Kane County Reporter

Maura Hirschauer introduced HB3692 in the Illinois House on Feb. 7, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that each applicant for the issuance or renewal (rather than only the issuance) of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card shall (rather than may) provide a full set of the applicant's fingerprints in electronic format to the Illinois State Police, unless the applicant has previously provided a full set of the applicant's fingerprints to the Illinois State Police under the Act or the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Prohibits a live scan fingerprint vendor from charging more than $30 per set of fingerprints reviewed under the Act. Repeals a provision concerning a report that was to have been completed by January 1, 2022. Requires the Illinois State Police to deny the FOID card application of any person who fails to submit fingerprints. Changes the amounts of FOID card processing fees. Makes conforming changes in the Firearm Concealed Carry Act."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act, requiring applicants for both the issuance and renewal of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card to submit a full set of fingerprints electronically to the Illinois State Police unless previously submitted under this act or the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. It limits fingerprinting fees to $30 and mandates denial of the card for applicants who fail to submit fingerprints. The bill changes the processing fees for card applications, specifying that the Illinois State Police may charge a one-time fee for a criminal history check. The bill repeals a previously unfinished report requirement and makes conforming amendments to the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. The effective dates for the different provisions are not specified in the text.

Maura Hirschauer has proposed another 25 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Hirschauer graduated from Colby College with a BA.

Maura Hirschauer is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 49th House District. She replaced previous state representative Karina Villa in 2021.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB3692	02/07/2025	Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that each applicant for the issuance or renewal (rather than only the issuance) of a Firearm Owner's Identification Card shall (rather than may) provide a full set of the applicant's fingerprints in electronic format to the Illinois State Police, unless the applicant has previously provided a full set of the applicant's fingerprints to the Illinois State Police under the Act or the Firearm Concealed Carry Act. Prohibits a live scan fingerprint vendor from charging more than $30 per set of fingerprints reviewed under the Act. Repeals a provision concerning a report that was to have been completed by January 1, 2022. Requires the Illinois State Police to deny the FOID card application of any person who fails to submit fingerprints. Changes the amounts of FOID card processing fees. Makes conforming changes in the Firearm Concealed Carry Act.
HB3639	02/07/2025	Amends the Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Act. Provides that requests for grant assistance shall include, but not be limited to, those activities that will implement or enhance: (1) current Illinois Forest Action Plans objectives; (2) local Forestry Program management objectives as determined by an urban and community forestry management plan; (3) build tree canopy capacity in underserved and disadvantaged areas of communities or counties; or (4) improve urban and community forest canopy in Illinois communities and counties. Makes changes in provisions duties of the Department of Natural Resources; the concerning grants. amounts. Defines terms.
HB3675	02/07/2025	Amends the Nursing Home Care Act. Provides that, by December 31, 2026, the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules for intermediate care facilities that will be separate and distinct from the rules adopted for skilled nursing facilities.
HB3679	02/07/2025	Creates the Crossing of Electric Utility Property Act. Requires a public utility to provide an expedited review and grant of a crossing application and may not unreasonably withhold an allowance for a crossing, unless a public utility provides a reasonable justification that the crossing will impair or harm the right-of-way. Authorizes an occupant to commence use of a crossing within 90 days after meeting the following conditions: (i) notice is sent to the public utility that occupant owns or controls land on both sides of the public utility property and that a crossing is reasonably required to expand or maintain operations on the occupant's property or to benefit the public; (ii) provides to the public utility engineering specifications to demonstrate that the proposed crossing will not impair the public utility's occupancy and use of the right-of-way; (iii) affirms to the public utility that the occupant must maintain and repair the owner's own crossing and must bear responsibility for the owner's own acts and omissions concerning use of the crossing; and (iv) provides to the public utility a payment for establishment of the crossing and the first year of crossing fees. Prohibits a public from unreasonably denying a crossing and lists conditions that make a denial unreasonable. Requires that the occupant provide the public utility reasonable access to the crossing to inspect and monitor, and the occupant provide engineering studies that demonstrate that the crossing will not reasonably interrupt or impair the public utility's right-of-way.
HB3688	02/07/2025	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.
HB3693	02/07/2025	Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act in the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, if the ordinance approving the redevelopment project area was adopted on or after July 1, 2025, then the estimated dates of completion of the redevelopment project and the retirement of obligations issued to finance redevelopment project costs may not be later than December 31 of the year in which the payment to the municipal treasurer is to be made with respect to ad valorem taxes levied in the 15th (currently, 23rd) calendar year after the year in which the ordinance approving the redevelopment project area was adopted. Effective immediately.
