104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly concluded the final week of its two-week Veto Session in the early hours this morning. This week was marked by a massive flurry of activity, akin to the pace of the end of the spring session in May.
Numerous substantial and complex items were filed, making it difficult to fully vet the proposals. Legislators spent the week in and out of numerous long, partisan caucuses, participating in numerous and lengthy committee meetings, and engaging in extensive floor debates. Among the range of topics discussed were transit reform, energy policy, election reforms, pension reform, revenue policy changes, property insurance rates, parity with behavioral health reimbursement rates, medical aid in dying, horse racing, and immigration enforcement efforts. By the end of the Veto Session, legislators had accepted one amendatory veto, passed several measures to the Governor, and left unresolved items for next year.
Energy Package: SB 25 (Stadelman/Hoffman), as amended, represents the energy omnibus. The bill proposes new incentives for energy storage, authorizes the construction of new nuclear power plants, and grants regulators increased authority over the state’s electric grid. It establishes incentive structures for energy storage similar to those in existing renewable energy programs, including a new charge for ratepayers to cover storage project costs. Additionally, it directs utilities to develop “virtual power plants” that coordinate rooftop solar, home batteries, electric vehicles, and other small, distributed energy sources. The bill also introduces new requirements for utilities’ energy efficiency programs (to lower overall electricity demand and prices) and mandates utilities to offer “time-of-use” rate plans, where consumers face higher charges during peak times and lower rates when demand is lower — based on market conditions and grid stress. The bill also creates an “integrated resource plan” process and removes a state ban on building new nuclear facilities. Finally, SB 25 amends the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship programs, ensures funding for utility-scale wind and solar projects beyond 2027, updates community solar standards to enhance labor protections, and requires PLA and labor peace agreements for the thermal energy pilot program.
The measure passed the House by a vote of 70-37, and the Senate concurred by a vote of 37-22. The measure now heads to the Governor’s desk. Read more here and here.
Mass Transit Package: Lawmakers and the Governor reached a last-minute deal to reform the state’s regional transit system and address the impending fiscal cliff. SB 2111 (Villivalam/Delgado), as amended, creates the Northern Illinois Transit Authority and aims to create a more coordinated, safe, and accessible public transit system across the state, particularly in the Chicagoland area. The bill includes provisions for a unified fare system, improved safety measures, enhanced downstate transit funding, and coordination between the CTA, Pace, and Metra.
To shore up transit funding, an estimated $860 million would be generated from redirecting sales tax revenue collected from motor fuel purchases toward public transportation operations. An additional $200 million would be generated from interest accrued in the Road Fund. Also generated under the plan: an estimated $478 million from an increase to the existing Regional Transportation Authority sales tax by 0.25 percentage points, bringing the tax to 1% in Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, and Will counties, and to 1.25% in Cook County. Finally, as part of a broader initiative to establish a new capital program for tollway projects, drivers of passenger vehicles using northern Illinois’ toll roads will see an increase of 45 cents per toll while commercial vehicles face a 30% toll increase with a 4% cap (which will generate an estimated $800 million to $1 billion/year).
The bill passed the House 72-32, and the Senate concurred by a vote of 36-21. SB 2111 now heads to the Governor’s desk. More info here.
Revenue: The General Assembly approved a revenue package estimated to save Illinois $250 million, as outlined in SB 1911 (Sims/Tarver). The bill, as amended, makes several changes including: decoupling from the bonus depreciation provisions of HR 1 (saving $144 million); changing from GILTI to NCTI (saving $90 million); expanding the Film Tax Credit to make Illinois more competitive; enacting a fix to the BIMP on behalf of the Auditor General; creating a Star Bond program (which does not include professional sports teams) and changing the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act concerning project labor agreements. SB 1911 passed the House, as amended, by a vote of 76-33, with the Senate concurring 37-19-1. The measure now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Medical Aid in Dying: The Illinois Senate voted to approve SB 1950 (Holmes/Gabel) to create the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act. 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. Physicians questioning mental capacity 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. They also worry that healthcare quality will suffer due to economic considerations. The measure passed the House 63-42-2 at the end of the Spring Session. The Senate concurred in the overnight hours of Friday morning by a vote of 30-27. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Pensions/Tier 2 Fix: Efforts to enact a Tier 2 pension fix fell short yet again. After a lengthy debate, the House Executive Committee approved HA # 2 to SB 1937 by a vote of 8-4, but no further action was taken. The Committee chair stated that there was not enough time to fully consider this issue during the remaining days of the Veto Session, and that the discussion would continue in the Spring Session. The amendment makes various changes, including:
