Sen. Ram Villivalam

Appropriates $300,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Public Health for grants to the Les Turner ALS Foundation for research on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Effective July 1, 2025.

Creates the Agricultural Land Conservation Act. Makes findings. Defines terms. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, a Farmland Conversion Fee shall be paid by the buyer or lessee in a transaction for any agricultural land that will be removed from production for the specific purpose to develop solar farms, wind farms, industrial parks, commercial areas, single and multiple family dwellings, or any other use that removes agricultural land from production, with certain requirements, of between $700 and $900 per acre, according to the amount of acres. Provides for certain exemptions. Provides for remittance to and collection by the Department of Revenue, with rulemaking required. Creates the Farmland Conversion Fee Fund as a special fund in the State treasury, with certain requirements. Provides that certain amounts must be expended from the Fund for certain purposes. Provides that all State real property being used in the commercial production of agricultural commodities shall use an established metric for the purpose of advancing adoption of conservation practices, with certain requirements. Effective immediately.

Amends the Unemployment Insurance Act. Provides that, with respect to a week of unemployment beginning on or after June 1, 2026, benefits shall be payable to an individual on the basis of wages for employment in other than an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity performed for an educational institution or an educational service agency, as long as the individual is otherwise eligible for benefits. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Dental Practice Act. Provides that "community health center" means a migrant health center, community health center, health care program for the homeless or for residents of public housing supported under the federal Public Health Service Act, or FQHC, including an FQHC Look-Alike, as designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that operates at least one federally designated primary health care delivery site in Illinois. Provides that "physician" means a person licensed under the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to practice medicine in all of its branches and does not include a chiropractic physician. In provisions concerning acts constituting the practice of dental hygiene, provides that a public health dental hygienist may not administer local anesthesia except as provided in the amendatory provisions. Provides that a dental hygienist practicing in a community health center may administer local anesthetics upon the successful completion of a training program approved by the Department and under the general supervision of a dentist as long as the community health center: (i) has adopted written policies and procedures establishing supervision by a dentist or physician at the time the local anesthetics are administered, and (ii) ensures that a dentist or physician is physically present in the clinic at the time the local anesthetics are administered.

Creates the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Establishes the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board within the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for the purpose of advising and making recommendations to the Department regarding the provision of psilocybin and psilocybin services. Provides that the Department shall begin receiving applications for the licensing of persons to manufacture or test psilocybin products, operate service centers, or facilitate psilocybin services. Contains licensure requirements and prohibitions. Provides that a licensee or licensee representative may manufacture, deliver, or possess a psilocybin product. Provides that a licensee or licensee representative may not sell or deliver a psilocybin product to a person under 21 years of age. Provides that a person may not sell, give, or otherwise make available a psilocybin product to a person who is visibly intoxicated. Creates the Psilocybin Control and Regulation Fund and the Illinois Psilocybin Fund and makes conforming changes in the State Finance Act. Requires the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and the Department of Revenue to perform specified duties. Contains provisions concerning rulemaking, taxes, fees, zoning, labeling, and penalties. Provides that beginning January 1, 2026, a tax is imposed upon purchasers for the privilege of using psilocybin at a rate of 15% of the purchase price. Preempts home rule powers. Contains other provisions. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person shall not drive or be in actual physical control of any vehicle within the State while there is any amount of a drug, substance, or compound in the person's breath, blood, other bodily substance, or urine resulting from the unlawful use or consumption of psilocybin as defined in the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Removes psilocybin and psilocin from the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Amends the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal Act of 2012. Provides that the Tax Tribunal shall have original jurisdiction over all determinations of the Department of Revenue reflected on specified notices issued under the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act to exempt specific records from disclosure. Effective immediately.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors Sunil Puri, a prominent Illinois businessman and philanthropist who passed away on March 8, 2026. The bill formally acknowledges his contributions to the state, including founding the First Midwest Group, establishing numerous community facilities, and supporting U.S.-India relations. It expresses the Senate's condolences to his family and directs that a copy of the resolution be presented to them as a gesture of sympathy.

Amends the School Code. Creates the Out-of-School Time (OST) Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out of school time programs. Sets forth membership, co-chairperson's and meetings. Provides that the OST Advisory Council shall: (1) provide information on the status of funding provided for OST programs in each fiscal year; (2) provide recommendations on legislative and administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before and after school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of OST programs; (3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth; (4) provide information regarding challenges faced by OST programs that impede the provision of the best possible services; (5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of OST programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services; (6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, statewide evaluation, and licensure for OST programs; and (7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in OST and areas of growth for the future. Effective July 1, 2025.

Creates the Liability Insurance for Day Care Providers Act. Provides that the Department of Insurance and the Department of Early Childhood, in consultation with community partners, shall conduct a survey that shall include, but not be limited to, specified subjects concerning the accessibility of liability insurance for day care providers. Requires the Department of Insurance and Department of Early Childhood to develop a finalized report of the survey and submit the findings of the report to the relevant community partners, the General Assembly, and the Governor no later than one year after the effective date of the Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 1987. Provides that a physician assistant may prescribe, dispense, order, administer, and procure drugs and medical devices without delegation of authority by a physician. Provides that a physician assistant may practice without a written collaborative agreement. Provides that a physician assistant who files with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation a notarized attestation of completion of at least 250 hours of continuing education or training and at least 2,000 hours of clinical experience after first attaining national certification shall not require a written collaborative agreement to practice. Makes changes in provisions concerning definitions; physician assistant title; collaboration requirements; written collaborative agreements, prescriptive authority, and physician assistants in hospitals, hospital affiliates, or ambulatory surgical treatment centers; inactive status; limitations; and grounds for disciplinary action. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act to make corresponding changes.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, every public elementary school and high school shall include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Arab American history, including the history of Arab Americans in the State and the Midwest, as well as the contributions of Arab Americans from the 19th century onward. Provides that the State Superintendent of Education may prepare and make available to all school boards instructional materials, including those established by the Public Broadcasting Service, that may be used as guidelines for the development of the unit of instruction. Provides that each school board shall determine the minimum amount of instructional time that qualifies as a unit of instruction. Provides that the regional superintendent of schools shall monitor a school district's compliance with the curricular requirements during the regional superintendent's annual compliance visit. Provides that a school may meet the requirements through an online program or course. Effective immediately.