HB3700	02/07/2025	Creates the Community Violence Intervention Workforce Development Act. Provides that the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention within the Department of Human Services shall establish the Community Violence Intervention Workforce Development Workgroup. Provides that the members of the Workgroup, other than the General Assembly members, shall be appointed by the Assistant Secretary of Firearm Violence Prevention, or the Assistant Secretary's designee. Provides that the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention shall convene a group of experts in the field of community violence intervention and conduct meetings and analysis as the Community Violence Intervention Workforce Development Workgroup. Provides that the Community Violence Intervention Workforce Development Workgroup shall complete the following tasks before December 31, 2026: (1) estimate the number of highest risk individuals currently being served with community violence intervention services and the number of high risk individuals that likely need these services; (2) determine the current and future workforce needs of the community violence intervention field in Illinois based on a goal of serving 75% of those with chronic exposure to gun violence in the next 5 years; (3) identify the critical job function and categories required by community violence intervention services; (4) develop estimates of the available workforce by job function and category to its best ability; (5) develop job descriptions and merit assessment tools by job function and category; (6) identify changes to grant and other State funding that can enable stronger recruitment, training, and evaluation of community violence intervention workers and services; and (7) make recommendations to the General Assembly by job function and category for changes to State law that will allow for the development and implementation of career paths and quality recruitment and retention of a community violence intervention workforce. Provides that the Workgroup is dissolved on January 1, 2027 and the Act is repealed on that date. Effective immediately.
HB3732	02/07/2025	Amends the Children and Family Services Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to establish and administer a 5-year Biological Foster Care Case Management Pilot Program that provides a framework to prioritize reunifying children with biological parents after an appropriate stabilization period. Provides that under the pilot program, the Department shall develop individualized, time-bound reunification plans that outline steps for returning children to their parents or guardians; and promote case coordination by providing caseworkers with specialized resources to focus exclusively on building relationships with biological families for the child. Provides that program tools and services shall include mental health evaluations, family counseling, and reintegration services. Provides that for each child placed in foster care, the Department shall develop a 2-year plan involving the child, biological parents, and key stakeholders to ensure sustained family stability. Contains provisions on employment and income opportunities for parents and foster youth under the pilot program; and Department reporting requirements.
HB3157	02/06/2025	Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that in cases in which a person who has had his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card revoked or denied because he or she was a patient in a mental health facility and who has received a mental health evaluation by a physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner as those terms are defined in the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, and has received a certification that he or she is not a clear and present danger to himself, herself, or others to receive a restoration of his or her right to obtain a Firearm Owner's Identification Card shall provide all collateral records to the physician, clinical psychologist, or qualified examiner making the certification and the person shall attest, by signature, that all collateral records have been provided to the evaluator prior to the mental health evaluation. In the definitions of "clinical psychologist", "physician", and "qualified examiner", provides that these persons conducting the mental health examinations shall be up to date on their continuing education and must possess a valid certification from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act. Provides that an investigator or attorney employed by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation investigating any provider of mental health or developmental disabilities services who is a licensee of the Department shall be entitled to inspect and copy a recipient record or any part thereof upon the presentation of a Department subpoena. Provides that a subpoena for records issued to a federally assisted substance use disorder program must be accompanied by a court order if required by 42 CFR 2.66. Provides that the Department of Human Services shall notify recipients upon receiving records obtained via subpoena. Nothing in this Act prohibits the use of a recipients records in an administrative proceeding conducted by the Department. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes.
HB2762	02/05/2025	Amends the Employment of Teachers Article of the School Code. Provides that in fixing the salaries of employees, a school board or the governing board of a joint agreement shall pay to employees an hourly rate of not less than (i) $20 for the 2026-2027 school year, (ii) $21 for the 2027-2028 school year, and (iii) $22 for the 2028-2029 school year. Provides that the minimum hourly rate for each school year thereafter shall equal the minimum salary rate for the previous school year increased by a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States Department of Labor for the previous school year. Provides that "employee" means any employee of a school district or joint agreement who provides educational support services to the district or joint agreement, including, but not limited to, custodial employees, transportation employees, food service providers, classroom assistants, administrative staff, or paraprofessional educators. Provides that an employee's salary shall include any amount paid by the school district or joint agreement on behalf of the employee, as employee contributions, to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund. Effective immediately.