· Ensures compliance with safe harbor provisions
· Adds a 3% simple cost-of-living increase
· Ensures that once an employee is in Tier 1, they remain in Tier 1
· Addresses the final age of retirement and final years of service
· Uses 40% of pension obligation bonds to pay for the Tier 2 fix
· Ensures reciprocity with all systems for police and fire, and addresses the final retirement age for individuals in those systems
Omnibus Election Legislation: An omnibus election bill also stalled during the Veto Session. The House Ethics and Elections Committee approved HFA # 1 to HB 575 (West), which represents the omnibus election package. The sponsor called the bill on Third Reading but later withdrew it from the record due to opposition to a provision that allows federal candidates to hold fundraisers on session days. Key provisions are outlined below:
1. Authorizes curbside voting for people with disabilities
2. Modifies back-end automatic voter registration
3. Expands university voting
4. Enacts mandatory high school registration drives for graduating seniors
5. Implements a single vote-by-mail application that requires election authorities to provide an electronic vote-by-mail application
6. Establishes a Universal Vote Center pilot program
7. Allows election authorities to reduce the number of election judges at each polling location
8. Allows for the electronic service of objections
9. Permits objections to write-in candidates
10. Clarifies Superintendent vacancy procedures
11. Standardizes candidate name lettering for primary and general election ballots
12. Modernizes the vote-by-mail ballot process
13. Implements a standardized procedure for reporting election results
14. Requires early voting polling locations to allow voters in line at the time of closing to cast their ballot
15. Allows school board associations to provide reimbursement or scholarships for school board officials attending school board association conferences or events
16. Exempts nominating petitions from FOIA and requires election authorities to provide nominating petitions to requesters promptly.
17. Allows the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board to increase its membership and ties salaries to inflation
18. Removes the duplicate timekeeping requirements for public university faculty and staff
19. Explicitly allows local governments to establish ethics commissions
20. Cleans up the Park District Code
21. Cleans up the Election Code as it pertains to the Chicago School Board election provisions
22. Cleans up the provisions amended in the 2024 veto election omnibus bill
23. Clarifies state law as it pertains to state officials campaigning for federal office (and adjusts when fundraisers can be held with respect to legislative session days)
24. Empowers the State Board of Elections to suspend or revoke raffle tickets
Public Officials Safety and Privacy Act: The General Assembly overwhelmingly approved HB 576 (Stuart/Johnson), which creates the Public Officials Safety and Privacy Act to protect the privacy of elected officials. The bill applies to current and former members of the General Assembly and constitutional officers, as well as current state’s attorneys, public defenders, and election officials (including county clerks and election board commissioners). The sponsor noted the legislation is modeled on the Judicial Privacy Act. The measure passed the House 110-1-1 and the Senate 48-11, and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Homeowners Insurance Rates and Renewals: Efforts to fast-track legislation to address homeowners’ insurance rates in response to State Farm’s recent rate hike fell short in the Illinois House overnight. HB 3799 (Gabel/Hastings), as amended, establishes new rules for homeowners’ insurance, including requiring: (1) insurance companies to provide at least 60 days’ notice before nonrenewal and at least 60 days’ notice for premium increases over 10%, as well as for changes in coverage or deductibles; (2) insurers to use credible, state-specific loss experience when setting rates; and (3) rates to be actuarially sound and not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory. The Department of Insurance is authorized to review insurance filings, issue orders, and require rebates if rates are deemed unfair.
This legislation specifically applies to fire and extended coverage insurance for residential owner-occupied properties while excluding commercial, rental, and unoccupied properties. The legislation passed the Senate 41-15-1. The motion to concur failed in the House by a vote of 56-37-6. The matter could be reconsidered in the future.
Immigration: An omnibus immigration package was filed and approved on the last night of Veto Session. As amended, HB 1312 (Welch/Harmon) represents an omnibus package on immigration enforcement. President Harmon noted the bill is designed to protect Illinois residents’ constitutional rights and ensure safe access to critical public services amid heightened federal immigration enforcement activities in Chicago and across the state.
The bill would allow Illinois residents to bring civil actions against any person who deprives them of their constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, or Section 2 or Section 6 of Article 1 of the Illinois Constitution.
Further, it would allow courts to award punitive damages based on the severity of the defendant’s conduct, considering factors such as wearing masks to conceal identity (excluding legitimate health or tactical purposes), failing to identify as law enforcement, not using body cameras, operating vehicles with obscured or out-of-state plates, and deploying crowd-control weapons like pepper spray or rubber bullets.
Additionally, the bill amends the Illinois Whistleblower Act to shield from retaliation anyone who reports violations of this new law, encouraging individuals to come forward when they witness constitutional rights being infringed.
