Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the Medicaid Access Adjustment payments to nursing facilities, provides that for dates of service beginning January 1, 2027, the Medicaid Access Adjustment shall be increased by $5.75 to $10.50 per diem. Provides that beginning January 1, 2027, facilities located outside of Rate Areas 6, 7, and 8 shall have the Medicaid percent of occupied bed days to be at least 60% of all occupied bed days adjusted quarterly to qualify for the Medicaid Access Adjustment. Provides that the remaining facilities shall have their threshold remain at 70%.

Creates the Emerging Adult Criminal Justice Task Force Act. Establishes the Emerging Adult Criminal Justice Task Force within the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Provides that the Task Force shall hold public meetings. Requires at least 3 meetings of the Task Force to be held in different regions of Illinois. Provides that the first meeting of the Task Force shall be held within 60 days after the appointment of its members. Provides that the Task Force shall review Illinois law and practices affecting emerging adults across pretrial, sentencing, corrections, supervision, and reentry. Provides that the Task Force shall develop recommendations for statutory, policy, and programmatic improvements to the Illinois criminal justice system. Allows any Task Force member to prepare a written dissent or statement of concern regarding any finding or recommendation. Provides that the Task Force shall submit an interim report summarizing preliminary findings, analyses, and recommendations, to the Governor and the General Assembly, no later than January 31, 2027. Provides that the Task Force shall submit a final report, including all final findings and recommendations, draft statutory language, and estimated fiscal impacts, no later than December 1, 2027. Repeals the Act on June 30, 2028. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Establishes the data center self-direct program to allow for customers taking service under the data center tariff to receive a reduction in the charges collected for the procurement of renewable energy resources. Provides that the reduction in charges available to the customer shall increase based on the energy or capacity value of the new additive clean energy generation's contribution pursuant to the specified requirements. Provides that the Illinois Power Agency may require that participating customers provide annual reports related to facility operation and performance, customer electricity consumption and load profiles, and other information as necessary. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that, on or after January 1, 2027, at least 180 days prior to commencing any construction activities, the data center operator of a proposed data center shall submit a data center disclosure to the Illinois Commerce Commission. Establishes publication and open meeting requirements concerning the data center disclosures. On and after January 1, 2027, requires all data centers operating within the State to maintain water consumption data to submit annual disclosures of the data center's water usage to the Department of Natural Resources. Requires the Department of Natural Resources to make an aggregated and anonymized form of data disclosed to it available on a publicly accessible website. Provides that data centers that fail to comply with any disclosure requirements under the Act may be subject to fines of up to $10,000 per violation. Requires the Department of Natural Resources and the Illinois Commerce Commission to adopt implementing rules. Requires a specified electric utility to, no later than 90 days after the effective date of the amendatory Act, make a filing with the Commission that proposes revenue-neutral tariff changes, which shall present the Commission with an opportunity to suspend the tariffs and consider revenue-neutral tariff changes related to rate design. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Survivor Support and Trafficking Prevention Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Extends eligibility for State funded cash assistance and SNAP benefits to humanitarian immigrants, subject to available funding, if they are not eligible for such benefits solely due to citizenship or immigration status requirements but otherwise meet the financial and nonfinancial factors of eligibility. Lists the classes of humanitarian immigrants eligible for SNAP benefits under the Article. Provides that any individual residing in an institution or other setting that provides the majority of the individual's daily meals is not eligible for SNAP benefits. Exempts persons who do not have legal authorization to work from the statutory work requirements. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Commission to End Hunger Act. Creates the SNAP Response Working Group. Provides that the co-chairs of the Commission to End Hunger shall convene and appoint the co-chairs of the Working Group. Provides that the Working Group shall review and analyze federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), gather and analyze data regarding the potential impact of the federal changes to SNAP on Illinois residents, and gather relevant estimates and data about Illinois' SNAP payment error rate, including the monthly State-reported error rate. Requires the SNAP Response Working Group to make projections about the cost to the State to maintain SNAP in Illinois in federal Fiscal Year 2028. Directs the Working Group to submit a preliminary report to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2027. Provides that the preliminary report shall outline the federal changes to SNAP and identify the number of State residents impacted by those changes. Further provides that the preliminary report shall include initial recommendations for State action to prevent or mitigate any harm to State residents caused by the federal changes and shall project the cost to maintain the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Illinois in federal Fiscal Year 2028. Provides that, no later than April 1, 2027, the Working Group shall issue a full report to the General Assembly that includes an analysis on the impact of federal changes to SNAP on Illinois, final recommendations for State action to prevent or mitigate harm resulting from those changes, updated projections of the cost to maintain the program in federal Fiscal Year 2028, and any other cost projections relating to the Working Group's recommendations. Requires the SNAP Response Working Group to provide any relevant additional updates to its recommendations or projections as appropriate. Specifies that all reports of the Working Group shall be published by the Department of Human Services on its website. Provides that the SNAP Working Group shall be dissolved on May 31, 2027. Effective immediately.

