Source: Capitol News Illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker signed 31 bills in Springfield that enact a range of policy changes including allowing minors to obtain birth control without parental permission under Senate Bill 3341; Republicans objected during debate saying the measure cuts parents out of decisions and raised concerns about minors’ understanding of potential complications. House Bill 3409 bans manufacture and sale of cosmetic products containing 11 specified ingredients described as harmful substances or “forever chemicals,” many of which are already prohibited in EU cosmetics; that law takes effect in July 2028 but does not specify penalties for noncompliance. House Bill 4537 brings Illinois into compliance with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 Tyler v. Hennepin County decision by ensuring homeowners receive surplus funds from tax-sales auctions; the dossier notes Illinois was the last state to align and that Cook County postponed tax sales during negotiations.

Senate Bill 2909 bars school administrators from using artificial intelligence to evaluate teachers and similarly prohibits teachers from using AI to meet performance requirements, while not banning other school uses of AI; sponsor Rep. Mary Beth Canty said AI is inappropriate for complex judgment-based tasks. House Bill 4577 codifies definitions of “teacher-initiated play” and “student-initiated play” for kindergarten play-based learning, specifying alignment to learning goals or standards. Additional measures include House Bill 4203 expanding who is “at risk” for ovarian cancer and broadening imaging-based annual screening options (effective 2028); House Bill 3772 prohibiting expulsions for kindergarten through second grade except as otherwise required by state law; House Bill 4339 requiring high schools to provide graduating students an opportunity to register to vote (named for the Rev. Jesse Jackson) with immediate effect but no prescribed penalties for noncompliance; and House Bill 4428 requiring pretrial service agencies to send three text-message court-date reminders and retain those messages in court records.