Bills & Legislation

$AUDITOR GENERAL-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Office of the Auditor General for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$BD HIGHER ED-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CDB-OCE-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Capital Development Board for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CDB-CAPITAL PROJECTS-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Capital Development Board for FY26 capital projects. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CENTRAL IL ECON DEV AUTH-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Central Illinois Economic Development Authority for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CSU-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to Chicago State University for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CIVIL SERVICE COMM-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Civil Service Commission for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CEI-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Commission on Equity and Inclusion for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$COGFA-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$COMPTROLLER-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Office of the Comptroller for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$COURT OF CLAIMS-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Court of Claims for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$DEPT AGRIC-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$CMS-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Central Management Services for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$DCFS-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Children and Family Services for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$DCEO-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$DOC-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Corrections for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$DES-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Employment Security for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

$DFPR-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Emanuel "Chris" WelchDemocrat

HEMP CANNABINOIDS-MINORS

Creates the Prevention of Use of Hemp Cannabinoid Products Intended for Human Consumption by Ingestion or Inhalation by Persons Under 21 Years of Age Act. Permits the sale and possession of hemp cannabinoids by persons 21 years of age or over. Provides that no person shall offer or sell hemp cannabinoid products to consumers in the State unless the person applies for and holds a hemp retailer license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that no person shall sell ready-to-eat hemp products to end consumers without holding a hemp food establishment license issued by the Department of Public Health. Provides that a hemp food establishment that sells ready-to-eat cannabinoid products shall be exclusively licensed and located in the State. Provides that hemp food establishments and hemp retailers shall require proof of age from a purchaser of any cannabinoid products before selling the product to that person. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall administer and enforce the provisions of the Act relating to licensing and oversight of hemp distributors and hemp retailers unless otherwise provided in the Act. Establishes standards for the issuance of licenses under the Act. Provides for criminal and civil penalties for violation of the Act.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

ELEC CODE-INCARCERATED BAN

Amends the Election Code. Repeals provisions that prohibit a person that is serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution from voting until his or her release from confinement. Further amends the Election Code and amends the Unified Code of Corrections making conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

REAL ESTATE ILLEGAL POSSESSION

Amends the Code of Civil Procedure to provide that illegal possession of land during a 7-year period may not be used for a claim of adverse possession. Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act to provide that no person has a right to occupy or remain on or in any real property, residence, or structure in which the person has no written property interest under a written lease or rental agreement with the owner of the property. Provides that all persons legally occupying the property, residence, or structure shall be listed by name and date of birth on leases, rental agreements, or the rental application associated with the lease or rental agreement. Provides that no subleasing is allowed unless it is specifically allowed in the tenant's written lease or rental agreement with the owner. Provides that any such violation of the lease or rental agreement does not establish legal standing to occupy or remain on or in any real property, residence, or structure by the sublessee who must vacate the property after receiving notice to vacate from the property owner of record or the owner's agent.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

MEDICAID-PHARMACY SERVICES

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to conduct a study on managed care pharmacy access standards. Provides that the study shall review the current access standards, with a focus on disproportionately impacted areas. Requires the Department to seek input from consumers of pharmacy services. Requires the Department to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2026 and to publish the report on the Department's website. Provides that any retail pharmacy that is enrolled as an eligible retail pharmacy provider in the medical assistance program and is not sanctioned under investigation for fraud, waste, or abuse shall provide retail pharmacy services to any medical assistance recipient who resides in the same zip code as the pharmacy, regardless of whether the retail pharmacy is contracted to provide pharmacy services for the managed care organization that the recipient is enrolled with. Requires the managed care organization to pay the retail pharmacy the managed care organization's standard contractual rate. Effective immediately.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

CD CORR<21 YRS-MITIGATION

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that, on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, when a person commits an offense and the person is under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense, the court, at the sentencing hearing, shall consider certain additional factors in mitigation in determining the appropriate sentence. Provides, that notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the defendant is under 18 at the time of the commission of the offense and convicted of first degree murder and would otherwise be subject to sentencing under certain provisions, the court shall impose a sentence of not less than 40 years of imprisonment. Provides that, in addition, the court may, in its discretion, decline to impose the sentencing enhancements based upon the possession or use of a firearm during the commission of the offense.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

