NW Illinois News

Dan Swanson introduced HB1754 in the Illinois House on Jan. 24, 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 Tracking Infectious Cases Knowledgeably Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the TICK Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules no later than January 1, 2026, requiring medical reporters to report cases of alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease to the local health department and the Department of Public Health on the date of the diagnosis under the Control of Communicable Diseases Code. Provides that the rules shall dictate that the Department of Public Health shall track cases of alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease statewide and within counties and shall publish the results of the tracking of cases of alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease publicly on the Department's website in a timely manner. Provides that any case of alpha-gal syndrome or Lyme disease present in an Illinois resident that has been diagnosed by a medical professional shall be reported to, and tracked by, the Department, independent from or concurrent with reporting and tracking by the federal government. Defines terms. Makes findings. 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, known as the Tracking Infectious Cases Knowledgeably Act, addresses the issue of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), a serious allergic condition triggered by the bite of an infected lone star tick and exposure to red meat or mammalian products. The bill mandates the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide educational materials about AGS on its website and conduct an awareness campaign. This campaign will target community members, local health departments, and medical providers, focusing on the signs and symptoms of AGS and proper testing procedures. The bill emphasizes the need for state-level surveillance of AGS as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, noting Illinois's high prevalence rate. The act takes effect upon becoming law.

Dan Swanson has proposed another eight bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Swanson graduated from Black Hawk Junior College in 1986 with an AA and again in 1994 from Western Illinois University with a BA.

Dan Swanson is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 71st House District. He replaced previous state representative Donald L. Moffitt 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
HB1754	01/24/2025	Creates the Tracking Infectious Cases Knowledgeably Act. Provides that the Act may be referred to as the TICK Act. Provides that the Department of Public Health shall adopt rules no later than January 1, 2026, requiring medical reporters to report cases of alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease to the local health department and the Department of Public Health on the date of the diagnosis under the Control of Communicable Diseases Code. Provides that the rules shall dictate that the Department of Public Health shall track cases of alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease statewide and within counties and shall publish the results of the tracking of cases of alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease publicly on the Department's website in a timely manner. Provides that any case of alpha-gal syndrome or Lyme disease present in an Illinois resident that has been diagnosed by a medical professional shall be reported to, and tracked by, the Department, independent from or concurrent with reporting and tracking by the federal government. Defines terms. Makes findings. Effective immediately.
HB1501	01/21/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit for an owner of an agricultural asset who sells or rents the agricultural asset to a beginning farmer. Sets forth the amount of the credit. Provides that the amount of the credit awarded with respect to any single sale or lease agreement shall not exceed $50,000 in any taxable year. Provides that the taxpayer shall apply to the Department of Agriculture for credits under the program. Provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025 and beginning before January 1, 2030, the Department of Agriculture may not approve more than $5,000,000 in credits under the program in any taxable year. Provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2030, the Department of Agriculture may not approve more than $10,000,000 in credits under the program in any taxable year. Effective immediately.
HB1379	01/15/2025	Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
HB1380	01/15/2025	Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning downstate firefighters.
HB1381	01/15/2025	Amends the Regional Fire Protection Agency Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title.
HB0046	01/09/2025	Amends the Child Care Act of 1969. Adds a provision that requires the Department of Early Childhood to make appropriate accommodations when an applicant for a license to operate a day care center, day care home, or group day care home requests that the application be offered in a language other than English.
HB1148	01/09/2025	Amends the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Act. Transfers the powers and duties under the Act from the Board of Higher Education to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Replaces the requirement that the Board of Higher Education must contract annually for an independent evaluation of program implementation with the requirement that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission monitor and evaluate the implementation of the program. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission may elect to contract for an independent evaluation with an outside entity. Effective immediately.
HB1149	01/09/2025	Creates the Educational Credit for Firefighting Experience Act. Provides that before June 1, 2027, each institution of higher education shall adopt a policy regarding its awarding of academic credit for firefighter training considered applicable to the requirements of a student's certificate or degree program. Requires the policy to apply to any individual who is enrolled in the institution of higher education and who has completed a firefighting training course or program that meets certain requirements. Provides that each institution of higher education shall develop a procedure for receiving the necessary documentation, provide a copy of its policy to certain applicants, and develop and maintain a list of qualifying firefighting training courses and programs. Provides that each institution of higher education shall submit its policy for awarding academic credit to the Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board, if applicable, before June 30, 2027 and before June 30 of each year thereafter. Provides that the Board of Higher Education shall collect data in the Illinois Higher Education Information System on students who are firefighters to assess enrollment and completion outcomes.
HB1150	01/09/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that, if a taxing district fails to timely file an affidavit that is required to be filed with respect to exempt property, then, prior to terminating the exemption, the chief county assessment officer shall notify the taxing district by first-class mail that the chief county assessment officer has not received the affidavit.