Sen. Mike Halpin

Creates the First Responder Medal of Honor Act. Provides that the Governor may award the First Responder Medal of Honor to a first responder who displays conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of the first responder's life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an act of public service. Provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security shall determine if a first responder is eligible for the First Responder Medal of Honor. Provides that a first responder's employer may recommend a first responder who has been killed or seriously injured in the line of duty for the First Responder Medal of Honor. Provides that a member of the General Assembly may recommend a first responder who resides, works, or dies in the line of duty in the member's district for the First Responder Medal of Honor.

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a municipality may establish an apprenticeship program through which the municipality's full-time fire department may contract with a fire protection district to have the municipality's apprentices age 18 to 20 perform volunteer apprentice firefighter duties for the fire protection district's volunteer fire department. Requires the contract between the fire department and fire protection district to specify the duties a volunteer apprentice firefighter may perform for the fire protection district, specify the training the volunteer apprentice firefighter must have before working for the fire protection district, and describe whether the volunteer apprentice firefighter will be performing firefighting duties requiring the apprentice to first obtain Basic Operations Firefighter Certification from the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Requires a program established under the provisions to be a mandatory subject of bargaining. Provides that to be admitted to the apprenticeship program an individual must commit to working as a volunteer apprentice firefighter for the fire protection district until age 21 and to working 3 years as a full-time firefighter with the municipality's fire department. Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that no person who is under 21 years of age shall be eligible for employment as a firefighter unless hired as a volunteer apprentice firefighter through an apprenticeship program.

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that the Department of Corrections shall require drug screening of every offender committed to a Department facility and may provide appropriate drug treatment services to certain offenders based on the results of initial screening.

Amends the Capital Development Board Act. Provides that an ordinance of a unit of local government shall not be enforced against the construction, reconstruction, improvement, or installation of a State facility. Provides that the provisions apply to the construction, reconstruction, improvement, and installation of State facilities that is either ongoing or starts on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that the Board and State agencies shall, to the fullest extent practicable, coordinate and consult with units of local government responsible for providing fire protection services to a State facility before undertaking any activity involving the construction, reconstruction, improvement, or installation of the State facility, in order to ensure fire protection services can be provided by the unit of local government to the State facility in the most effective manner. Defines "State facilities". Limits home rule powers.

Amends the Uniform Arbitration Act. Exempts from the definition of "employer" any person who is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Allows a party to serve upon another party a demand for arbitration or a notice of intention to arbitrate, specifying the agreement under which arbitration is sought and the name and address of the party serving the notice and stating that unless the party served applies to stay the arbitration within 20 days after service the party shall be precluded from objecting that a valid agreement was not made or has not been complied with and from asserting in court the bar of a limitation of time. Provides that in an arbitration brought by a consumer or employee that requires the drafting party to pay certain fees and costs before the arbitration can proceed, if the fees or costs to initiate an arbitration proceeding are not paid within 30 days after the due date, the drafting party is in material breach of the arbitration agreement, is in default of the arbitration, and waives its right to compel arbitration. Sets forth various actions a party may take if the drafting party materially breaches the arbitration agreement. Includes sanctions an arbitrator or court may impose for materially breaching the agreement. Provides that, if a party is represented by an attorney, papers to be served on the party shall be served upon the attorney for that party, and any agreement which discriminates against or penalizes a party for retaining the services of counsel in an arbitration is null and void. In a provision regarding venue, provides that: if the name of the county is not specified, the application shall be brought in the county where the party seeking arbitration resides or is doing business, and other proceedings affecting arbitration are to be brought in the county where at least one of the parties resides or is doing business or where the arbitration was held or is pending; if there are multiple parties seeking arbitration against the same party or parties, the proceeding may be brought in any court and county where any of the parties seeking arbitration resides or is doing business or where the arbitration was held or is pending; and if there is no county in which the proceeding may be brought, the proceeding may be brought in any county.

Amends the Workers' Compensation Act. Provides that, if a petitioner's claim is contested and enters arbitration proceedings, the Arbitrator shall include in its award pre-award interest at the rate of 6% per annum to a prevailing petitioner from the date of the contested injury, provided that no interest shall accrue if, within 12 months after the date of the injury, the respondent concedes that the claim is compensable. Provides that the non-prevailing party is responsible for any costs incurred in deposing a medical practitioner. Provides that all attorney's fees for representation of an employee or the employee's dependents shall be the responsibility of the non-prevailing employer (rather than only recoverable from compensation actually paid to such employee or dependents). Provides that, within 60 days after receipt of service of notice of preliminary proceedings before an Arbitrator, an employer shall disclose documents sufficient to calculate a petitioner's average weekly wage

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois and the Balanced Budget Note Act. Provides that the Pension Stabilization Fund is considered a general fund or a State general fund for the purposes of those Acts. Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that certain amounts transferred from the Budget Stabilization Fund to the General Revenue Fund are not required to be repaid into the Budget Stabilization Fund if the amount of accounts payable exceeds $4,000,000,000. Makes changes concerning monthly reports from State agencies to the Comptroller. Amends the Budget Stabilization Act. Provides that, beginning in Fiscal Year 2027, the General Assembly's appropriations and transfers or diversions as required by law from general funds shall not exceed 99% of the estimated general funds revenues for the fiscal year if (i) revenue estimates of the State's general funds revenues for the fiscal year exceed the prior fiscal year's estimated general funds revenues by more than 4% and (ii) projected accounts payable are estimated by the Comptroller to be less than $3,000,000,000 for the fiscal year. Makes other changes concerning transfers from the Budget Stabilization Fund. Effective immediately.

Declares March 20, 2025 as Francophonie Day in the State of Illinois. Encourages all Illinois citizens to observe this day by reflecting on the contributions of the Francophonie community and by continuing to support initiatives that promote the French language and culture.

Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Defines "conditional employee" as an employee who has completed a background check and is waiting for confirmation from the Department of Children and Family Services. Provides that a conditional employee may work in a child care facility, including, but not limited to, a child welfare agency, if the conditional employee is supervised by a licensed employee, does not have contact with children who are under the care and control of the child care facility, and does not have access to records containing information regarding children who are under the care and control of the child care facility. Provides that an applicant is determined to have completed the criminal background investigation when he or she has completed and submitted authorization for the performance of a criminal background investigation by the Department.

Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is donated, granted, received, or used for a licensed not-for-profit child care center is exempt.