North Cook News

Tracy Katz Muhl introduced HB2518 in the Illinois House on Feb. 3, 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 Freedom of Information Act and the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Exempts from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act information and documentary materials obtained by the Office of the Attorney General or a State's Attorney under certain provisions of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Adds a power of the Attorney General with respect to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to require written answers under oath to written interrogatories. Provides that certain materials are not available for examination, except by authorized employees of the Attorney General and authorized law enforcement, without the consent of the persons who produced the materials. Provides that the Attorney General may, in the Attorney General's discretion, use information and documentary materials obtained in the course of an investigation under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act for law enforcement purposes, including, but not limited to, interviewing or questioning potential witnesses and consultants, in a complaint or other pleading, and in court proceedings."

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 Freedom of Information Act and the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to exempt specific information and documentary materials obtained by the Illinois Office of the Attorney General or a State's Attorney from public disclosure. It grants the Attorney General the authority to require written answers under oath to written interrogatories. Information collected under investigations related to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act is restricted, and access is limited to authorized employees of the Attorney General and other law enforcement officials, unless the originator consents to disclosure. However, the Attorney General is permitted to use such information for law enforcement purposes, such as interviews, court proceedings, and questioning potential witnesses. The amendment outlines that information obtained remains confidential unless shared with enforcement officials under specific conditions, ensuring the information is kept confidential.

Tracy Katz Muhl has proposed another five bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Muhi graduated from Georgetown University in 1997 with a BS and again in 2000 from University of Chicago with a JD.

Tracy Katz Muhi is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 57th House District. She replaced previous state representative Jonathan Carroll in 2024.

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
HB2518	02/03/2025	Amends the Freedom of Information Act and the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Exempts from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act information and documentary materials obtained by the Office of the Attorney General or a State's Attorney under certain provisions of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Adds a power of the Attorney General with respect to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to require written answers under oath to written interrogatories. Provides that certain materials are not available for examination, except by authorized employees of the Attorney General and authorized law enforcement, without the consent of the persons who produced the materials. Provides that the Attorney General may, in the Attorney General's discretion, use information and documentary materials obtained in the course of an investigation under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act for law enforcement purposes, including, but not limited to, interviewing or questioning potential witnesses and consultants, in a complaint or other pleading, and in court proceedings.
HB2385	01/31/2025	Appropriates $5,000,000 from the Build Illinois Fund to the Department of Transportation for designing, planning, and the construction costs of a new community center at the Chicago Executive Airport, including an airplane mechanic and pilot training institute and operations center. Effective July 1, 2025.
HB2386	01/31/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that the Secretary of State may issue Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal license plates to Illinois residents that served in the United States Armed Forces after July 1, 1958 and participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. Provides that the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal license plates shall expire according to the staggered multi-year procedure established by the Code. Provides that the Secretary has discretion as to the design, color, and format of the plates. Provides that the plates are not required to designate "Land of Lincoln".
HB2387	01/31/2025	Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that the circuit court has jurisdiction under the Admission, Transfer and Discharge Procedures for the Mentally Ill Chapter of the Code over persons not charged with a felony who are subject to involuntary admission on an inpatient basis. Provides that the circuit court has jurisdiction over all persons who are subject to involuntary admission on an outpatient basis under the Admission on an Outpatient Basis by Court Order Article of that Chapter of the Code, whether or not they are charged with a felony. Provides that a petition that the respondent is subject to involuntary admission on an outpatient basis must be accompanied by one certificate (rather than 2 certificates) of a physician, qualified examiner, psychiatrist, advanced practice psychiatric nurse, or clinical psychologist which certifies that the respondent is subject to involuntary admission on an outpatient basis. Provides that a court order placing the respondent in the care and custody of a relative or other person willing and able to properly care for him or her or committing the respondent to alternative treatment at a community mental health provider may include provisions requiring that the respondent participate in: case management services, individual or group therapy, day or partial day programs, educational or vocational training, supervised living, assertive community treatment team services, substance use disorder treatment and testing and any other service that would help prevent relapse or deterioration resulting in hospitalization. Provides that psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy and accompanying tests may be ordered only pursuant to the administration of psychotropic medication and electroconvulsive therapy upon application to a court provisions of the Code. Provides that the court may also order the custodian or treatment provider to file periodic reports with the court, and provide copies to the State's Attorney and respondent's counsel, reflecting the respondent's participation in treatment and his or her clinical condition.
HB2390	01/31/2025	Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning special education joint agreements, provides that, for joint agreements entered into before, on, or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, any membership fees, annual fees, up-front fees, or costs or fees assessed to a member district by virtue of being a party to the joint agreement, and not for the use of services, must take into account the member district's actual use of the services offered within the joint agreement and may not be based solely on each member district's population. Provides that, upon withdrawal from a joint agreement, all member districts are entitled to an appropriate allocation of assets and liabilities, provided that forfeiture of a member district's taxpayer assets intended for its students is prohibited from being required. Effective July 1, 2026.
HB2391	01/31/2025	Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In a provision regarding wastewater reuse, provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the use of treated municipal wastewater from a publicly owned treatment works is authorized for irrigation and industrial use (rather than only irrigation) when conducted in accordance with a permit issued under certain provisions of the Act.