Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the Strengthening Community Media Act. Provides that, for the fiscal year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, a State agency shall direct at least 5% of its total spending on advertising to local news organization publications, provided that a State agency may seek an exemption from this requirement upon a showing to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity that the purposes of the advertising are inconsistent with placement in a local news organization. Provides that the Department shall maintain a list of eligible local news organizations. Provides that all State agencies are prohibited from discriminating among local news organizations based on editorial content, unless that content is objectively relevant to the target audience and articulated purposes of the advertising. Provides that, no later than 3 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department shall publish on its website a report on the implementation of the Act. Provides that, for the first full fiscal year following the effective date of the amendatory Act, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Department shall publish an annual report that includes specified information. Defines "State agencies".

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that a school shall provide written notice to the parents or guardian of a child with disabilities that the parents or guardian have the right to have an individualized education program (IEP) advocate present at any meeting regarding the child's current or prospective individualized education program and that the parents or guardian have the right to ask for an IEP facilitator for the child's IEP. Provides that the school may provide the written notification as a part of other provided documentation, including, but not limited to, admission and enrollment documents.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires, beginning January 1, 2027, each designated seating position in any newly purchased or leased school bus to be equipped with a combination pelvic and upper torso seat safety belt system in good operating condition and meeting all applicable federal standards. Provides that the provisions do not apply to a school bus that is legally registered in another state and displaying valid registration plates of that state if the bus is not operated in Illinois on a regular basis and the bus is operated in Illinois in connection with a cultural, tourist, athletic, or other similar activity for students enrolled in a school located outside of Illinois. Effective immediately.

Amends the Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act. Provides that an employer shall provide 30 minutes of paid break time (rather than reasonable break time) to an employee who needs to express breast milk for her nursing infant child each time the employee has the need to express milk for one year after the child's birth. Provides that the employee may use other paid break time or meal time for any time needed in excess of 30 minutes. Provides that an employer shall provide paid break time (rather than reasonable break time) as needed by the employee unless to do so would create an undue hardship.

Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act. Removes a provision that requires the application of a homeless individual for an Illinois Identification Card to be accompanied by an affirmation by a qualified person, on a form provided by the Secretary of State, that the applicant is currently homeless.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to make reasonable efforts to develop a youth-driven transition plan for each youth in care aged 18 and over for whom the court has set a permanency goal of independence or home environment not appropriate. Requires the plan to address, at a minimum, the youth's housing, mental and physical health and well-being, financial stability, employment, education, connections to supportive adults and peers, transition to adult services, if applicable, and child care and parenting supports, if applicable. Requires the Department to make reasonable efforts to assist the youth in accomplishing the plan and to ensure the youth is aware of any post-case closure supports and services and how to access such supports and services. Requires the Department to assist a youth in care in obtaining a list of persons, with contact information, who are willing to provide the youth with support. Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Require the court to conduct Successful Transition to Adulthood Review hearings for minors who are 18 years old and older for whom the court has entered a goal of independence or home environment not appropriate. Lists certain information the Department shall provide the court 14 days prior to the hearing as well as certain Department actions that are subject to the court's review. Provides that if the court finds the Department has failed to make reasonable efforts to assist the minor in developing a plan toward independence, the court may enter such orders it deems necessary to ensure the minor is prepared to achieve the goal of independence when the minor turns 21 years of age. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person shall affix tape to any registration plate, temporary registration plate, digital registration plate, registration sticker, or other evidence of registration issued by the Secretary of State. Makes a conforming change. Provides that it is unlawful to operate any vehicle that is equipped with a manual, electronic, or mechanical device that hides or obscures a registration plate.

Creates the First Responder Trauma-Informed Response Training Act, which may be referred to as Anna's Law. Provides that, prior to the onboarding processes of a first responder, the individual must complete mandatory pass or fail trauma-informed response training, as established by the Department of Public Health. Provides that a first responder must also complete the pass or fail trauma-informed response training every 18 months after beginning work as a first responder. Provides that, if more than 18 months have elapsed after beginning work as a first responder and the first responder has not completed the retraining, the first responder may not perform trauma-related duties, such as responding to emergency calls, taking statements from victims, or interviewing victims. Provides that, if a first responder who is certified or licensed by the State or a subdivision of the State has not completed the required trauma-informed response retraining, the first responder may be decertified by the certifying entity or the first responder's license may be revoked by the licensing entity if retraining is not completed. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes in the Illinois Police Training Act and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act, including requiring the Department of Public Health to adopt rules to implement the trauma-informed response training and providing that the rules may allow or require the use of a training program from a university, college, or not-for-profit entity.

Creates the Safe Gun Storage Act. Provides that a firearm owner shall not store or keep any firearm in any premises where the firearm owner knows or reasonably should know a minor without the lawful permission of the minor's parent, guardian, or person having charge of the minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person is likely to gain access to the firearm unless the firearm is secured in a locked container, properly engaged so as to render the firearm inaccessible or unusable to any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. Provides that if the firearm is carried by or under the control of the owner or other lawfully authorized user, then the firearm is deemed lawfully stored or kept. Provides that a violation of the Act is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500, except (i) if any person knows or reasonably should know that a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person is likely to gain access to a firearm belonging to or under the control of that person, and a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains the firearm, the civil penalty shall not exceed $1,000 and (ii) if a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains a firearm and uses it to injure or cause the death of a person or uses the firearm in connection with a crime, the civil penalty shall not exceed $10,000. Provides that the court may order a person who is found in violation of the Act to perform community service or pay restitution in lieu of the civil penalties imposed under this Section if good cause is shown. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to preclude civil liabilities for violations of the Act. Provides that a violation of the Act is prima facie evidence of negligence per se in any civil proceeding if a minor, an at-risk person, or a prohibited person obtains a firearm and causes personal injury to the death of oneself or another or uses the firearm in the commission of a crime. Provides that an action to collect a civil penalty under the Act may be brought by the Attorney General or the State's Attorney of the county in which the violation occurred. Provides that any money received from the collection of a civil penalty under the Act shall be deposited in the Mental Health Fund. Defines terms. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

Amends the Arsonist Registry Act, the Sex Offender Registration Act, and the Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police, or any other law enforcement or registering agency, shall not impose a fee for registration on any person subject to those Acts.