Sen. Chris Balkema

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to, without the consent of another person, operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in a manner that: (1) is intended to cause the unmanned aerial vehicle to enter the space above or surrounding the other person's occupied residence for the purpose of making a video record or transmitting live video or audio recordings of the other person while the other person is: (A) within his or her occupied residence; or (B) on the land or premises on which his or her occupied residence is located; and (2) invades the other person's reasonable expectation of privacy. Provides that it is unlawful for the person to knowingly disseminate a video record or live video made in violation of these provisions. Defines "unmanned aerial vehicle". Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor.

Amends the Governmental Account Audit Act. Provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2027, any governmental unit receiving revenue of less than $1,500,000 (rather than $850,000) in the immediately preceding fiscal year shall, in lieu of causing an annual audit of the accounts of the unit to be made, either (i) cause an audit of the accounts of the unit to be made once every 4 years and file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller or (ii) file with the Comptroller an annual financial report containing information required by the Comptroller, a copy of which has been provided to each member of that governmental unit's board of elected officials, presented either in person or by a live phone or web connection during a public meeting, and approved by a 3/5 majority vote. Provides that, beginning in fiscal year 2028, governmental units receiving revenue of $1,500,000 or more (rather than $850,000) in the immediately preceding fiscal year shall, in addition to complying with the requirements for audits and audit reports, file with the Comptroller the financial report and immediately make one copy of the audit report and one copy of the financial report a part of its public record as required by the Act. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Downstate Police, Downstate Firefighter, Chicago Police, Chicago Firefighter, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), Chicago Municipal, and Chicago Laborers Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. Establishes an accelerated pension benefit payment in lieu of any pension benefit under which an eligible person may elect to receive an amount determined by the Fund to be equal to 60% of the present value of his or her pension benefits in lieu of receiving any pension benefit. Establishes an accelerated pension benefit payment for a reduction in annual retirement annuity and survivor's annuity increases, as applicable, under which a Tier 1 member may elect to receive an accelerated pension benefit payment equal to 70% of the difference of the present value of the automatic annual increases to a Tier 1 member's retirement annuity and survivor's annuity using the formula applicable to the Tier 1 member and the present value of the automatic annual increases to the Tier 1 member's retirement annuity using a specified formula and survivor's annuity using a specified formula. Amends the General Obligation Bond Act to authorize $700,000,000 to be sold to pay for the accelerated pension benefit payments. Provides that the Comptroller shall deduct the amount for the payment of principal and interest due on Local Pension Obligation Acceleration Bonds from any payment out of the Local Government Distributive Fund to the employer and shall pay the amount so deducted toward the principal and interest due on Local Pension Obligation Bonds. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.

Creates the Racing Facility Protection Act. Provides that a person licensed under the Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975 or any person that owns a motorsport racing facility that is authorized to conduct motorsport racing by a recognized national authority or a unit of local government may not be subject to a civil action brought by a surrounding property owner to the racing facility or racetrack for allegations of nuisance, taking, or other theory if the racing facility or racetrack was built before the surrounding real property owner either purchased the real property or built in the area of the racing facility or racetrack.

Amends the Illinois Pension Code. With respect to the 5 State-funded Retirement Systems: requires each System to prepare and implement a defined contribution plan by July 1, 2028 that aggregates State and employee contributions in individual participant accounts that are used for payouts after retirement. Provides that a Tier 1 or Tier 2 participant may elect to participate in the defined contribution plan instead of the defined benefit plan and may also elect to terminate all participation in the defined benefit plan and to have a specified amount credited to his or her account under the defined contribution plan. Provides that, if a person who made the election to participate in the defined contribution plan terminates service and thereafter returns to service, he or she may either elect to participate in the defined contribution plan with regard to that service or not elect to participate in the defined contribution plan with regard to that service. Provides that an employee may elect not to participate in the System by notifying the System in writing in a manner specified by the System. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". In the State Employees, State Universities, and Downstate Teachers Articles, provides that a person who first becomes an employee after the effective date of the amendatory Act is not required to participate in the System as a condition of employment. Makes conforming and other changes. Makes related changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971. Effective immediately.

Amends the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. Provides that, when a death has occurred in accordance with the Act, the death shall be attributed to both the underlying terminal disease and medical aid in dying pursuant to the Act (rather than only the underlying terminal disease). Requires medical aid in dying pursuant to the Act shall be listed on the death certificate of a qualified patient who obtained and self-administered a prescription for medication pursuant to the Act.

Amends the Counties Code. In provisions about commercial wind energy facilities and commercial solar energy facilities, removes changes made by Public Act 102-1123. Provides that any provision of a county zoning ordinance pertaining to wind farms, commercial wind energy facilities, or commercial solar energy facilities that was in effect before January 27, 2023 may continue in effect notwithstanding any changes made in Public Act 102-1123 and, if applicable, any provision of a county zoning ordinance pertaining to wind farms that was in effect before August 16, 2007 may continue in effect notwithstanding the changes made in Public Act 95-203.

Amends the Fiscal Note Act. Provides that no rule of either house may authorize or require a note request to be deemed inapplicable. Effective immediately.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Increases by one class, the penalties for trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, and involuntary sexual servitude of a minor. Provides that if the penalty is a Class X felony, provides that the penalty is a Class X felony for which the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 9 years and not exceeding 45 years.

Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor or trafficking in persons if the victim is under 18 years of age shall not be permitted to plead down to lesser offenses. Provides that no person charged with grooming shall be permitted to plead down to lesser offenses. Provides that prosecutors are prohibited from offering plea bargains to lesser offenses to those individuals charged with grooming. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to knowingly operate, manage, be employed by, volunteer at, be associated with, or knowingly be present at any facility providing entertainment exclusively directed toward persons under the age of 18.