Amends the Administration Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Human Services to, subject to available funding, establish a Families Receiving Emergency Support for Hunger (FRESH) Program to provide FRESH benefits to households subject to termination of the household's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, or a reduction in the household's monthly SNAP benefit allotment, if the termination or reduction in SNAP benefits occurred as a result of one or more members of the household failing to meet federal SNAP work requirements. Provides that, for eligible households whose SNAP benefits were reduced or terminated, FRESH benefits shall be provided as a one-time lump sum payment distributed via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card. Requires the Department to make FRESH program applications available online and at local Family and Community Resource Centers immediately upon the first of the month following the effective date of the amendatory Act. Provides that an application for FRESH benefits shall not be deemed an application for any other public aid provided under the Code. Requires the Department to provide within a specified time frame FRESH benefits to households' that experience a reduction or termination of SNAP benefits prior to or after the first month following the effective date of the amendatory Act, if certain application submission deadlines are met. Requires the Department to publish monthly data reports on the FRESH program and to include such data in the Department's annual report to the General Assembly. Prohibits the Department and local governmental units from considering a household's receipt of FRESH benefits when determining the household's eligibility for other assistance provided under the Code. Provides that the provisions of the amendatory Act are inoperative on and after January 1, 2028. Effective immediately.

Provides that the Act may be referred to as the Illinois Newborn Equity Support Transfer (NEST) Program Act. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish and administer, subject to appropriations, the Illinois Newborn Equity Support Transfer (NEST) Program to provide direct cash assistance to eligible participants by July 1, 2026. Defines "participant" to mean any individual who gives birth in Illinois while enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid through Moms and Babies. Permits the Department to adopt any rules necessary to implement the NEST Program. Provides that program participants shall receive a $1,500 lump sum payment in or around the third trimester of pregnancy, prior to delivery; and a $500 monthly cash payment for the first 6 months following delivery. Requires the Department to submit reports to the General Assembly on a biennial basis that summarizes (1) the number of program participants and distribution across the State, (2) outcomes related to maternal and child health, housing stability, and economic security, or other outcomes identified by the Department in collaboration with stakeholders, and (3) recommendations for program improvements or additional populations beyond Medicaid enrollment to include as participants. Provides that cash disbursements made to participants under the NEST Program shall be considered "guaranteed income" as described in the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act for purposes of determining eligibility for assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code. Effective immediately.

Amends the School Code. Provides that, subject to appropriation, the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Public Health, shall develop an educational document explaining, at a minimum, the values of good indoor air quality and shall supply the document to school districts. Provides that, subject to funding from the State Board, a school district shall ensure that all active classrooms are equipped with an air quality monitor.

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish and administer a Small Business Restoration Grant Program to assist small businesses in the State that have been affected by the actions of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during Operation Midway Blitz. Provides for the transfer of $50,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Small Business Restoration Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Small Business Restoration Fund. Effective immediately.

Creates the Guaranteed Income Pilot Program Act. Provides that, beginning one year after the effective date of the Act, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide $500 monthly cash payments to 3,250 low-to-moderate-income families in the State for a period of 2 years. Provides that the recipients of the monthly cash payments shall be determined by lottery. Provides that the Department may not limit how the recipients of the monthly cash payments use the monthly cash payments or require the recipients of the monthly cash payments to provide receipts demonstrating how the recipients of the monthly cash payments use the monthly cash payments. Requires the Department to adopt rules to implement the Act. Provides that the Act is repealed 5 years after the effective date of the Act.