East Central Reporter

Adam M. Niemerg introduced HB1215 in the Illinois House on Jan. 9, 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: "Creates the Utilizing Illinois Energy Resources Task Force Act. Creates the Utilizing Illinois Energy Resources Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall study methods the State can use to support and expand the use of natural resources in this State, including, coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Provides for the membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Director of Natural Resources may retain the services of outside parties with legal, engineering, and financial expertise to assist the Task Force in carrying out its duties. Provides that the Task Force members are not eligible to receive compensation or reimbursement of expenses. Provides that the Task Force shall file a report no later than December 31, 2026 with the General Assembly on all issues deemed appropriate by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall be abolished upon filing its report with the General Assembly. Repeals the Act on June 1, 2027. Effective immediately."

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

In essence, this bill creates the Utilizing Illinois Energy Resources Task Force to explore strategies for enhancing the use of the state's natural resources, including coal, crude oil, and natural gas. The task force comprises members appointed by various state leaders and representatives from sectors involved in resource extraction and agriculture. The Director of Natural Resources will chair the task force, which is tasked with submitting a report to the General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2026, covering subjects such as land use, regulatory reform, transportation, and environmental concerns. Members will serve without compensation, and the task force will dissolve after submitting the report. The act takes effect immediately and will be repealed on June 1, 2027.

Adam M. Niemerg has proposed another three bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Niemerg graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a BA.

Adam M. Niemerg is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 102nd House District. He replaced previous state representative Darren Bailey in 2023.

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
HB1215	01/09/2025	Creates the Utilizing Illinois Energy Resources Task Force Act. Creates the Utilizing Illinois Energy Resources Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall study methods the State can use to support and expand the use of natural resources in this State, including, coal, crude oil, and natural gas. Provides for the membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Director of Natural Resources may retain the services of outside parties with legal, engineering, and financial expertise to assist the Task Force in carrying out its duties. Provides that the Task Force members are not eligible to receive compensation or reimbursement of expenses. Provides that the Task Force shall file a report no later than December 31, 2026 with the General Assembly on all issues deemed appropriate by the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall be abolished upon filing its report with the General Assembly. Repeals the Act on June 1, 2027. Effective immediately.
HB1212	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates a credit in an amount equal to the eligible expenses incurred for engaging in qualified tourism activities by the taxpayer during the taxable year. Effective immediately.
HB1213	01/09/2025	Amends the Wildlife Code. Provides that the firearm open season set annually by the Director of Natural Resources between the dates of November 1 and December 31, both inclusive, shall include (1) a period before Thanksgiving of at least 4 consecutive days, (2) a period after Thanksgiving of at least 5 consecutive days, and (3) a total period of not more than 14 days. Makes technical changes.
HB1214	01/09/2025	Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987. Provides that sex-reassignment procedures are prohibited for patients younger than 18 years of age. Provides that if sex-reassignment procedures are administered or performed on patients 18 years of age or older, consent must be provided as specified. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall revoke the license of any physician who willfully or actively violates the prohibition on sex-reassignment procedures for patients younger than 18 years of age. Amends the Hospital Licensing Act and the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act. Adds a failure to comply with the provisions as grounds for fines, license denial, license suspension or revocation, or refusal to renew a hospital or facility's license. Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking.
HB1216	01/09/2025	Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any athletic team or sport that is under the jurisdiction of an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and student must be expressly designated as (i) a male athletic team or sport, (ii) a female athletic team or sport, or (iii) a coeducational athletic team or sport. Provides that an athletic team or sport designated as being female is available only to participants who are female, based on their biological sex. Requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by a student's parent or guardian or the student verifying the student's age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs; provides for a penalty for false or misleading statements. Prohibits a governmental entity or an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and students from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school district or nonpublic school for maintaining athletic teams or sports in accordance with these provisions.
HB1217	01/09/2025	Repeals the Illinois TRUST Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Identification Card Act, removing provisions that prohibit the disclosure of certain information to immigration agents. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Vehicle Code, repealing provisions that restrict the release of certain information to immigration agents. Effective immediately.
HB1218	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to $1,500 for each person who is claimed as a dependent of the taxpayer for the taxable year under Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. Effective immediately.