The measure would also codify common law protections to ensure that parties, witnesses, and their family members can access the justice system without fear of civil arrest. The legislation would create a 1,000-foot safe zone around courthouses, including parking facilities and surrounding streets. Violations would carry civil damages for false imprisonment, $10,000 in statutory damages, and potential contempt of court charges.
The bill would also require public colleges, universities and community colleges to develop procedures for reviewing law enforcement access requests, prohibit unauthorized disclosure of students’ or employees’ immigration status, provide immigration enforcement resources online, and notify campus communities when immigration enforcement activity occurs on campus.
To further enhance protections at hospitals, the measure would require all Illinois hospitals to develop comprehensive policies governing law enforcement interactions. Hospitals would be required to establish protocols for verifying law enforcement identity and authority, protecting patient privacy, and providing immigration rights information. General acute care hospitals would be required to comply by January 1, 2026, and all other hospitals by March 1, 2026, with penalties of $500 per day for noncompliance.
It would also require licensed daycare centers to adopt policies notifying parents and requiring parental consent before sharing children’s information with law enforcement, update emergency contact procedures, and establish protocols when parents face immigration enforcement. Centers would not be permitted to disclose citizenship or immigration status information unless required by law and could not consent to law enforcement entry without valid judicial warrants, orders or subpoenas. The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 40-18. The House concurred by a vote of 75-32, and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk. More here.
Mental Health Parity: The Illinois Senate approved, by a vote of 48 -10, HB 1085 (LaPointe/Harmon), which aims to ensure parity in reimbursement between behavioral healthcare and all other types of healthcare. The legislation outlines regulations regarding reimbursement rates for in-network mental health and substance use disorder services. It establishes minimum reimbursement rates for various coding systems, including HCPCS, CPT, and DRGs. Starting January 1, 2027, insurance policies and managed care plans must cover all medically necessary mental health or substance use disorder services received on the same day from the same or different providers, for both outpatient and inpatient care. Additionally, it addresses coverage requirements, disclosure, and the enforcement authority of the Department of Insurance. Medicaid and the state health plans are excluded from the legislation. While the insurance industry negotiated and approved 90% of the provisions of the legislation, it remains opposed to the reimbursement provisions of the bill. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendments by a vote of 86-19-1 and the measure now heads to the Governor’s desk
Automatic Record Sealing: The General Assembly approved legislation to establish an automatic sealing process for specific criminal cases. HB 1836 (Gordon-Booth/Sims), as amended, does not extend to Class X felonies, sex offenses, homicides, robbery, residential burglary, or organized burglary. Crimes previously excluded from the petition process remain excluded under the automatic sealing provisions.
According to the sponsor, approximately 1.7 million individuals in Illinois would be eligible to have their criminal records automatically sealed. The sponsor testified that sealing the records (rather than expunging them) would still allow law enforcement to access the information. However, those conducting background checks for employment, housing, or educational opportunities would not have access to these sealed records. The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 39-17, and the House concurred by a vote of 80-26. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Omnibus Juvenile Detention Bill: The Illinois Senate voted 38-19 to approve HB 3492 (Slaughter/Peters), as amended, which makes several changes to the juvenile justice system. The bill raises the minimum age at which minors can be detained and limits the use of detention in certain situations where the minor is not charged with a violent crime. The legislation also raises the age at which a minor may be detained from 10 years old to 12 years old in 2026 and then to 13 years old (for certain situations) in 2027. Under the bill, arrest would be used as only a last resort and under certain conditions, and minors could be detained only if there is probable cause to believe they are delinquent and that immediate and urgent detention is necessary, or if they have repeatedly failed to appear at scheduled hearings.
HB 3492 also creates the youth nonviolent crime resource program – facilitated by the Department of Juvenile Justice – to provide resources to minors declared delinquent for nonviolent crimes. Resources would include mentoring, educational resources, employment training opportunities, behavioral health services, and more. The bill would also create the Child First Reform Task, which would review and study the necessity of juvenile detention centers, complaints that arise out of juvenile detention centers in the state, and community-based alternatives to juvenile detention. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendment by a vote of 66-39, and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Gaming: The Senate approved, by a vote of 49-8, HB 2724 (Gonzalez/Joyce) which deals with the horse racing industry. The amended measure now heads back to the House for concurrence. Among other changes, the bill:
· Develops a backstretch tax assistance credit.
· Establishes a July 1, 2026, sunset date for the requirement that a racetrack obtain consent from Hawthorne in order to build a south suburban Cook County standardbred track within a 25-mile radius of Hawthorne.
· Provides that a Cook County racino may be placed in certain south suburbs that demonstrate need (those with greater than 6% poverty).