BLIGHT MITIGATION ACT

Creates the Blight Mitigation Act. Provides that a property owner that lives within one-fourth of a mile of and on the same street as residential real property that has been abandoned may, after the property has been continuously abandoned for 12 months, petition the court for title to the land. Provides that the court shall order that title to the real property be transferred to the petitioner if the petitioner presents clear and convincing evidence that: (1) the property is abandoned; (2) the owner of the property has been made a party to the action in accordance with the Code of Civil Procedure and court rules; and (3) the property is not: listed for sale on a multiple listing service; being maintained in receivership status; or under contract for sale. Effective immediately.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

CRIM ID-EXPUNGEMENT

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections relating to certificates of expungement for Class 3 and 4 felonies. Eliminates the requirement that a certificate of expungement may only be issued to a person who has served in the United States Armed Forces or National Guard of this or any other state and had received an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces or National Guard or who at the time of filing the petition is enlisted in the United States Armed Forces or National Guard of this or any other state and served one tour of duty and who meets the requirements of this provision. Expands the offenses ineligible for a certificate of expungement to include offenses involving domestic violence as defined in the Protective Orders Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, including aggravated assault, aggravated battery, violation of an order of protection, domestic battery, or aggravated domestic battery. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that, notwithstanding the eligibility requirements of the expungement provisions, upon the issuance of a certificate of expungement by the Prisoner Review Board under the Unified Code of Corrections, the circuit court shall automatically expunge all records of arrests or charges not initiated by arrest and all court records that resulted in the conviction for the Class 3 or Class 4 felony listed in the certificate of expungement.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

ELECTION CODE-PETITIONS

Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person must be 17 years of age or older (currently, 18 years of age or older) to circulate petitions for nomination.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat

SCHOOL CD-PROPERTY TAX RELIEF

Amends the School Code. Provides that the State Board of Education shall establish and administer a program to award property tax relief grants to school districts in this State. Provides that, in exchange for receiving a grant, a school district's maximum aggregate property tax extension for the taxable year that begins on January 1 of the fiscal year for which the grant is awarded may not exceed an adjusted maximum aggregate property tax extension for that taxable year. Creates the Education Property Tax Relief Fund as a special fund in the State treasury for the purpose of awarding grants. Sets forth provisions concerning the Education Property Tax Relief Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Dan UgasteRepublican

DCFS-LUGGAGE FOR FOSTER KIDS

Amends the Foster Children's Bill of Rights Act. Requires the Department of Children and Family Services to: (1) establish and maintain a decentralized supply of luggage to be used to transport the belongings of any child in the foster care system; and (2) develop procedures for the storage and distribution of luggage. Requires the Department to provide luggage to a child who is being removed from home or changing placement. Requires the Department, subject to appropriation, to purchase luggage that cannot otherwise be provided through grant or donation to ensure a sufficient supply of luggage for foster children. Provides that the Department shall submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly that summarizes: (i) the number of times a trash bag was used to transport a foster child's personal belongings and the reasons the Department failed to provide the child with appropriate luggage; and (ii) the Department's supply inventory and inventory management practices for its luggage supply.

Margaret CrokeDemocrat

SCH CD-STU DISCIPLINE-TOBACCO

Amends the School Code. Provides that a provision that allows out-of-school suspensions of longer than 3 days, expulsions, and disciplinary removals to alternative schools to be used only if other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted does not apply to a student who is determined to have possessed on school grounds a product that is prohibited from being sold or otherwise distributed to the student under the Prevention of Tobacco Use by Persons under 21 Years of Age and Sale and Distribution of Tobacco Products Act. Effective immediately.

Dave SeverinRepublican

ESTATE TX-EXCLUSION AMOUNT

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Increases the exclusion amount from $4,000,000 to $6,000,000 for persons dying on or after January 1, 2026. Effective immediately.

Dave SeverinRepublican

INC TX-ADOPTION

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to the foster care expenses, not to exceed $1,000 in any taxable year, paid or incurred by the taxpayer with respect to a qualified dependent child. Provides that the credit may be prorated. Effective immediately.

Dave SeverinRepublican

FOOD & DRUG-BEEF PACKAGING

Amends the Illinois Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, any package of beef sold in Illinois must have a label on the package that contains the beef's country of origin.

