IL SB1701

Amends the State Finance Act to rename the Conservation 2000 Fund as the Partners for Conservation Fund and expands its permitted uses to include climate resilience, soil health practices, and guidelines development for advancing soil health.

Establishes the Illinois Healthy Soils Initiative administered by the Director of Agriculture to improve soil and water quality, ecosystem resilience, agricultural productivity, and wildlife habitat through voluntary and incentive-based strategies.

Requires soil and water conservation districts to develop annual local soil health assessments by September 1, 2024, identifying soil health practices, vulnerabilities, funding needs, and measurable goals for achieving soil health improvements.

Adds new definitions to the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Act for "healthy soils practices," "soil health assessment," and "healthy soil" to support implementation of soil health improvement efforts.

Requires districts to have updated soil health assessments to be eligible for State cost-share support after September 1, 2024, and directs the Department of Agriculture to update cost-share rules to address barriers faced by beginning, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers.