104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned last Friday for the week. Friday, was the 3rd Reading deadline. Both chambers are on spring break this week, with the House returning on Tuesday, April 22, and the Senate returning on April 29, after a two-week break.
Both chambers spent long days debating legislation for final passage and considering floor amendments at the committee level. The House was in session Monday through Friday. In total, 380 House Bills passed the chamber this week. The Senate was in session Tuesday through Friday, passing 160 Senate Bills out of the chamber this week.
End-of-Life Care Options: Legislation to create the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, SB 9 (Holmes), passed the Senate Executive Committee by an 8-3 vote. The bill allows terminally ill, mentally capable adults with fewer than six months to live to request life-ending medication (which requires physician approval but is self-administered). The bill establishes eligibility requirements and requires assessments by physicians, who must ensure the patient’s mental capacity. If a physician questions mental capacity, they must refer the patient to a licensed mental health professional for further evaluation. The bill also requires physicians to inform patients of all end-of-life options. Coercing or forging a request for a life-ending prescription would be a felony, and participation is voluntary for healthcare professionals. Individuals can withdraw their request at any time. Critics argue the process may lead to coercion and abuse, and worry that healthcare quality will suffer due to economic considerations. The measure now moves to the full Senate.
Artificial Intelligence: HB 35 (Morgan) seeks to regulate the way AI is used in health insurance by creating the Artificial Intelligence Systems Use in Health Insurance Act, requiring certain disclosures to both the Department of Insurance and the consumer. The sponsor testified he wants to make sure that AI is not denying health insurance claims. Having passed the House 79-35, the bill now heads to the Senate.
HB 3851 (Yang Rohr) gives schools a framework for dealing with the posting or distributing of sexually explicit images. The bill places such actions under the School Code’s bullying provisions and includes images created by generative AI and digital replicas. The House approved the measure unanimously, and the bill now heads to the Senate.
Also passing the House unanimously was HB 1806 (Morgan), creating the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act to ensure that individuals interact with qualified professionals and to address the use of AI in the role of a healthcare provider. The measure now moves to the Senate.
Reproductive Healthcare: An expansion of the state’s abortion shield laws would occur under HB 3637 (Avelar), which the House passed 67-39. Specifically, the measure would protect additional licensed providers (not just primary providers) for delivering care that is lawful in Illinois, even if it may not be legal in another state. The bill also ensures that medication abortion remains available in Illinois if the FDA revokes approval, as long as the World Health Organization recommends the medication. According to the sponsor, the legislation does not override federal law but rather prevents Illinois providers from being penalized under state law for prescribing necessary care. Critics argue that the measure would allow providers who lost their license (due to malpractice) to gain licensure in Illinois and possibly prescribe unsafe medications. The Senate now considers the bill.
HB 3709 (Moeller) requires access to contraception and medication abortion on-site at public colleges and universities; it passed the House 74-40 and now heads to the Senate.
Massey Commission Recommendations: Two bills recommended by the Massey Commission passed the Senate. SB 1954 (D. Turner), as amended, would give the Sangamon County Board a one-time opportunity to place a recall referendum for countywide elected officials on the 2026 November ballot. The bill was amended to limit application to just Sangamon County. The legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 35-19 and now heads to the House.
Also approved unanimously was SB 1953 (D. Turner), not only requiring more comprehensive evaluations of prospective police officers (to ensure physical and mental fitness) but also expanding the creation of sheriffs’ merit boards and sheriffs’ merit commissions for counties with a population of at least 75,000. The House will now consider SB 1953.
Safe Gun Storage: SB 8 (Ellman), creating the Safe Gun Storage Act, passed the Senate– as amended– by a vote of 33-19. The bill expands what it means to safely store weapons and increases reporting requirements for gun owners whose weapons are lost or stolen. The bill’s supporters say the measure will keep firearms out of the hands of children or at-risk individuals. Opponents argue the bill goes too far by requiring safe storage wherever they are — be it at home, their place of business, or even in a vehicle. The bill now goes to the House.
BEACON – Children’s Mental Health: SB 1560 (Feigenholtz) mandates the creation of voluntary training for hospital social workers, clinicians, and administrative staff about the Beacon Care portal. The training must cover topics such as access and use of Beacon. Also, the bill requires psychiatric hospitals to inform youth or their guardians about the Beacon portal. The legislation directs that by September 1, 2026, resource materials and model policies for universal mental health screenings in schools be available. And finally, school districts must offer annual mental health screenings to students in third through twelfth grades beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to the House.
Cryptocurrency: Under the Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act created by HB 742 (Gonzalez), digital currency companies would be required to provide disclosures to consumers and demonstrate financial fitness for payouts. Additionally, the bill requires companies to register with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and create procedures to address risks of money laundering, fraud, and cybersecurity. The bill passed the House 74-37-1. Identical legislation passed the Senate 39-17 on SB 1797 (Walker).
SB 2319 (Ellman) creates the Virtual Currency Kiosk Consumer Protection Act. The measure passed the Senate Executive Committee by a vote of 12-1, and now heads to the full Senate. The sponsor noted that she is continuing to work with stakeholders and will bring an amendment back to the committee for consideration.
Governor’s PBM/Prior Authorization Reform: Last week, Senator Fine filed the Governor’s health insurance prior authorization reforms as SFA # 1 to SB 708 and Senator Kohler filed SFA # 1 to SB 709 regulating pharmacy benefit managers. Both amendments were held in the Senate Assignments Committee this week. No further language has been filed.
The following bills passed the House and now head to the Senate:
· HB 2754 (Briel) allows all municipal executives to vote on zoning matters. Passed the House 68-37.
· HB 1141 (Hauter) prohibits insurance companies from denying coverage for anesthesia that exceeds a certain length of time. Passed the House unanimously.
· HB 1375 (B. Hernandez) creates a student teaching stipend program. Passed the House 78-23.
· HB 1085 (LaPointe) increases commercial insurance reimbursement rates for mental health providers and reduces the administrative burden that mental health providers face. The legislation does not apply to Medicaid or state employee health plans. The Life and Health Insurance Council remains opposed to the legislation. Passed the House 72-33.
· HB 1287 (Manley) is an initiative of the Illinois Ombudsman Association and mandates that nursing homes have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) installed. Currently, only 54% of nursing homes in the state possess AEDs. Passed the House unanimously.
· HB 3278 (Mason) requires the Environmental Protection Agency to create a plan to set limitations for wastewater, spills, and runoff related to the production, transport, and packaging of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastic materials. Passed the House 68-38.
· HB 3522 (Stuart) creates the Public University Direct Admission Program Act to create a process for direct admission to certain public universities. Passed the House 100-2.
· HB 1430 (Delgado) creates a student investment program in the State Treasurer’s office to help graduates refinance their private student loans; the Treasurer would work with financial institutions to expand loan options and lower interest rates. Passed the House 67-38.
· HB 2490 (Stuart) provides paid leave for firefighters under certain situations. Passed the House 85-22-5.
· HB 2955 (Rashid) creates the PFAS Wastewater Citizen Protection Committee to develop a PFAS action plan for the cleanup of PFAS from Illinois waterways and drinking water. The responsibility for PFAS clean-up rests with manufacturers and producers, said the sponsor, and not with the wastewater agencies. Passed the House 75-40.
· HB 1234 (Mayfield) requires the Secretary of State to study auto insurance rates and how they are set. Passed the House 70-39.
· HB 3363 (Vella) creates the State Public Defender Act — known as the FAIR Act — to establish a statewide public defense system providing oversight, expanded resources, and standards to ensure that everyone unable to afford an attorney is appropriately represented by their public defender. Passed the House 72-41.
· HB 3037 (Yang Rohr) creates the Right to Play Act to address student athlete eligibility to participate in school sports and outside athletic events or competitions. As amended, the bill allows school principals or Athletic Directors the option to grant two event waivers per student athlete per school year. All waiver information must be reported to the IHSA. Passed the House 68-39-2.
· HB 2336 (DeLuca) lets municipalities be reimbursed for lift assist services (after the 6th lift assistance) at an assisted living or nursing home facility. Passed the House unanimously.
· HB 1226 (Hoffman) raises the age for the state-mandated annual driver’s test from 79 to 87. Passed the House unanimously.
· HB 1237 (West) prohibits a school from using a Native American name, logo, or mascot. Passed the House 71-40.
· HB 3574 (Slaughter) incentivizes data centers to store state data within the state of Illinois. Passed the House 114-1.
· HB 1893 (Mussman) creates the One Health Task Force to develop a strategic plan to promote communication and collaboration among physicians, veterinarians, and other scientific professionals, as well as state agencies. The goal is to enhance the health and well-being of the state’s residents, animals, and environment. Passed the House unanimously.
· HB 2516 (Rashid) bans the sale of consumer products (such as cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products, menstrual products, intimate apparel, food packaging, or food contact products) that contain intentionally added PFAS. The bill provides for certain exemptions, including drugs regulated by the FDA. Passed the House 71-39.