HB2934	02/05/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that, on and after October 1, 2025, the default speed limit is 20 (instead of 30) miles per hour within an urban district, and 10 (instead of 15) miles per hour in an alley within an urban district. Requires, by September 1, 2025, the Secretary of State to communicate the speed limit change to every licensed driver in the State via direct postal mail and a broad statewide communications campaign. Provides that a county, municipality, or township with speed enforcement authority may only issue warnings for violations during the first 60 days after the change of the speed limit is enacted. Effective immediately.
HB2558	02/04/2025	Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. In provisions concerning provider reimbursement rates for services provided to medically fragile and technology dependent children, provides that by December 31, 2025, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall conduct a rate evaluation to study the soundness of the rate paid for private duty nursing services. Requires the Department to contract with an outside entity to conduct this study or utilize one of its existing contractors to conduct this evaluation. Provides that the contractor shall consult with Department-enrolled private duty providers to ensure the accuracy of this study as it is being created. Requires the study to include, at a minimum, a comparison of rates paid by other states for similar services and the cost of providing similar care in an institutional setting. Effective immediately.
HB2453	02/03/2025	Amends the Gender Violence Act. Provides that "gender-related violence" includes sexual contact between a sexual organ of one person and an intimate part of another person in which a "sexually protective device" has been intentionally removed by the defendant without the consent of the plaintiff or unintentionally removed but the defendant continues to engage in sexual conduct without getting the consent of the unaware plaintiff. Defines "sexually protective device" as any of the following that is intended to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection: internal or external condom; spermicide; diaphragm; cervical cap; contraceptive sponge; dental dam; or another physical device intended to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection.
HB2454	02/03/2025	Amends the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Provides that a person operating a bicycle is deemed to be an intended user of every roadway and portion of roadway on which bicyclists are permitted to ride.
HB2455	02/03/2025	Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Adds the Secretary of Early Childhood or his or her designee as a member of the Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities. Provides that the Council shall establish a committee charged with ensuring that all children aged 3 to 5 with disabilities have access to high-quality, inclusive, early-childhood services, provided in the least restrictive environment, across all early learning settings. Effective immediately.
HB2520	02/03/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purpose of the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, the term "household" includes only the applicant and the applicant's spouse (currently, the applicant, the spouse of the applicant, and all persons using the residence of the applicant as their principal place of residence). Effective immediately.
HB2419	01/31/2025	Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, when determining whether certain local siting review criteria have been met, the county board of the county or the governing body of the municipality, as applicable, shall consider, among other things, vehicle emissions and the potential cumulative impacts created by the addition of the facility to the existing pollution sources, the disparate impacts created by the addition of the facility to existing pollution sources, and the potential disparate impacts on nearby communities. Requires the local siting decisions of the Pollution Control Board to include a written statement describing whether the procedures were conducted by the county board or governing body in a manner that is accessible to the public, including individuals with disabilities and individuals who are not native speakers of English.
HB2420	01/31/2025	Amends the Smart Start Illinois Act. Sets forth eligibility requirements for Smart Start Workforce Grants. Provides that a grant applicant must: (i) be a licensed day care home, day care center, or group day care home as of the month prior to the applicant submitting an application and maintain the applicable license for the duration of the grant; (ii) regularly provide year-round child care; (iii) meet minimum enrollment levels for children whose care is paid for by the Child Care Assistance Program, child care subsidies for foster child care, or military child care subsidies. Provides that if an applicant does not meet the minimum enrollment requirements under the Child Care Assistance Program, the applicant may qualify if the applicant maintains specified enrollment levels for children with an individualized education program or children who are English learners. Sets forth the eligibility requirements for licensed day care centers applying for a Smart Start Workforce Grant. Effective July 1, 2025.
HB2354	01/30/2025	Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the lease of real estate is permitted when a vacant property, structure, or facility owned by the county can be used in the interest of the public or for the benefit and enjoyment of residents of the county.
HB2355	01/30/2025	Amends the Counties Code. Provides that the lease of real estate is permitted when a property, structure, or facility owned by Kane County can be used for athletic purposes in the interest of the public or for the benefit and enjoyment of residents of the county if the property, structure, or facility acquired by Kane County was being used for athletic purposes prior to the county acquiring the property, structure, or facility. For leases entered into under this provision after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the lease must require (i) the lessee to allow any organization that used the land at the time the lease is executed to continue to use the land for the leased purposes during the term of the lease and (ii) the lessor to continue, during the term of the lease, to employ, in the same capacity, any persons who provided services on the land at the time the lease is executed.
