Sen. Sue Rezin

Creates the Public University Direct Admission Program Act. Provides that, beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and the State Board of Education, shall establish and administer a direct admission program. Requires each public university in the direct admission program to identify and provide its grade point average standards for general admission for first time admission and for transfer students to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission by March 1 of each year. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026 and each July 1 thereafter, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall use data collected from school districts to determine which students meet the standards for general admission and provide the data to the Board of Higher Education. Provides that, beginning with the 2027-2028 academic year, the Board of Higher Education, in collaboration with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the State Board of Education, shall develop, in consultation with the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a preselection outreach campaign to encourage qualifying State high school juniors and seniors to apply to the University of Illinois at Chicago or the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Requires the Board of Higher Education to submit a report on the direct admission program and the preselection outreach campaign to the Governor and General Assembly by August 1, 2029 and each August 1 thereafter. Amends the School Code. Requires a school board to provide access to high school student directory information and each student's email address and grade point average to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and each public institution of higher education for the purpose of informing students of educational and career opportunities.

Amends the Illinois Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and the Illinois Motor Carrier Safety Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Illinois State Police (rather than the Department of Transportation) shall administer and enforce the Illinois Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and the Illinois Motor Carrier Safety Law of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Makes related changes. Sets forth provisions concerning personnel and material transfers and requires transferred personnel to receive a background check and any additional screening requirements established by the Department. Makes conforming changes to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Regulation Act. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Telephone Solicitations Act. Provides that no person shall solicit the sale of goods or services in the State through automatic dialing, the use of an auto dialer, or the use of a computer program designed to mimic a human operator, unless the person being contacted has expressly consented to be contacted in this manner. Provides that, if a person has previously consented to be contacted in the manner otherwise prohibited, the consent shall only be valid for a period of one year and the person shall be allowed to withdraw that consent at any time in the same manner that the consent was given. Provides that a person to whom consent has been given shall not sell, give, transfer, or assign that consent to another person. Provides for exemptions to the provision. Provides that any customer who is subject to a violation of the provision may bring an action for damages of $500 per violation, plus costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Makes a change to the definition of "emergency telephone number".

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, the additional standard exemption for taxpayers who have attained the age of 65 before the end of the taxable year and their spouses is $2,000 (currently, $1,000). Effective immediately.

Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act with respect to the monetary award program. Beginning with the 2026-2027 academic year through the 2030-2031 academic year, provides that an applicant who is otherwise eligible for grant assistance under the program may receive grant assistance for an additional academic year after receiving a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent of 135 semester credit hours if he or she (i) enrolls in a State-approved educator preparation program and (ii) within 5 years after receiving a Professional Educator License, teaches in this State for a minimum of 3 years. Requires repayment if at any time a person fails to meet the requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Municipal Code. In provisions concerning acquisition of water systems by eminent domain, provides that eminent domain actions undertaken by a municipality under the provisions may be submitted as a referendum to be voted upon by the electors residing within the area in which the affected water system is located. Provides that the petition process for the elections shall be governed by specified procedures of the Election Code. Provides that the acquisition of water systems by eminent domain is declared to be a special use under specified provisions of the Eminent Domain Act.

Creates the Patient Access to Pharmacy Protection Act. Defines terms. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may deny, restrict, prohibit, condition, or otherwise interfere with, either directly or indirectly, the acquisition of a 340B drug by, or delivery of a 340B drug to, a 340B covered entity or a 340B contract pharmacy authorized to receive 340B drugs on behalf of the 340B covered entity unless such receipt is prohibited by federal law. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may impose any restriction on the ability of a 340B covered entity to contract with or designate a 340B contract pharmacy including restrictions relating to the number, location, ownership, or type of 340B contract pharmacy. Provides that no person, including a pharmaceutical manufacturer, may require or compel a 340B covered entity or 340B contract pharmacy to submit or otherwise provide ingredient cost or pricing data pertinent to 340B drugs unless required by State or federal law; institute requirements in any way relating to how a 340B covered entity manages its inventory of 340B drugs that are not required by a State or federal agency, including requirements relating to the frequency or scope of audits of inventory management systems of a 340B covered entity or a 340B contract pharmacy; or submit data or information that is not required by State or federal law as a condition for a 340B covered entity, its 340B contract pharmacy, or a location otherwise authorized by a 340B covered entity to receive 340B drugs. Sets forth provisions concerning enforcement of this Act; preemption of this Act; and severability of this Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that, in addition to but separate and apart from the compensation otherwise provided in the Code, the county clerk of each county, the recorder of each county, and the chief clerk of each county board of election commissioners shall receive an annual award of $13,000 for calendar year 2025, $14,000 for calendar year 2026, and $15,000 for calendar year 2027 and for each calendar year thereafter (rather than a $6,500 award per year). Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that a wastewater treatment facility located in the Village of Lisbon in Kendall County is allowed to apply for the Water Pollution Control Loan Program for the purposes of refinancing existing debt. Effective immediately.

Creates the University Library & Professional Librarian Access & Transparency Task Force to examine the current state of libraries and professional librarianship on Illinois public university campuses and present a recommendation to the General Assembly to ensure that public academic libraries and the educational services provided by professional librarian faculty remains a viable and healthy benefit to Illinois students.