Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that any person who was initially determined to be eligible for medical assistance and is receiving institutional services or home and community-based services as authorized under the Article shall be presumed eligible for a continuation of coverage for such services during any redetermination process. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to continue to make payments for such services unless the person experiences a material change in financial circumstances that results in the loss of eligibility. Provides that if the person experiences a material change in financial circumstances that results in the loss of eligibility, the person, or the person's designated caregiver or responsible party, shall notify the Department. Provides that if the Department subsequently conducts a redetermination of eligibility, the Department must provide written notice to the person (i) before the commencement of the redetermination; and (ii) upon conclusion of the redetermination. Requires the Department to develop a process to facilitate the written notifications. Provides that no later than October 1, 2026, the Department shall seek federal authorization to exempt persons with disabilities who are eligible for medical assistance from annual redeterminations of eligibility, except that a full redetermination shall be conducted at least once every 5 years, regardless of whether a material change in financial circumstances has occurred. Effective immediately.

Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Provides that the Department of Revenue may audit both the marketplace seller and the delivery network company for a qualified delivery network sale. Provides that, with respect to a qualified delivery network sale made on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, a delivery network company may deduct or exclude from its tax liability the amount of tax that the delivery network company paid to the marketplace seller in connection with the qualified delivery network sale.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that a qualified taxpayer may apply to the Department of Revenue for an income tax credit in an amount equal to 20% of the wages paid by the qualified taxpayer to a qualified energy choice worker based in Illinois in the taxable year. Provides that the term "qualified taxpayer" means a taxpayer that is a regulated utility in the State of Illinois or a power generating company providing baseload or intermediate generation in Illinois and that meets specified criteria and is able to demonstrate an adverse and material operational impact to either its overall Illinois-based workforce or its ability to conduct business in Illinois based on the scheduled phaseout target dates of 2030, 2035, 2040, and 2045, as provided in Public Act 102-662. Sets forth limitations on the amount of the credit. Effective immediately.

Creates the Artificial Intelligence Public Safety and Child Protection Transparency Act. Provides that a frontier artificial intelligence model developer or large chatbot provider shall write, implement, comply with, and clearly and conspicuously publish on its website a public safety and child protection plan. Provides that the Attorney General shall establish a mechanism to be used by a large frontier developer, a large chatbot provider, or a member of the public to report a safety incident related to specified artificial intelligence models or chatbots. Sets forth provisions concerning the protection of whistleblowers; third party audits of large frontier developers; and civil penalties. Provides for rulemaking by the Attorney General. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Illinois Future of Energy Choice and Economic Impact Commission. Sets forth the membership of the Commission. Provides that the Commission has certain duties with respect to energy policy. Effective immediately.

Amends the Court of Claims Act. Creates an administrative process for uncontested claims for vendors arising from contracts with the State. Requires a State agency to confirm or reject an uncontested claim that is from a lapsed appropriation and valued at less than $2,500 within 30 days after being notified in writing by the Attorney General. Provides that if the State agency does not confirm or reject the claim within that 30-day period, then the State agency forfeits the right to reject or contest the claim. Requires the Comptroller, subject to appropriation, then issue payment to the vendor within 30 days of the court entering such an award. Provides that if the court determines that it is unable to process such an uncontested claim because the bill or invoice contains a defect, the court must notify the vendor in writing of the defect no later than 30 days after the bill or invoice was first submitted. Provides that if one or more items on a bill or invoice are disapproved, but not the entire bill or invoice, then the portion that is not disapproved must be transmitted to the Comptroller for payment. Changes the filing fees required under the Act as follows: a fee of $15 for a petition seeking more than $500 but less than $10,000; and $35 for a petition seeking more than $10,000 or more. Requires that the court must allow claimants to submit documentation to amend and cure defects. Makes other changes. Authorizes the Court of Claims to adopt rules to implement the Act.

Amends the State Prompt Payment Act. Makes technical changes to eliminate obsolete provisions. Provides that, if an agency incurs an interest liability that cannot be charged to the same expenditure authority account to which the related goods or services were charged due to federal prohibitions, the agency may pay the interest from any moneys appropriated to the agency that are not otherwise prohibited to be used for the purpose of paying interest. Provides that, when a State official or agency responsible for administering a contract receives a bill or invoice from a contractor, that State official or agency shall confirm the date on which the bill or invoice was received within 15 business days of receipt and shall transmit any approved amount to the Comptroller within 30 days of receipt. Provides that a State official or agency that is responsible for administering a contract submits a voucher to the Comptroller for payment, the official or agency shall make available electronically the voucher number, the date of the voucher, and the amount of the voucher within 15 days after submitting the voucher to the Comptroller (currently, that information shall be made available promptly).

Amends the Prevailing Wage Act. In the definition of "public works", includes installation, repair, wiring, and maintenance services to Illinois lottery machines and equipment pursuant to a contract between the Department of the Lottery and a contractor. Effective January 1, 2027.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, in Fiscal Year 2027 and thereafter, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall require that any convention and tourism bureau receiving a grant from the Local Tourism Fund that requires matching funds shall provide matching funds equal to no less than 25% of the grant amount (currently, no less than 40% of the grant amount). Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority Act. Makes changes concerning the distribution of moneys under those Acts. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax deduction for any amounts paid by the taxpayer's employer on behalf of the taxpayer as part of an educational assistance program. Creates an income tax deduction for any amounts paid by the taxpayer on behalf of an employee of the taxpayer as part of an educational assistance program. Provides that the deductions are limited to the first $5,250 of such assistance so furnished to any individual. Effective immediately.