Sen. Mike Simmons-Gessesse

Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act. With regard to the retirement systems established under the General Assembly, State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, or Judges Article of the Code and the Illinois State Board of Investment, prohibits direct investment of any additional pension assets in the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any fossil fuel company or any subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of a fossil fuel company. Provides that each board of trustees of a pension system shall ensure the pension system does not make further indirect investments unless, upon exercising due diligence, the board of trustees is satisfied that the investment vehicle is unlikely to have more than 2% of its assets invested in fossil fuel companies. Requires pension system trustees to identify the pension system's holdings, whether directly or indirectly invested, including private investments. Requires pension system trustees to identify holdings that are invested in the stocks, securities, equities, fixed income, corporate bonds, prime commercial paper, or other obligations of fossil fuel companies. Requires pension systems to, in accordance with sound investment criteria and consistent with fiduciary obligations, divest any fossil fuel holdings, which must be completed by January 1, 2030. Requires pension systems to adopt an update to their written investment policies if necessary. Requires each pension system to disclose the analytic methods used, if any, in determining the climate-related financial risks posed by its fossil fuel investments (both publicly traded and private investments) and the results of the analysis. Sets forth provisions concerning definitions, de minimis exposure to fossil fuel securities, and annual reporting. Effective immediately.

Amends the Adult Protective Services Act. Expands the list of mandated reporters under the Act to include broker-dealers and officers, managers, and employees of financial institutions. Provides that financial exploitation of an adult with disabilities or a person aged 60 or older occurs when a person or entity (i) takes, secretes, appropriates, obtains, or retains real or personal property of an eligible adult for a wrongful use or with intent to defraud, or both; (ii) assists in taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining real or personal property of an eligible adult for a wrongful use or with intent to defraud, or both; (iii) knowingly aids and abets in the taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining of real or personal property of an eligible adult for a wrongful use or with intent to defraud, or both; or (iv) takes, secretes, appropriates, obtains, or retains, or assists in taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining, real or personal property of an eligible adult by undue influence. Sets forth when a financial institution or an officer, manager, or employee of a financial institution, a broker-dealer, or an investment adviser is deemed to have assisted in taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining real or personal property of an eligible adult. Sets forth when all other mandated reporters are deemed to have assisted in taking, secreting, appropriating, obtaining, or retaining real or personal property of an eligible adult. Exempts from liability nonsupervisory employees of a financial institution. Contains other provisions.

Declares April 2025 as Assyrian American Heritage Month in the State of Illinois in celebration of the Assyrian American community. Recognizes the resilience, culture, and contributions of the Assyrian people and joins them in celebrating their rich heritage and the dawn of Assyrian New Year 6775.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Hair Braiding Opportunity Act. Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Changes the short title to the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, and Nail Technology Act of 1985 and changes corresponding references to the Act throughout the statutes. Repeals provisions concerning hair braiding licenses, and removes references to licensed hair braiding throughout the Act. Makes conforming changes. Makes changes to the membership of the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, and Nail Technology Board. Provides that no application shall be automatically placed on hold, delayed, denied, or otherwise not processed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation because it was submitted by a person who is incarcerated. Provides that the Department shall consider practice supervised by a licensee while a person is incarcerated in determining qualifications for a license. Effective immediately.

Creates the Let America Read Act. Provides that the State Board of Education with oversight over the instructional materials used in public schools shall create a grievance procedure for challenges to instructional materials. Provides that a school district shall designate a Review Committee to review all challenges to instructional materials. Provides that for each formal challenge, the Review Committee shall review the instructional material with the use of clear, objective review criteria created by the State Board. Requires the school district to create a Formal Grievance Procedure for Instructional Materials Form. Provides that upon receipt of a formal complaint, the Review Committee shall hold a minimum of 2 public meetings during a school year to review complaints, welcome input from the public, and generate recommendations to the final decision maker. Provides that the challenged instructional material shall remain accessible in the classroom pending a final determination. Provides that if the challenged instructional material faces a successful objection, then the removal of the instructional material takes effect the school year after the year in which the complaint was filed. Provides that if an instructional material is formally challenged and a final determination is reached, the instructional material shall not be challenged and reviewed by the Review Committee for 3 school years. Grants rulemaking authority to the State Board. Makes a conforming change in the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act. Provides that the Secretary of State shall not collect a fee for a standard Illinois Identification Card issued to a transgender person, or the immediate family of that person, moving to Illinois due to an act of persecution. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Makes it a violation of the Real Estate Transactions Article of the Act to unlawfully discriminate using credit score and history, including insufficient credit history. Limits these provisions to landlord and tenant agreements only.

Amends the State Comptroller Act. Provides that all State payments that are recurring payments to a vendor shall be made through direct deposit. Provides that it is the responsibility of the paying State agency to ensure compliance with the mandate. Defines "recurring payment". Effective immediately.

Amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. Provides that medical creditors and debt collectors are prohibited from communicating with a patient regarding unpaid charges for the purpose of seeking to collect the charges and initiating a lawsuit or arbitration proceeding against the patient regarding the unpaid charges while an appeal of a health insurance decision is pending or was pending within 180 days. Sets forth provisions concerning medical debt interest under a reasonable payment plan, the applicable interest rate for judgments on medical debt, the effect of medical debt forgiveness on the contractual relationship between the medical creditor and the insurer or payor, and the applicability of the provisions.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that if the United States Supreme Court holds to be unconstitutional a provision under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148) that prohibits a group health plan and health insurance issuer from establishing lifetime or annual limits on the dollar value of benefits, or if the holding makes Medicaid eligibility allowed under that specified provision inoperable, then the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall fully cover the costs of medical assistance for individuals affected by that holding, subject to appropriation. Provides that the Department shall not require individuals receiving medical assistance to work a minimum amount of hours in order to receive benefits.