· HB 3799 (Morgan) strengthens the Department’s existing data call enforcement authority. The bill also changes consumer notifications for policy cancellations, extending them from 30 days to 60 days. Finally, the bill allows DOI to issue separate climate surveys to Illinois companies if necessary. The sponsor noted that stakeholders will continue to work on the bill in the Senate. Passed the House 75-38.
· HB 3399 (Mason) creates the Geothermal Homes and Business Act. The bill provides that, beginning January 1, 2026, the long-term renewable resources procurement plan developed by the Illinois Power Agency is to include a Geothermal Homes and Business Program for the procurement of geothermal renewable energy credits. Passed the House 77-36.
· HB 2409 (Kelly) requires disclosure (beginning January 1, 2026) if firefighting equipment contains PFAS. Beginning January 1, 2030, bans PFAS in newly purchased PPE. Passed the House unanimously.
· HB 3772 (W. Davis) limits suspensions and bans expulsions in preschool through second grade. Passed the House 62-46.
The following bills passed the Senate and now head to the House:
· SB 291 (Morrison) creates the One Health Task Force. Identical to HB 1863, the bill passed the Senate unanimously.
· SB 1519 (Villa) directs that no person issue a fine or fee to a student as a disciplinary consequence for behavior during school. In addition, school districts with school resource officers are to have a memorandum of understanding with their local law enforcement agency, establishing that SROs are properly trained and do not use fines or tickets for disciplinary infractions. Passed the Senate 37-17.
· SB 2427(Castro) requires school boards to adopt a policy (by the 2026-2027 school year) to prohibit student use of wireless communication devices during instructional time. This includes cell phones, computers, and smartwatches, but excludes school-issued or required educational devices. The policy must allow exceptions for medical reasons, IEPs, 504 plans, English learners, educational purposes approved by school personnel, and emergencies. Policies must be reviewed every three years and posted on the school board’s website. The bill is an initiative of Governor JB Pritzker. Passed the Senate unanimously.
· SB 407 (Harmon) creates the Chronic Absence Task Force (in the State Board of Education) to not only study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on chronic absence but also to support a state strategy addressing the ongoing challenges of chronic absenteeism for students in grades PreK-12. Passed the Senate unanimously.
· SB 2306 (Ventura) expands clean energy projects under the Climate Bank Loan Financing Act to include storm resilience, nature-based solutions, and water and climate risk mitigation. This may include federal or other funds that can be used for clean water, drinking water, and wastewater treatment, or climate resilience projects. Additionally, it enables local governments to seek financing from the Illinois Finance Authority and issue bonds to support the development or maintenance of climate resilience projects. Passed the Senate 51-4.
· SB 1563 (Collins) clarifies that squatters – individuals who are trespassing on private property– can be removed without going through the eviction process; it also clarifies that nothing about the eviction process keeps police from enforcing criminal laws. Passed the Senate 55-1.
· SB 1899 (Sims) allows low-level, first-time weapon offenders to apply for a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card upon completing a diversion program. Passed the Senate unanimously.
· SB 1723 (Faraci) prohibits carbon sequestration activity at a facility that overlies, underlies, or passes through the Mahomet Aquifer. The bill further establishes a study committee to conduct a five-year investigation into the safety of carbon sequestration and storage in the aquifer. This committee will be open to public input, allowing all parties to submit findings and scientific results. Passed the Senate unanimously.
· SB 42 (Ventura) removes the requirement that cannabis within a motor vehicle must be stored in an odor-proof container. In addition, if a motor vehicle is driven or occupied by an individual 21 years of age or older, a law enforcement officer may not stop, detain, inspect, or search the vehicle, its contents, or its occupants solely based on the odor of burnt or raw cannabis. Passed the Senate 33-20.
Transit Fiscal Cliff: Representative Marty Moylan, chair of the House Transportation: Regulation, Roads and Bridges Committee, this week outlined seven operational reforms that he wants the Chicago-area transit system to address before he calls a bill in his committee aimed at addressing the $730 million fiscal cliff:
· Employees should return to office work.
· Overtime expenditure need to be reduced.
· A universal fare system should be implemented across all transit agencies.
· Consistent policing should be established across all transit systems.
· The issue of homeless individuals sleeping on trains needs to be addressed
· Standardization needs to occur on farebox recovery — the percentage of operating expenses covered by passenger fares.
· Pension liability must be assessed, with CTA required to review its investments.