HB1786	01/27/2025	Amends the Election Code. Creates the Ranked-Choice Voting in State and Local Elections Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall study the possibility of implementing ranked-choice voting for State and local elections. Directs the Task Force (1) to engage election officials, interested groups, and members of the public for the purpose of assessing the adoption and implementation of ranked-choice voting in State and local elections beginning in the 2029 consolidated election; (2) to review standards used to certify or approve the use of a voting system, including the standards adopted by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and the State Board of Elections; (3) to advise whether the voting system used by this State's election authorities would be able to accommodate alternative methods of voting, including, but not limited to, ranked-choice voting; and (4) to make recommendations or suggestions for changes to the Election Code or administrative rules for certification of voting systems in Illinois to accommodate alternative methods of voting, including ranked-choice voting. Provides that, on or before June 30, 2027, the Task Force shall publish a final report of its findings and recommendations and other specified information. Sets forth provisions concerning membership and administrative support. Dissolves the Task Force and repeals the provision on July 1, 2027. Effective immediately.
HB1787	01/27/2025	Amends the School Safety Drill Act. Requires a school district to provide training on school evacuation drills and law enforcement lockdown drills to all school personnel serving in a substitute capacity.
HB1790	01/27/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for the eligible purchase of a firearm safety device. Effective immediately.
HB1698	01/24/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that, upon receiving an election authority's request, if a school district demonstrates to the election authority that the use of a school as a polling place would interfere with scheduled programming or pose a threat to the safety of staff or students, the election authority and the school district shall work cooperatively to find an alternative location to serve as a polling place. Provides that, if the school district and the election authority are unable to identify a mutually agreeable alternative location, the school district and the election authority shall submit a report to the Board of County Commissioners that includes specified information. Provides that, after receiving the report, the Board of County Commissioners shall determine a location to be used as a polling place as soon as practicable to avoid further delay in determining a polling place.
HB1609	01/23/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, for the purposes of assessment, property registered in perpetuity with the register of areas under the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act is considered to be encumbered by a public easement and shall be depreciated to a level at which its value is $5 per acre, and any improvement, dwelling, or other appurtenant structure present on that land shall be valued at 33 1/3% of its fair cash value. Provides that a conservation right on land preserving a habitat for plant and animal species that are native to Illinois (currently, State or federal endangered or threatened species or federal candidate species) is considered to provide a demonstrated public benefit. Provides that a conservation right on land located adjacent to a park, conservation area, nature preserve, or other land or water area that is publicly owned or otherwise permanently protected for conservation purposes is considered to provide a demonstrated public benefit if the conservation right on that land furthers the conservation purposes of the adjacent protected area. Effective immediately.
HB1610	01/23/2025	Amends the Housing Authorities Act. Requires every housing authority to post on its official website in a downloadable, printable format sample rental or lease agreements that are written in the 3 most common non-English languages spoken in the city, village, incorporated town, or county for which the housing authority was created.
HB1398	01/16/2025	Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Public Health to ensure that pediatricians ask about the presence of guns in homes and distribute safe gun storage information to individuals with guns in a home with a child. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1399	01/16/2025	Amends the Department of Public Health Powers and Duties Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department of Public Health to ensure that safe gun storage information is available at all Secretary of State driver services facilities. Provides that the Department may use existing public or private programs to implement these provisions. Requires the Department to disseminate safe gun storage information on its website and in Department facilities. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1312	01/14/2025	Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the Governor shall annually designate by official proclamation the third Friday of September in each year as POW/MIA Recognition Day (rather than the third Friday of September in each year is designated as POW/MIA Recognition Day) to be observed in honor and remembrance of the men and women who, as POWs, have suffered captivity in foreign countries while in active service with the United States armed forces or who, as MIAs, have been recognized as missing in action in a time of war or during a period of hostilities (rather than who were recognized as POWs or MIAs in a time of war or during a period of hostilities). Provides that the Governor shall request, in the Governor's annual designation by official proclamation, that some portion of the third Friday of September be used for solemn contemplation on the plight of members of the United States armed forces who have been held prisoners of war and members of the United States armed forces who have been missing in action and the resolve of families and friends who continue to seek the fullest possible accounting for missing loved ones. Effective immediately.