Sen. Mike Halpin

Amends the Department of Veterans' Affairs Act. Provides that the Department of Veterans Affairs shall create, and the Department of Labor shall make available, at no cost, a veterans and service members' benefits, services, and protections poster. Requires the poster to include, but not be limited to, information regarding free veterans' benefits and services provided by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs and other veterans service organizations, tax benefits, the Illinois veteran driver's license and non-driver veteran identification card, and Illinois protections for survivors of sexual violence in the military. Requires the poster to also include contact information for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs; and the Veterans Crisis Line. Effective January 1, 2025.

Amends the Right of Publicity Act. Grants additional enforcement rights and remedies to recording artists. Provides for the liability of any person who materially contributes to, induces, or otherwise facilitates a violation of a specified provision of the Act by another party after having reason to know that the other party is in violation. Defines "artificial intelligence" and "generative artificial intelligence". Changes the definition of "commercial purpose" and "identity".

Amends the Nurse Agency Licensing Act. Provides that when a health care facility is found liable for an injury to a patient or resident because of a negligent act performed by a nurse or certified nurse aide employed, assigned, or referred by the nurse agency, the health care facility has a right to be compensated by the nurse agency for any and all expenses, fines, or damages (rather than any and all expenses) incurred related to any liability for the nurse agency's negligence, including negligent hiring (rather than the nurse agency's negligent hiring). Requires a contract entered into between the nurse agency and health care facility to contain a provision specifying that the health care facility has a right to be compensated by the nurse agency for any and all expenses, fines, or damages incurred related to any liability for a negligent act performed by a nurse or certified nurse aide employed, assigned, or referred by the nurse agency. Makes a grammatical change.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that all reports involving railroad fatalities and all communications between police officers and train crew members involved in those occurrences shall not be public reports and shall be maintained by the police departments in a manner that ensures their confidentiality. Provides that these reports shall be accessible at all reasonable times upon written request to the host railroad, to the employing railroad, by court order, and to others specifically authorized by court order to obtain the information if the access is necessary in the performance of their duties. Provides that all such reports shall be accessible at all reasonable times, upon written or electronic mail request, to law enforcement officers, State's Attorneys, or Assistant State's Attorneys. Provides that communications between police officers and railroad employees of the incidents may be shared with these persons if the access is necessary in the performance of their duties.

Amends the State Universities Retirement System Article of the Illinois Pension Code. With respect to a Section concerning reports on cost reduction, removes provisions requiring that on or before November 15th of each year, the Board of Higher Education, in conjunction with the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, prepare a report showing, on a fiscal year by fiscal year basis, the amount by which the costs associated with compensable sick leave have been reduced as a result of the termination of compensable sick leave accrual on and after January 1, 1998 by employees of higher education institutions who are participants in the System. Amends the Higher Education Veterans Service Act. In provisions concerning reporting, provides that each October 15, each public college and university shall report to the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board, on the expenditures for the prior fiscal year for the programs and services related to the efforts of the public college or university in attracting, recruiting, and retaining veterans and military personnel (instead of providing that each September 1, each college and university that is required to have a Coordinator of Veterans and Military Personnel Student Services shall report to the Board of Higher Education on the fiscal impact of the programs and services related to the requirements of the Act and on the efforts of the public college or university in attracting, recruiting, and retaining veterans and military personnel). Requires the Board's report to be filed with the Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Board.

Creates the Increasing Representation of Women in Technology Task Force Act, and creates the Increasing Representation of Women in Technology Task Force. Includes provisions concerning Task Force membership, meetings, and duties. Provides that the State of Illinois Office of Equity shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Repeals the Act on January 1, 2030. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that each public institution of higher education shall pay on behalf of a refugee or reimburse a refugee for payment of any transcript evaluation fees that are required by the public institution of higher education to be paid during the admission process. Effective immediately.

Creates the Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall prepare and maintain a comprehensive Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant plan for the preservation and enhancement of forests, prairies, and wetlands in Illinois. Provides that the Department of Natural Resources, pursuant to the comprehensive plan and subject to appropriation, shall establish and administer a Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Grant Program to restore degraded forest lands and native prairies, and to promote the growth of native vegetation that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help to mitigate the impact of climate change. Provides that units of local government are eligible to submit a grant proposal in a format and at a time prescribed by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that grants may be used by units of local government to fund: (1) local projects restoring or expanding forests, wetlands, prairies, or other natural landscapes demonstrated to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; (2) education and marketing regarding local projects or steps community members may take to promote the growth of native vegetation that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; and (3) any other purpose approved by the Department of Natural Resources that advances the State goal that there be no overall net loss of the State's existing forest, prairie, or wetland acres or their functional value due to State-supported activities. Amends the Department of Natural Resources Act and the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Automatic Contract Renewal Act. Provides that any person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation that sells or offers to sell any products or services to a consumer pursuant to a contract that includes a free gift or a trial period of the product or service that lasts 15 days or longer, where such contract automatically renews unless the consumer cancels the contract, shall notify the consumer no less than 2 weeks before the cancellation deadline as described by the automatic renewal offer terms. Provides that if the person, firm, partnership, association, or corporation has the consumer's email address, this notice shall be sent by email.

Amends the River Conservancy Districts Act. Provides that the board of a river conservancy district shall annually set the member compensation to be paid solely out of the funds of the district (rather than a member of the board may not receive more than $3,000 per annum).