Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Provides that the Task Force on Federal Impact to Illinois Veterans is created within the Department of Veterans Affairs to include the feedback, experiences, and guidance from veterans throughout Illinois on the state of existing veteran programming, resources, housing, and healthcare. Provides that the Task Force shall also analyze the current state of staff and funding changes to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, in conjunction with the impact federal funding cuts to social services enacted by the Department of Government Efficiency and through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act have on the over 500,000 veterans living in Illinois. Provides that the Task Force shall also assess ways that the State of Illinois can assist Illinois veterans expected to lose their jobs within the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, as well as veterans impacted by cuts to entitlement programs, including, but not limited to, SNAP, Medicaid, and federal tax credits. Contains provisions on Task Force membership and meetings. Provides that the Task Force may allow testimony from the public regarding the impact of federal cuts on veterans. Requires the Task Force to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by December December 15, 2027. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved on January 31, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Hospital Provider Funding Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, if an Illinois freestanding psychiatric hospital reopens a previously closed hospital facility within 4 calendar years of that hospital facility's closure, and the previously closed hospital facility qualified for fee-for-service supplemental payments, then the Illinois freestanding psychiatric hospital shall receive an annual payment equal to $200 per covered inpatient day contained in paid fee-for-service claims and $200 per paid fee-for-service outpatient claim for dates of service of the closed hospital facility in Calendar Year 2019 in the Department of Healthcare and Family Services' Enterprise Data Warehouse as of May 11, 2020. Provides that "closed hospital facility" includes hospitals that have been terminated from participation in the medical assistance program. Effective immediately.

Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Transportation to develop an intercity grid bus pilot program that offers free and fast buses that interconnect cities, suburbs, and townships across the State. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Free and Fast Buses Act.

Amends the Hotel Operators' Occupation Tax Act. Imposes a tax upon hosting platforms that facilitate the renting, leasing, or letting of short-term rentals. Provides that the tax is imposed at the rate of 4% of 94% of the gross rental receipts received by the platform from the renting, leasing, or letting of short-term rentals in this State. Provides that the proceeds from the tax shall be deposited into the Community Land Trust Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Community Land Trust Fund. Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is owned by a non-profit community land trust and that is used exclusively for the creation and maintenance of permanently affordable single-family or multifamily residences is exempt beginning with the taxable year in which the property is acquired by the community land trust and continuing through the taxable year in which the property is sold to a homeowner. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. Provides that, when required to report the reason for a mass layoff or closing, the employer shall disclose any artificial intelligence-related job impacts, including the number of employees laid off substantially due to the replacement or automation by artificial intelligence of the functions performed by the employees. Provides that, if the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity issues any public report disclosing mass layoffs or closings, the Department shall include the reason for the mass layoff or closing in the report, including whether the mass layoff or closing is substantially due to artificial intelligence. Makes other changes.

Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act. Prohibits a person from entering into an agreement with any other person to not compete in rental pricing, fees, or any other rental term for residential rental units in the State. Prohibits a person from engaging in price coordination for residential rental units in the State. Prohibits a person from facilitating an agreement between 2 or more persons to not compete with respect to rental pricing, fees, or any other rental term for residential rental units in the State. Prohibits a person from using, subscribing to, contracting for, or paying for the services involving price coordination or otherwise encouraging or facilitating an agreement with other persons to not compete with respect to any rental term for residential rental units in the State. Allows an aggrieved person to bring a civil action seeking damages and makes a violation of the Act a violation of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act.

Creates the Artificial Intelligence Design Requirements Act. Sets forth provisions concerning product liability actions brought against a developer of an artificial intelligence system for defective design, failure to contain adequate instructions or warnings, and failure to conform to an express warranty. Provides that a deployer of an artificial intelligence system shall be deemed to be liable as a developer for harm caused by a product if: (1) the deployer makes material and substantial change to the product or (2) the deployer intentionally misuses the product contrary to the express warranty and that use was the proximate cause of harm to the plaintiff. Sets forth provisions concerning applicability and enforcement.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Mental Health Parity for All Act. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Provides that subject to appropriations, the Department of Human Services shall establish and administer a program that provides grants to community-based organizations to develop and establish mental health wellness hubs in communities disproportionately impacted by the closure of mental health clinics, hospitals, and schools. Provides that the goal of the program is to provide immediate and accessible behavioral health services and supports to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis or distress prior to the need for psychiatric hospitalization. Requires program grants to be awarded to community-based organizations with a demonstrable history of providing behavioral health services and supports to persons experiencing mental health-related stress. Requires the mental health wellness hubs to provide an array of services aimed at promoting emotional and psychological well-being, including, but not limited to: (1) crisis prevention and intervention; (2) psychiatric assessments and evaluations; (3) individual and group therapy; (4) medication monitoring; (5) nutrition education; and (6) referrals to community resources. Requires the services to be tailored to the community's needs and to be available year-round on a walk-in basis or by appointment to community members regardless of age or insurance coverage. Permits the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement the program.

Amends the Hospital Licensing Act. Requires each hospital licensed under the Act to submit to the Department of Public Health a financial resolution plan with the specified information for the rapid and orderly resolution of finances and operations in the event of material financial distress. Establishes further reporting requirements and penalties. Includes financial resolution plans in the list of information subject to disclosure to the public from the Department. Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code. Sets forth provisions concerning financial reporting requirements for nonexempt hospitals. Provides that, if a hospital has not filed the required information within 45 days after the close of the quarterly reporting period, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall suspend specified authorized payments until the Department receives the required information. Provides that the Department may adopt rules, including emergency rules, necessary to implement financial reporting requirements for nonexempt hospitals. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to authorize emergency rulemaking.

Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act and the Illinois Income Tax Act. Provides that the amount of credits awarded under the affordable housing tax donation program is limited to $41,831,227 in State fiscal year 2027 and shall increase by 10% each fiscal year thereafter (currently, $32,850,352 in State fiscal years 2022 and 2023 increased by 5% each fiscal year thereafter). Provides that the affordable housing donation income tax credit applies through the taxable year ending on December 31, 2036 (currently, December 31, 2026). Effective immediately.