Chris MillerRepublican

DEPT AGR-CULTIVATED MEAT

Creates the Illinois Cultivated Meat Act. Provides that it is unlawful for any person to manufacture for sale, sell, hold or offer for sale, or distribute cultivated meat. Provides that a person who knowingly violates this Act commits a Class C misdemeanor. Allows for rulemaking by the Department of Agriculture. Makes a finding and states the purpose. Defines cultivated meat.

Chris MillerRepublican

ESTATE TAX-EXCLUSION AMOUNT

Amends the Illinois Estate and Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Act. Provides that, for persons dying on or after January 1, 2026, the exclusion amount shall be the applicable exclusion amount calculated under Section 2010 of the Internal Revenue Code, including any deceased spousal unused exclusion amount (currently, the exclusion amount for Illinois estate tax purposes is $4,000,000). Effective immediately.

Chris MillerRepublican

CMS-RETIREE MEDICARE PROGRAM

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Central Management Services, in conjunction with the 5 State-funded retirement systems, may enter into a contract with an administrator to establish and conduct a State Retiree Medicare Primacy Coordination Audit and Assistance Program to identify relevant individuals eligible for Medicare but not enrolled in Medicare, and to assist those individuals with enrolling in Social Security and Medicare. Provides that the State Retiree Medicare Primacy Coordination Audit and Assistance Program shall conduct an annual audit of the State health benefits program for everyone covered under the State Employees Group Insurance Program, the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program, and the College Insurance Program for the purpose of identifying participants and their dependents who are eligible for Medicare under federal law and shall also ensure that those annuitants, retirees, benefit recipients, survivors, or dependents who are eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare with Medicare as their primary health care benefits coverage and the State Health Benefits Program being the secondary provider of their health care benefits coverage. Provides that the State Retiree Medicare Primacy Coordination Audit and Assistance Program shall assist any annuitant, retiree, benefit recipient, survivor or their dependents who becomes disabled, and is not enrolled in Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare, with enrolling in and obtaining Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Provides that the administrator of the State Retiree Medicare Primacy Coordination Audit and Assistance Program shall provide the Department, the 5 State-funded retirement systems, and the General Assembly with an annual report. Effective January 1, 2026.

Travis WeaverRepublican

FOID-DENIAL & REVOC-STALKING

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the Illinois State Police has authority to deny an application for or to revoke and seize a Firearm Owner's Identification Card previously issued under the Act if the Illinois State Police finds that the applicant or the person to whom the card was issued is or was at the time of issuance a person who has been convicted of misdemeanor stalking in another jurisdiction or a similar misdemeanor offense in another jurisdiction.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

FOID&CRIM CD-FLAMETHROWER

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Requires a person to have a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card issued in his or her own name by the Illinois State Police in order to acquire or possess a flamethrower. Exempts certain military, law enforcement, and other specified persons. Defines flamethrower. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is a Class 4 felony to deliver a flamethrower to a person, incidental to a sale, without withholding delivery of the flamethrower for at least 72 hours after application for its purchase has been made.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

ELECTIONS-SENATE VACANCY-PARTY

Amends the Election Code. Provides that any person appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate shall be affiliated with the same political party as the person vacating the office if the person vacating the office was elected as a member of an established political party that is still in existence at the time of appointment. Provides that the appointee shall establish his or her political party affiliation by his or her record of voting in party primary elections or by holding or having held an office in a political party organization before appointment. Effective immediately.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

FOIA/LOCAL RECORDS-JUNK MAIL

Amends the Freedom of Information Act and the Local Records Act. In the definition provisions of those Acts, defines the term "junk mail" and specifies that the term "public record" does not include junk mail.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

OPN MTG-EMERGENCY DEFINED

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Defines the terms "bona fide emergency" and "exigent circumstances". Provides that, if a quorum of the members of a public body is physically present at a meeting, a majority of the public body may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by other means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of, among other things, exigent circumstances concerning a family member (rather than because of, among other things, a family or other emergency). Makes technical changes.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

TORT IMMUNITY-ADMIN JUDGES

Amends the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. Provides that an administrative law judge is not liable for an injury that allegedly is caused by any decision made by the administrative law judge as part of the administrative law judge's quasi-judicial duties.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

REMOTE MEETINGS-SEVERE WEATHER

Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that an open or closed meeting subject to the Act may be conducted by audio or video conference, without the physical presence of a quorum of the members, if the National Weather Service has determined that all or part of the jurisdiction of the public body is located within an area that is subject to a severe weather alert on the day of the meeting. Makes conforming changes. Makes other technical changes.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

