# Illinois HB5165: RIVER ACCESS MODERNIZATION ACT Illinois HB5165, RIVER ACCESS MODERNIZATION ACT, is a 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) House bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status passed house, last action 2026-05-22 (Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5165-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Illinois HB5165 - State: Illinois - Session: 104th General Assembly (2025–2026) - Title: RIVER ACCESS MODERNIZATION ACT - Status: passed house - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-05 - Last action: 2026-05-22, Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 8 - Subjects: agriculture & conservation, assignments, appropriations - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (130 yes, 4 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Creates the River Access Modernization Act. Affirms the public's right to use navigable and recreationally suitable waters for canoeing, boating, kayaking, and angling, subject to protection of private property rights and environmental values. Provides that the public right of use does not include crossing private uplands or exiting onto private land without permission. Establishes landowner liability protections. Prohibits littering and alteration of flora and fauna. Grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Natural Resources to designate public access points, resolve conflicts, promote safety and conservation education, and maintain a listing of navigable waterways. Defines "navigable water" and "public recreational use". ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Amy Elik (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Harry Benton (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Janet Yang Rohr (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kevin Schmidt (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Laura Ellman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michael W. Halpin (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Sharon Chung (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-16 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 3 Recommends Be Adopted Agriculture & Conservation Committee; | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2026-04-16 | House | Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed | pass | 108 | 1 | | | 2026-04-14 | House | House Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommends Be Adopted Agriculture & Conservation Committee; | pass | 8 | 0 | | | 2026-03-24 | House | Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Agriculture & Conservation Committee; | pass | 6 | 3 | | ## Actions (40) - 2026-05-22: Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments (Senate) - 2026-05-20: Added as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman (Senate) - 2026-05-15: Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 22, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-05-08: Rule 2-10 Committee Deadline Established As May 15, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-04-28: Assigned to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-04-21: Referred to Assignments (Senate) - 2026-04-21: First Reading (Senate) - 2026-04-21: Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. Michael W. Halpin (Senate) - 2026-04-21: Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading (Senate) - 2026-04-21: Arrive in Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-16: Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Amy Elik (House) - 2026-04-16: Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sharon Chung (House) - 2026-04-16: Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Harry Benton (House) - 2026-04-16: Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Kevin Schmidt (House) - 2026-04-16: House Floor Amendment No. 2 Tabled (House) - 2026-04-16: Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 108-001-000 (House) - 2026-04-16: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-04-16: House Floor Amendment No. 3 Adopted (House) - 2026-04-16: House Floor Amendment No. 2 Withdrawn by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. (House) - 2026-04-16: House Floor Amendment No. 3 Recommends Be Adopted Agriculture & Conservation Committee; 008-000-000 (House) - 2026-04-15: House Floor Amendment No. 3 Rules Refers to Agriculture & Conservation Committee (House) - 2026-04-15: House Floor Amendment No. 3 Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-04-15: House Floor Amendment No. 3 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. (House) - 2026-04-14: House Floor Amendment No. 2 Recommends Be Adopted Agriculture & Conservation Committee; 008-000-000 (House) - 2026-04-14: House Floor Amendment No. 2 Rules Refers to Agriculture & Conservation Committee (House) - 2026-04-10: House Floor Amendment No. 2 Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-04-10: House Floor Amendment No. 2 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. (House) - 2026-04-10: Held on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-04-10: Second Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-03-26: Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Janet Yang Rohr (House) - 2026-03-25: Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate (House) - 2026-03-24: Do Pass as Amended / Short Debate Agriculture & Conservation Committee; 006-003-000 (House) - 2026-03-24: House Committee Amendment No. 1 Adopted in Agriculture & Conservation Committee; by Voice Vote (House) - 2026-03-18: House Committee Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Agriculture & Conservation Committee (House) - 2026-03-16: House Committee Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-03-16: House Committee Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. (House) - 2026-03-12: Assigned to Agriculture & Conservation Committee (House) - 2026-02-10: Referred to Rules Committee (House) - 2026-02-10: First Reading (House) - 2026-02-05: Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165eng.pdf) - House Amendment 1: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165ham001.pdf) - House Amendment 2: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165ham002.pdf) - House Amendment 3: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165ham003.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165.pdf) ## Related bills - HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS (passed house) - SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS (passed senate) - HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY (in committee) - HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT (in committee) - SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL (passed senate) - SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165eng.pdf) - [House Amendment 1 (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165ham001.pdf) - [House Amendment 2 (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165ham002.pdf) - [House Amendment 3 (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165ham003.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/104/HB/PDF/10400HB5165.pdf) ## Related - [HB5198: AFFORDABLE HOUSING-CILAS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5198-2025-2026) - [SB1937: PENSION CODE-VARIOUS](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB1937-2025-2026) - [HB2563: CONDO-RESERVE STUDY](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB2563-2025-2026) - [HB4701: LIMITATIONS FACILITY FEES ACT](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB4701-2025-2026) - [SB3008: DHS-ABLE PROGRAM INFO MATERIAL](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3008-2025-2026) - [SB3484: VEH CD-PLATES-REGISTRATION](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-SB3484-2025-2026) - [Illinois bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois/bills) - [Illinois state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/illinois) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IL-HB5165-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).