Sen. Chris Balkema

Amends the Illinois TRUST Act. Provides that certain limitations under the Act regarding actions that may be taken by law enforcement agencies and officials do not apply with respect to an individual who is not a citizen of the United States and who has been charged or convicted of a criminal offense under Illinois law. Directs a law enforcement agency or official to immediately notify an immigration agent whenever it has in its custody such an individual. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that an amount equal to 10% of the net revenue realized from the State income tax during the preceding month shall be transferred from the General Revenue Fund to the Local Government Distributive Fund (currently, the amount transferred is equal to the sum of (i) 6.47% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon individuals, trusts, and estates during the preceding month; (ii) 6.85% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon corporations during the preceding month; and (iii) 6.47% of the net revenue realized from the tax imposed upon electing pass-through entities). Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Higher Education Act. Provides that if a student at a public institution of higher education is required to complete an instructor evaluation, the student shall evaluate the instructor's bias on whether the instructor displays any prejudiced or unfair treatment toward certain individuals or groups based on factors, including, but not limited to, race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or political ideology.

Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Requires the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board to develop a program for training unpaid volunteers to serve as police chaplains.

Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Provides that, in the calendar year 2 years before the agency or program is scheduled for termination, the Governor's Office of Management and Budget shall study the performance of each regulatory agency and program scheduled for termination under the Act. Provides that, in determining whether an agency or program should be recommended for termination, modification, or continuation, the Governor's Office of Management and Budget shall consider the extent to which the profession, occupation, business, industry, or trade that it licensed, supervised, exercised control over, issued rules regarding, or otherwise regulated is subject to regulation in other states or territories.

Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that, upon request, the Department of Natural Resources shall issue a certificate of competency to any resident active-duty military personnel who provide acceptable verification of service, any Illinois resident veterans who provide acceptable verification of service, and any individuals who present proof of holding a concealed carry permit issued by the State.

Creates the Design Professional Self-Certification Act. Provides that the Executive Director of the Capital Development Board shall establish a self-certification program through which a qualified design professional within a participating municipality shall be permitted to: (1) take responsibility for a project's compliance with the baseline building code; and (2) self-certify that a permit application, plans, and specifications comply with the baseline building code. Requires the Executive Director to establish requirements for design professionals to qualify for the self-certification program. Sets forth program requirements; oversight; and recordkeeping. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning educator testing, provides that the State Board of Education and the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board are required to approve more than one assessment, not from the same source, and each teacher preparation program in the State may use any evidence-based assessment of teacher effectiveness that aligns to current State teaching standards. Effective July 1, 2025.

Amends the Counties Code. Provides that any recorder may publish property assessment rolls in a paper of general circulation in the county or on the county's public-facing website.

Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code. Provides that, beginning with the budget prepared for Fiscal Year 2027, the rate of growth of appropriations from the State general funds over the preceding fiscal year appropriations from the State general funds shall not exceed the rate of growth of the Illinois economy. Provides that the rate of growth of the Illinois economy is the compound annual growth rate of the gross domestic product in the State over the preceding 10 calendar years, calculated using data reported by the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis or its successor agency before the December 31 that immediately precedes the beginning of the applicable fiscal year.