INC TX-EMERGENCY WORKER

Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. In provisions concerning volunteer emergency workers, provides that, for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2025, "volunteer emergency worker" also includes a community policing volunteer, a volunteer auxiliary police officer, or a volunteer auxiliary deputy. Effective immediately.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

UNIFORM SPECIAL DEPOSITS ACT

Creates the Uniform Special Deposits Act. Provides that the Act applies to a special deposit under an account agreement that states the intention of the parties to establish a special deposit, regardless of whether a party to the account agreement or a transaction related to the special deposit, or the special deposit itself, has a reasonable relation to the State. Provides that a special deposit must serve at least one permissible purpose stated in the account agreement from the time the special deposit is created in the account agreement until termination of the special deposit. Provides that, unless the account agreement provides otherwise, a bank is obligated to pay a beneficiary if there are sufficient actually and finally collected funds in the balance of the special deposit. Provides that a court may enjoin a bank from paying a depositor or beneficiary only if payment would constitute a material fraud or facilitate a material fraud with respect to a special deposit.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

UNIFORM VOIDABLE TRANSACTIONS

Amends the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act. Changes the short title to the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act. Makes changes to the Act that were recommended by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws in 2014, including: adding definitions for "electronic", "organization", "record", and "sign"; providing that a presumption of insolvency imposes on the party against which the presumption is directed the burden of proving that the nonexistence of insolvency is more probable than its existence; removing language providing that a partnership is insolvent if the sum of the partnership's debts is greater than the aggregate, at a fair valuation, of all of the partnership's assets and the sum of the excess of the value of each general partner's nonpartnership assets over the partner's nonpartnership debts; providing that a creditor making a claim for relief has the burden of proving the elements of the claim for relief by a preponderance of the evidence; adding rules to determine the burden of proving matters regarding defenses, liability, and the protection of transferees or obligees; adding rules to determine a debtor's location; providing that a series organization and each protected series of the organization is a separate person, even if for other purposes a protected series is not a person separate from the organization of other protected series of the organization; how the Act relates to the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act; and other changes. Makes conforming changes in the Illinois Insurance Code and the Illinois Trust Code.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

OMA-AUTOMATED REQUEST

Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Defines "automated request" as a request that a public body has a reasonable belief was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence or submitted without any specific, affirmative action taken by a human. Provides that a public body shall respond to an automated request within 5 business days after receipt and provide certain types of notice to the requester. Provides procedures for the requester to dispute having the request treated as an automated request. Adds automated requests to certain provisions regarding requests for a commercial purpose and voluminous requests. Allows a public body to charge requesters for the costs of any search for and review of the records or other personnel costs associated with reproducing the records associated with an automated request. Provides that a person whose request to inspect or copy a public record is treated as an automated request may not file a request for review with the Public Access Counselor, with certain exceptions.

Daniel DidechDemocrat

FIREARM OWNERS ID-FEES

Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act concerning the Firearm Transfer Inquiry Program. Provides that the Illinois State Police may charge a fee not to exceed $10 and any processing fee. Provides that the processing fees shall be limited to charges by the State Treasurer for using the electronic online payment system. Provides that $4 from each fee collected under this provision shall be deposited into the State Police Revocation Enforcement Fund. Currently, the Illinois State Police may use existing technology which allows the caller to be charged a fee not to exceed $2.

Bob MorganDemocrat

ELEC CD-FIREARMS POLLING PLACE

Amends the Election Code. Provides that any person who carries or possesses a firearm while present in a polling place, except a peace officer in the performance of his or her official duties, shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

Bob MorganDemocrat

GASOLINE STORAGE-REFUELING

Amends the Gasoline Storage Act. Provides that the State Fire Marshal shall allow residential refueling services to be provided by watercraft within the Chain O' Lakes waterway system of northeastern Illinois that are approved by the State Fire Marshal to provide fuel and that meet all applicable fire safety standards.

Tom WeberRepublican

IL SPORTS FACILITIES-PROPERTY

Amends the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority Act. Provides that the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority may sell certain specified property. Provides for the disposition of moneys received from the sale. Authorizes the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to enter into any agreements and execute any documents necessary to arrange for the sale of the property.

La Shawn K. FordDemocrat