Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

Amends the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, and continuing as long as funds are available, a person may apply for a rebate in specified amounts following the purchase of an electric bicycle in Illinois. Prohibits the rebate amount from exceeding the purchase price of the electric bicycle. Contains eligibility requirements. Requires a person who is awarded a rebate to retain ownership of the electric bicycle for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. Provides that a person may apply for and receive a rebate only once in a 10-year period and that only one rebate may be awarded per person per electric bicycle. Contains other provisions.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Defines the terms "anaerobic digester", "anaerobic digestion", and "food". Deletes provisions that exempted certain composting facilities from regulation as a pollution control facility. Creates exemptions from the definition of "pollution control facility" for (i) the portion of a site or facility that is used for anaerobic digestion and (ii) the portion of a site or facility that is used to process food scrap at a food scrap processing facility. Provides for moneys that are appropriated from the Solid Waste Management Fund to the Agency in certain years for solid waste management activities to be segregated into a separate account for use by the Prairie Research Institute of the University of Illinois for the costs of implementing the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act. Amends the Solid Waste Planning and Recycling Act. Updates requirements for each county waste management plan's recycling program with respect to food scrap collection programs. Amends the Illinois Solid Waste Management Act. Provides that a person that generates more than the applicable regulatory threshold of food and food scrap and that is located within 20 miles, prior to July 1, 2035, or 25 miles, on and after July 1, 2035, of an Agency-permitted composting facility or anaerobic digester that accepts food scrap and that has the permitted capacity to accept food scrap shall, among other things, source separate food and food scrap from other solid waste and either arrange for the transfer of the food or food scrap to a location that manages food and food scrap in a manner consistent with the food and food scrap management hierarchy set forth in the Act or manage the food and food scrap on site in accordance with other applicable State and local laws and rules. Grants the Agency rulemaking powers. Contains other provisions. Effective immediately.

Creates the Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act. Establishes a firearms manufacturer licensing program in the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, with certain requirements, including that the sum of all fees for firearms manufacturer licenses shall be equal to the public health costs and financial burdens from firearm injuries and deaths. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, a manufacturer of firearms may not operate in this State without a license from the Department and that a manufacturer who violates this provision is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000,000 per month. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2028, a retailer may not sell a firearm to a consumer in this State from a manufacturer who does not have a license from the Department and that a retailer who violates this provision is subject to a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation, with certain requirements. Establishes the RIFL Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, with certain limitations. Provides that the proceeds from fees under the licensing program shall be deposited into the RIFL Fund. Establishes a financial assistance program in the Department with moneys from the RIFL Fund for financial assistance to victims of firearms and for other purposes. Provides that the Department shall contract with a program administrator to administer the financial assistance program, with certain requirements. Provides that the Department shall adopt rules for financial assistance to victims of firearms, with certain requirements, including regarding exemption from certain State taxes. Provides that the Department may contract with a program administrator to implement or administer any part of the Act, with certain requirements. Provides that the Illinois State Police shall report certain information to the Department. Provides that the Department may provide for other civil penalties of no more than $1,000 per violation. Provides that the Attorney General may enforce the Act. Makes other provisions. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that no company may impose renewal premium increases of more than 10% for specified lines of business unless the company mails or delivers by electronic means to the named insured and by electronic means to the Department of Insurance notice of the increase in renewal premium at least 60 days prior to the renewal or anniversary date. Provides that the rates and premium charges for every policy of automobile liability insurance shall include appropriate reductions as determined by the insurer for any insured over age 55 upon successful completion of the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course or a motor vehicle crash prevention course, including an eLearning course, that is found by the Secretary of State to meet or exceed the standards of the National Safety Council's Defensive Driving Course's 4-hour (rather than 8-hour) classroom safety instruction program or eLearning course. Creates the Rates for Automobile Insurance Article. Provides that rates shall not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. Provides that a rate is reasonable and not excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory if it is an actuarially sound estimate of the expected value of all future costs associated with an individual risk transfer. Prohibits insurance providers from using an insured's zip code; credit score, credit-based insurance score, or any insurance score that uses or relies upon an insured's credit score; or age, if the insured is over 65 years of age, in any manner that increases an insured's premium, results in a nonrenewal of an insurance policy, or leads to the cancellation of an insurance policy. Requires credible State-specific loss experience to be used in the development of rates whenever such data is available and statistically reliable, and, to meet actuarial standards of credibility, insurers may supplement State-specific loss experience with countrywide or regional loss experience. Makes other changes. Effective January 1, 2027.

Reaffirms the State's steadfast commitment to promoting a person-centered, community-based mental health and substance use treatment system that is evidence-backed and recognizes each person's dignity, humanity, and autonomy in determining the best course of care in the least restrictive environment in compliance with the Constitution and laws of the State of Illinois.

Maddy summarySB 768 makes a technical correction to the short title of the Home Rule Cigarette Tax Restriction Act. It does not change any tax rates, policies, or affect any specific groups. The bill solely updates the section title for administrative clarity. This is a procedural adjustment with no substantive policy impact.

Maddy summaryHB 598 makes a technical amendment to the Salaries Act. Specifically, it revises a section concerning the short title of the Act. This bill primarily affects the formal naming convention within the existing law rather than substantive salary provisions.

Creates the Protective Medical Equipment Freedom Act. Provides that all individual in the State have the right to wear protective medical equipment in any place of public accommodation where they have a lawful right to be without obligation to disclose health status or any other protected information, and no person, entity, or authority shall deny, restrict, or infringe upon this right. Provides that operators and public officials shall not discriminate against or penalize medical device wearers for exercising their right to wear protective medical equipment. Provides that discrimination under the Act includes, but is not limited to: denial of service; eviction from premises; any form of harassment to remove or refrain from wearing such equipment for any amount of time; specified actions taken by employers; and provision of unequal goods, services, facilities, advantages, or accommodations. Sets forth provisions concerning the protection against retaliation, the exceptions for security requirements, operational safety, age and identity restricted products, and financial institution customer identification, and an undue hardship exemption. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois State Police Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that required hate crime training so Illinois may include material to help officers distinguish hate crimes from other crimes, understand and assist the victims of hate crimes, and ensure the accurate reporting of hate crimes, provides that the Illinois State Police shall biannually review the hate crime training curriculum. Provides the Illinois State Police may consult with the commission on discrimination and hate crimes to update the curriculum as needed. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board shall conduct or approve training programs in crimes motivated by bias. Includes requirements for the training programs. Requires the training for new law enforcement officers and the completion of continuing education credits for current law enforcement officers who complete the training.

Creates the Healing Through History Act. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to provide prospective adoptive families, no less than 30 days prior to adoption finalization, with a complete, unredacted copy of the child's full case record, including, but not limited to: (i) all placement histories and foster home records; (ii) all caseworker notes and observations; (iii) all educational, psychological, and behavioral reports; (iv) all therapy or counseling notes, subject to certain federal requirements; and (v) all medical records in full, including historical records. Provides that former foster youth aged 18 or older are entitled to receive the same information and records at no cost in both physical and digital form. Contains provisions concerning ongoing record access post-adoption or post-emancipation; the development of Department protocols and infrastructure necessary to collect, preserve, and transmit full child records; exemption and confidentiality protections; federal disclosure requirements; and other matters. Effective January 1, 2026.