditor furnished adverse information about the debtor that the debtor disputes the adverse information. Establishes additional requirements for a collection agency that reviews a statement of coerced debt. Provides that, within 180 days after the effective date of the Act, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may design and publish a model coerced debt and third party written verification form in English and any other language it determines, within its discretion, is the first language of a significant number of consumers in the State. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires the Secretary of State to include information advising drivers of the laws and best practices for safely sharing the roadway with bicyclists and pedestrians in the Illinois Rules of the Road Publication. Provides that an applicant for a school bus driver permit or commercial driver's license with a school bus driver endorsement is not required to pass a written test if the applicant holds a valid commercial driver's license or a commercial driver's license that expired in the preceding 30 days issued by another state with a school bus and passenger endorsements. Requires all driver education courses to include information advising drivers of the laws and best practices for safely sharing the roadway with bicyclists and pedestrians. Provides that the examination to test an applicant's ability to read and understand official traffic control devices and knowledge of safe driving practices and traffic laws may be administered at a Secretary of State facility, remotely via the Internet, or in a manner otherwise specified by the Secretary of State by administrative rule. Allows the Secretary to destroy a driving record created 20 or more years ago for a person who was convicted of an offense and who did not have an Illinois driver's license if the record no longer contains any convictions or withdrawal of driving privileges due to the convictions. Provides that the application for an instructor for a driving school must be accompanied by a medical examination report completed by a competent medical examiner (rather than a competent physician). Provides that the restricted commercial driver's license issued for farm-related service industries may be available for periods not to exceed a total of 210 (rather than 180) days in any 12-month period. Removes some of the duration limitations for suspended licenses. Provides that the traffic-control signals also apply to bicyclists. Restricts a person from driving a motor vehicle on a bicycle lane, trail, or path designated by an official sign or marking for the exclusive use of bicycles or pedestrians. Makes other changes. Amends the School Code to make a conforming change. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 79 years or older to renew in person. Requires every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 87 years of age or or who is 75 years of age or older and holds a commercial driver's license to prove, by an actual demonstration, the applicant's ability to exercise reasonable care in the safe operation of a motor vehicle. Allows an immediate family member to submit information to the Secretary of State relative to the medical condition of a person if the condition interferes with the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Requires information to be submitted in writing in a manner and form approved by the Secretary and shall include the name of the person submitting the information. Prohibits the Secretary from accepting or acting on anonymous reports. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2026.

Creates the Health Care Facility Fee Transparency Act. Sets forth provisions concerning notice requirements for a hospital or health system that charges a facility fee using a current procedural terminology evaluation code or assessment and management code for outpatient services provided at a hospital-based facility where a professional fee is also expected to be charged. Provides notice requirements for hospital-based facilities created or acquired through a business transaction. Establishes limitations on facility fees. Sets forth provisions concerning facility fee billing statements, reporting of facility fees charged by each hospital and health system, and enforcement of the Act by the Department of Public Health. Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that it is an unlawful practice if, from the date of the transaction, a hospital, health system, or hospital-based facility does not wait at least 30 days after the written notice has been mailed to the patient or a copy of the notice has been filed with the Department of Public Health to collect a facility fee for services provided at a hospital-based facility.

Amends the Personnel Code. Provides that a State agency shall not require as a condition of eligibility for hire to a position in State employment that an applicant have a baccalaureate degree. Provides that the provisions shall not apply the knowledge, skills, or abilities required for the position for which an applicant is applying can only reasonably be obtained, as determined by the appointing authority, through a course of study in pursuit of, and culminating in the award of, a baccalaureate degree or advanced degree. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal license plates to Illinois residents that served in the United States Armed Forces after July 1, 1958 and participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. Provides that the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal license plates shall expire according to the staggered multi-year procedure established by the Code. Provides that the Secretary has discretion as to the design, color, and format of the plates. Provides that the plates are not required to designate "Land of Lincoln".

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning bullying and cyber-bullying, provides that bullying includes posting or distributing sexually explicit images. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, the term "cyber-bullying" includes the posting or distribution of a digital replica by electronic means. Defines "artificial intelligence", "digital replica", and "generative artificial intelligence". Effective July 1, 2026.

Amends the Missing Persons Identification Act. Requires a law enforcement agency to attempt to obtain a biological sample from closely related family members of the missing person or a personal item of the missing person beginning 30 days after the date of the missing person report (rather than within 30 days after receipt of a report). Provides that a law enforcement agency may not establish or maintain a policy that requires the observance of a waiting period before accepting a missing person report. Modifies the circumstances under which a law enforcement agency may not refuse to accept a missing person report. Requires a law enforcement agency to notify a person responsible for the missing person's welfare, or other specified individuals, about specified efforts to locate a missing person. Provides that, if a person remains missing for 30 days after the date of report, the law enforcement agency shall immediately (rather than may) generate a report of the missing person within NamUs, and the law enforcement agency shall (rather than may) attempt to obtain specified information and materials that have not been received. Modifies the follow-up action required by a law enforcement agency after creation of a missing person report. Modifies the definition of "high-risk missing person". Upon receipt of a missing person report (rather than immediately), requires the responding local law enforcement agency to enter all collected information relating to the missing person case in the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System and the National Crime Information Center. Makes other changes to reporting requirements. Modifies requirements for submission of fingerprints from unidentified remains for analysis as well as other requirements relating identified human remains. Provides that an assisting law enforcement agency, a medical examiner, a coroner, or the Illinois State Police may not close an unidentified person case until the individual has been identified and must keep the case active. Requires the coroner, medical examiner, or assisting law enforcement agency (rather than the coroner or medical examiner) to obtain a biological (rather than DNA) sample from an individual whose remains are not identifiable, and modifies how the sample may be analyzed and labeled. Makes other changes.

Amends the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange Law. Provides that the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange shall allow a special enrollment period for an uninsured taxpayer and the uninsured taxpayer's qualified dependents, if applicable, if the uninsured taxpayer requested health insurance benefit information through the easy enrollment program under the Illinois Income Tax Act and the uninsured taxpayer and the uninsured taxpayer's qualified dependents, if applicable, are eligible to enroll in a qualified health plan through the Exchange. Establishes notification requirements for the Exchange. Provides that the uninsured taxpayer and the uninsured taxpayer's dependents shall have 60 days from the date of the letter to select and enroll in a qualified health plan. Provides that coverage shall be effective the first day of the month that follows the plan selection. Grants the Department of Insurance and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services rulemaking authority to implement an easy enrollment special enrollment period. Effective immediately.