Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that a committed person who has attained the age of 55 years and served at least 25 consecutive years of incarceration, excluding any person sentenced to natural life imprisonment for a Class X felony violation of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, shall be eligible to submit a petition to the Prisoner Review Board seeking parole. Specifies factors that the Board must consider as shown by the petition or as shown at the hearing. Provides that victims and victims' families shall be notified in a timely manner and be provided the opportunity to participate at the parole hearing concerning the petitioner's application for parole under this provision in accordance with the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act, the Open Parole Hearings Act, and this provision. Provides that Prisoner Review Board hearings under this provision shall be conducted by a panel of at least 3 members of the Board and a majority vote of the panel is required to grant the petition and release the petitioner on parole. Provides that the Board shall render its decision within a reasonable time after the hearing. Provides that when the panel votes to deny parole, a rationale shall be prepared by at least one member of the panel that states the basis for the denial, including the primary factors considered. Provides that in its decision, the Board shall set the person's time for parole or if it denies parole, it shall provide for a rehearing no later than 3 years after denial of parole. Provides that this provision applies retroactively to all persons serving any sentence that was or is imposed before, on, or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, and the period of incarceration for eligibility of each such person to submit a petition for parole is based on all previous consecutive years of incarceration served by that person before, on, and after the effective date of the amendatory Act.

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning radon testing, provides that every school building of a school district that is occupied or will be occupied shall be tested by January 1, 2029 and shall be retested every 5 years thereafter for radon (instead of recommending that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon). Provides that all new schools of a school district shall be built using radon resistant new construction techniques in accordance with the American National Standards Institute/American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists CC-1000, Soil Gas Control Systems in New Construction of Multifamily, School, Commercial and Mixed-Use Buildings standard or a successor standard (instead of recommending that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques, as shown in the United States Environmental Protection Agency document, Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings). Removes a provision allowing a person to perform radon screening tests without a license. Makes changes concerning the exemption. Provides that if radon is found to exceed specified levels, then the school district shall (instead of may) hire a licensed radon professional to perform confirmatory measurements (instead of to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made). Sets forth provisions concerning mitigation. Provides that a school district may use life safety funds, if available, for radon testing and mitigation. Preempts home rule powers.

Amends the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Transit Innovation, Integration, and Reform Act. Provides that the member appointed to the Committee to represent individuals with disabilities shall either be an individual with a disability or an individual who has demonstrated experience advocating for and advancing the accessibility and transportation needs of individuals with disabilities. Amends the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act. Provides that one of the members of the Board of the Chicago Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability who lives within the Authority's service area and uses the services provided by the Authority. Amends the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Provides that one of the Directors of the Board of the Northern Illinois Transit Authority shall be a person with a disability with expertise in transportation and shall be appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that one of the directors of the Suburban Bus Board shall be the Commissioner of the City of Chicago's Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (rather than appointed by the Mayor of Chicago). Provides that one of the directors of the Commuter Rail Board shall be a person with a disability who uses the services provided by the Commuter Rail Division and appointed with the advice and recommendation of a disability advocacy organization serving the Metropolitan Region. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, and the Commuter Rail Board shall each establish and maintain an ADA Advisory Committee to advise the Chicago Transit Authority, the Suburban Bus Board, or the Commuter Rail Board on accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as it relates to fixed route and paratransit service.

Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. In the Abused, Neglected, or Dependent Minors Article of the Act, provides that an environment is injurious to the minor's welfare if conditions in the child's environment create a real, significant and imminent likelihood of harm to the child's health, well-being, or welfare and the parent or caretaker blatantly disregarded his or her parental responsibility to prevent or mitigate such harm consistent with the health, safety, and best interests of the minor to remain in the custody of a parent, guardian, or custodian who experienced domestic violence unless the court determines the parent, guardian, or custodian who experienced domestic violence has committed acts or omissions unrelated to domestic violence against that parent, guardian, or custodian resulting in a determination of abuse or neglect under the Act. Provides that in making a custody determination, the court shall presume that it is consistent with the health, safety, and best interests of the minor to remain in the custody of a parent, guardian, or custodian who experienced domestic violence, unless the court has determined that the parent, guardian, or custodian who experienced domestic violence has committed acts or omissions unrelated to domestic violence against that parent, guardian, or custodian that is sufficient to independently support a determination of abuse or neglect under the Act. Defines "domestic violence".

Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Defines terms. Sets forth findings. Requires an electric utility that operates within the State to (i) upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems as needed and in time to achieve the State's decarbonization goals, and implement federal, State, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations, (ii) conduct sufficient advance planning, engineering, and construction of increased distribution of system capacity by advance ordering transformers and other needed equipment so that customers can be energized without substantial delay, (iii) promptly energize new customers, including by ensuring that new housing, new businesses, and new charging for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and equipment can be used without delay caused by a failure of the utility to implement energization projects, (iv) promptly upgrade service when needed by customers, (v) allow customers seeking energization to choose an optional flexible connection agreement, which shall provide a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that requires customers to agree to specified service levels as a requirement of energization or interconnection through the use of demand response technology that limits the net import and export of electricity at the point of common coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a customer's existing service connection or distribution circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for immediate project operations before service or distribution system upgrades are completed, and (vi) recruit, train, and retain an adequately sized and qualified workforce to carry out the planning, engineering, and construction of electrical distribution systems needed to promptly serve customers seeking energization and service upgrades without sacrificing other necessary activities of the workforce. Sets forth provisions concerning: the staffing of an electrification team; electric utility requirements; recovery of costs; and safety standards. Effective immediately.

Creates the Let the People Lift the Ban Act. Includes legislative findings and purpose. Defines terms. Excludes specified types of residences and occupancies from the Act. Includes provisions relating to rental agreements, tenant and landlord rights and obligations, tenant and landlord remedies, security deposits, retaliatory conduct, lockouts, and conflict with other provisions of law. Amends the Rent Control Preemption Act. Provides that a prohibition on a unit of local government enacting, maintaining, or enforcing an ordinance or resolution that would have the effect of controlling the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property does not apply if the voters of the unit of local government have approved a referendum allowing rent control. Adds provisions about local rent control regulation, including regulation within a district, precinct, ward, or other similar subdivision of a unit of local government. Changes the home rule preemption of the Act to concurrent exercise of home rule powers by a unit rather than exclusive exercise by the State. Repeals the Retaliatory Eviction Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. Makes changes to findings and defined terms provisions. Provides that a hospital shall not deny any protection or benefit of the Act on the basis of a patient's citizenship or immigration status or assets or prospective assets. Provides that a patient who inquires about a denial of financial assistance in whole or in part must be permitted to appeal the decision within at least 90 days. Requires a hospital to use only a uniform financial assistance form developed and provided by the Attorney General no later than December 31, 2026. Provides that every hospital bill and every collection notice must notify the patient, in the patient's preferred language, of the availability of hospital financial assistance and charity care. Establishes further provisions concerning hospitals pursuing collection actions; outsourced health care services; patient responsibilities; and applicability of the Act. Amends the Hospital Uninsured Patient Discount Act. Sets forth provisions concerning uninsured patient discounts for specified income levels. Prohibits hospitals from making the availability of a discount under the Act contingent upon the uninsured patient first applying for coverage under public health insurance programs. Provides that patients may not be denied a discount under the Act on the basis of citizenship or immigration status or assets or prospective assets. Makes other changes concerning uninsured patient discounts, outsourcing health care services, and patient responsibilities. Effective immediately.

Creates the Extremely High Wealth Mark-to-Market Tax Act. Provides that a resident taxpayer with net assets worth $1,000,000,000 or more shall recognize gains or losses as if each asset owned by that taxpayer had been sold for its fair market value on December 31 of the taxable year. Contains provisions concerning the calculation of the amount of tax due from those gains or losses. Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Declares April 11 through April 17, 2026 as Black Maternal Health Week in the State of Illinois. Commends the work of organizations, health care providers, managed care entities, and community leaders, including Meridian Health Plan's MomCare initiative, for their dedication to improving maternal health outcomes and advancing equity across Illinois. Reaffirms commitment to supporting policies, programs, and partnerships that eliminate maternal health disparities and ensure that every mother in Illinois has access to high-quality, culturally competent care. Encourages continued public-private partnerships and innovative care delivery models that expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen accountability across the maternal health ecosystem.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning the supportive living facilities program, prohibits a supportive living dementia care setting from limiting a resident's access to the sink, microwave, or refrigerator located within the respective resident's room, provided a comprehensive safety assessment deems the resident's use of the appliances safe. Requires the comprehensive safety assessment to be conducted prior to any resident moving in and at least once per quarter thereafter. Requires social and recreational programming to be provided no less than 3 times daily, including at least one time and location separate from a meal service. Requires newly constructed supportive living dementia care settings to provide no less than 300 square feet for a single occupancy apartment or no less than 450 square feet for a double occupancy apartment, which may include the closets and bathroom. Requires each apartment to include a sink, microwave, and refrigerator within the unit. Provides that any newly constructed supportive living dementia care setting shall provide a common area completely separate from the dining area.