· Authorizes a racetrack/racino in Macon County.
· Provides that when 2 new standardbred tracks are operational, Hawthorne will be thoroughbred only (subject to the racing board).
· Allows racetracks to waive the 106-mile OTB rule.
· Ends recapture at Hawthorne Racetrack on January 1, 2028, or when Hawthorne receives funds from its gaming license, whichever happens first.
· Authorizes 18 OTBs for Fairmont Track and sets agreements for OTB locations among the various tracks.
Congressional Redistricting: Despite a last-minute push from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressional Democrats, the Illinois General Assembly did not consider any congressional redistricting efforts this week. While Leader Jeffries proclaimed the map did not have to be passed this week, the deadline to file candidate petitions in Illinois (including for Congressional races) is Monday, November 3. Any efforts to change the maps after this week will require an adjustment to the candidate petition filing period.
Amendatory Veto: By a vote of 38-16, the Senate accepted the Governor’s recommendations for changes to HB 2568 (Katz Muhl/Harmon), which makes technical corrections to the underlying bill that creates the Equality for Every Family Act and makes changes to the Illinois Parentage Act. The measure now becomes law. This was the only veto considered during the two-week Veto Session.
Passed Both Houses: The General Assembly passed several other bills this week, sending them to the Governor’s desk.
HB 1437 (Morgan/Cunningham) represents an omnibus sunset extension package. The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 41-16, with the House concurring 74-26.
HB 1607 (Harper/Hunter), which creates the Task Force on Eliminating Food Deserts, passed the House on concurrence by a vote of 93-19.
SB 618 (Castro/Rita) is an omnibus liquor package that makes several changes, including making the “cocktails to-go” law permanent and creating a Class 3 Craft Distiller license with new rules to allow more small Illinois distilleries to self-distribute spirits. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 104-6.
HB 3005 (Evans/Peters) creates the Labor Mediation Services Pilot Program within the Illinois Department of Labor – a response to the “gutting” of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services. The bill, which is an initiative of the Illinois AFL-CIO, is subject to appropriation. The Department of Labor testified that the agency cannot absorb these duties without additional funding and staffing. The bill also amends the Prevailing Wage Act in provisions concerning the general prevailing rate of hourly wages for work on public works, provides that the construction or demolition of public works that laborers, workers, and mechanics employed by or on behalf of a public body are engaged in applies to field mechanics, technicians, or similar positions, including time spent transporting parts, materials, or equipment to and from a site, regardless of whether a contractor, subcontractor, seller, or supplier employs the person. Finally, the bill makes agreed-upon cleanup to the Workplace Transparency Act, changing the terms “consequential damages” to “compensatory damages”. The measure passed the Senate as amended by a vote of 40-19, followed by a House concurrence vote of 81-25-1.
SB 2683 (Balkema/Bunting) extends from 5 years to 10 years the referendum for the Iroquois County Community Unit School District Number 9. The measure passed both chambers unanimously.
HB 643 (Hoffman/Hastings) prohibits municipalities from imposing or collecting any use, occupation, privilege, or excise tax—this includes, but is not limited to, a parking excise tax—on any transactions that take place on the premises of a joint-use airport or on property that exclusively serves a joint-use airport. The bill, which had previously passed the House, passed the Senate unanimously this week.
HB 762 (Ness/Fine) creates the Child Welfare Liability
Insurance Survey Act, requiring the Department of Insurance to conduct an inquiry into liability insurance practices for community-based providers of foster care and adoption services and to survey insurers about the liability insurance market serving those providers; the survey must be completed by April 1, 2026. The measure passed both chambers unanimously.
HB 767 (Morgan/Koehler), as amended, creates a process for IDPH and the Immunization Advisory Committee to recommend vaccine approval in Illinois and ensures insurance coverage for the vaccines. The bill further provides technical cleanup for the PBM legislation grant program to pharmacies that passed last spring. The House approved the measure by a vote of 74-38 and the Senate by a vote of 40-18.
HB 3065 (West/Peters) is an initiative of the Attorney General to bring Illinois scholarships in compliance with federal guidance. The bill passed both chambers unanimously.
HB 1863 (Buckner/Sims) is an omnibus State Government package that, among things: creates the Boards and Commissions Act to assess obsolete Boards and Commissions every 2 years; further repeals obsolete boards and commissions; updates and modernizes digital divide laws; and makes changes requested by the Budgeting for Results Commission. The bill passed the Senate 39-18 and the House 76-35.