Meanwhile, at a press conference on Tuesday, Senator Villivalam (who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee) joined transit workers, union members, and fellow legislators to promote his legislation. The measure aims to provide improved service board coordination and accountability measures, coordinated safety measures, agency interconnection, and a universal fare tool, service board composition, and other governance changes.
2025 Spring Session Key Dates and Deadlines:
April 11: Deadline – Third Reading Deadline, Both Chambers
May 9: Deadline – Committee Deadline Bills in Opposite Chamber
May 23: Deadline – Third Reading Deadline Bills in Opposite Chamber
May 31: Adjournment
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Governor Reflects on Next Year’s Budget: This week, Governor Pritzker acknowledged the challenges in crafting the upcoming budget due to the uncertainty surrounding federal funding. In an unrelated press conference, he expressed difficulty in projecting revenue and spending for the next fiscal year, stating, “It’s hard to know from one day to another” and acknowledged that any federal Medicaid cuts would have a significant impact on the state’s budget and residents.
Despite this uncertainty, the Governor reiterated plans to pass a balanced budget. However, he recognized that the Administration and lawmakers will need to closely monitor the situation and adapt accordingly to events at the federal level. The Governor even suggested possibly convening a special legislative session, if necessary, to respond to potential changes in federal policy.
Appropriations committees in both chambers are currently reviewing agency budget requests to finalize next year’s budget, which lawmakers are expected to vote on by the May 31 adjournment date. The new fiscal year begins on July 1.
Governor Signs MOU With United Kingdom: Governor Pritzker and British officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding this week. The MOU focuses on advancing manufacturing in the energy, technology, and life sciences sectors, with an emphasis on climate-conscious solutions in manufacturing and engineering – a priority for both Illinois and the United Kingdom. The MOU also highlights the shared values and joint effort of the two parties to boost economic opportunities and innovation among such marginalized groups as women, communities of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. This commitment aims to ensure Illinois companies employing British workers, and vice versa, work to address discrimination and inequality. Read more here.
IDPH Launches Measles Dashboard: The Illinois Department of Public Health launched a new data dashboard to track key outbreak metrics. The new Measles Outbreak Simulator Dashboard helps school officials and the public evaluate any measles outbreaks in Illinois. This tool lets users access the measles vaccination rates for both public and private Illinois schools and assess the exposure risk if a case hits their school. Read more here.
IDOT Offers Upcoming Workshops: The Illinois Department of Transportation is hosting 18 Special Programs Assistance Conferences across the state. These workshops help educate local governments and communities about funding opportunities in three areas: the Economic Development Program, the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, and the Safe Routes to School Program. See the full list of workshops here.
OTHER NEWS:
Opioid Settlement: Illinois and 13 other states reached a $335 million settlement with Mylan for allegedly misrepresenting its opioid products as less prone to abuse. If the settlement is approved, Illinois will receive over $9 million in abatement funds over nine years. Mylan, now part of Viatris, has sold opioids since 2005, and state attorneys general claimed the company’s marketing contributed to the opioid crisis. Mylan will also work on solutions like generic naloxone and buprenorphine/naloxone products for addiction treatment. Read more here.
Federal Ruling on Right of Conscience Law: In a split decision, a federal judge in Rockford, Illinois, ruled that a portion of a 2016 state law violates the constitutional right to free speech. The judge found that the law’s requirement for anti-abortion medical professionals to provide information about abortion care to patients, without being prompted, is unconstitutional.
The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates and three anti-abortion pregnancy centers brought the case, arguing that the law imposed unconstitutional conditions by forcing anti-abortion activists to discuss the “benefits” of abortion, which they do not believe in. They also claimed the abortion counseling would “encourage the procedure.”
The judge struck down the section of the law that mandated healthcare providers to inform patients of “legal treatment options, and the risks and benefits of the treatment options in a timely manner.” However, the judge ruled as constitutional the section requiring providers to refer, transfer or provide written information about other providers, if requested by a patient for a service the provider cannot provide due to a conscience-based objection.
The judge determined that the unconstitutional section “compels speech, requiring a discussion about the risks and benefits of childbirth and abortion,” which violates the First Amendment. Conversely, the judge viewed the patient-prompted information provision as a “rational” tool for the state. Read more here.
Anti-Defamation League Issues Hate Crime Report: Hate crimes in Illinois are on the rise in Illinois, finds a new report from the ADL – which breaks down incidents by county, highlighting regional differences in the frequency and nature of hate crimes. The findings include examples of extremist groups distributing propaganda and engaging in hate speech throughout the state. Read the full report here.