HB 250 (Walsh/Harris) modifies a quick take for Will County for the purposes of road construction for 143rd Street expansion, reducing the amount of land impacted from 3.5 miles to 1.6 miles. The measure passed the Senate 45-12 and the House 76-37.
SB 90 (Harris/DeLuca) provides a resolution to an intercept issue between the communities of Chicago Heights and Ford Heights. The measure passed the House 88-19; the Senate concurred unanimously.
SB 1989 (Koehler/Hoffman) transfers the Southwest Regional Port District into the Kaskaskia Regional Port District. The Senate concurred with the House’s amendments by a vote of 39-19.
SB 642 (Collins/Tarver), as amended, makes several changes including extending TIFsfor the cities of Chicago, Mattoon, and Sterling, along with the Village of Millstadt and increasing the maximum income limit for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption to (i) $75,000 for the taxable year 2026, (ii) $77,000 for the taxable year 2027, and (iii) $79,000 for the taxable year 2028 and thereafter. This amendment also updates the Senior Citizens Real Estate Tax Deferral Act (specifically regarding the maximum household income) and makes changes to property tax sales in Cook County. Both chambers unanimously passed the measure.
Other Bills Under Consideration: The General Assembly reviewed several other bills during the final week of the Veto Session. And although the following bills did not pass both chambers, they may still be considered in the 2026 Spring Session.
HB 3564 (Syed/Simmons) bans 11 “junk fees” commonly found on rental applications. The measure passed the Senate, as amended, by a vote of 39-16-1. The measure now heads back to the House for consideration.
The Senate Executive Committee heard testimony on subject matter related to SCA #1 to HB 3266 (Benton/Cervantes), which requires prevailing wages in TIF projects – but no vote was taken.
SB 1698 (Ventura/Huynh) authorizes the Department of Corrections to convey land near the Joliet Prison to the Will County Forest Preserve. The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 50-6, and the measure now heads the House for consideration.
HB 2333 (Andrade/Joyce) is an initiative of the Comptroller’s Office that updates language in the State Finance Act to better reflect current technologies and terminology. Having passed the House unanimously, the measure now heads to the Senate.
HFA #1 to HB 220 (Hirschauer) was discussed extensively in the House Labor and Commerce Committee. The amendment creates the Surveillance-Based Price and Wage Discrimination Act, prohibiting the use of surveillance data in automated decision systems to inform the individualized price assessed to a consumer for goods or services. The bill further establishes exemptions for insurers in compliance with the Illinois Insurance Code and for entities that make decisions based on data provided in a consumer report. Prohibits the use of surveillance data as part of an automated decision system to inform the individualized wage paid to an employee, and exempts a person who makes a decision not to hire an employee whom the person has not previously employed. The bill grants the Attorney General enforcement power and establishes private rights of action and penalties for violations. After significant questions from the committee, the sponsor pulled the amendment from the record, and no vote was taken.
The Senate Executive Committee held a subject matter hearing on HB 1843 (Ness/Ellman) which prohibits all municipalities, including home rule units, from using their zoning powers in a way that violates state or federal law, including the federal Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It further prohibits municipalities, including home rule units, from adopting zoning regulations that prohibit the creation of community integrated living arrangements (CILAs) for housing two or more unrelated people or living together in a CILA. No votes were taken on the legislation.
Up Next: The General Assembly will reconvene on January 13 to begin the Spring 2026 legislative session. The Senate distributed the 2026 spring calendar. The House is expected to distribute its calendar soon. Next year, the Illinois electorate will consider all 118 members of the House, about one-third of the Senate, all 17 Congressional seats, one U.S. Senate seat, and all six statewide Constitutional offices. Lawmakers will face challenges in crafting an election-year budget amid a slowing economy, declining revenues, and uncertainty over fluctuating tariffs and changing federal policies.
Key 2026 Session Dates:
Jan 16 – LRB Deadline — Both Chambers
Feb 6 – Bill Filing Deadline — Both Chambers
Feb 18 – Governor’s Budget and State of the State Address
March 13 – Deadline — Substantive Senate Bills out of Committee
March 17 – Primary Election
April 17 – Deadline — 3rd Reading Substantive Senate Bills
May 8 – Deadline — Substantive House Bills Out of Committee
May 22 – Deadline — 3rd Reading Substantive House Bills
May 31 – Adjournment
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Governor Pritzker signed two Executive Orders this week in response to recent federal actions — one addressing agricultural exports and another providing assistance to SNAP recipients. More details are below.
Agriculture Export Executive Order: Governor JB Pritzker signed Executive Order 2025-07, directing state agencies to enhance domestic markets for ag products and support farm families by continuing investment in mental health resources. Specifically, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Illinois Department of Commerce are to promote and expand domestic markets, while resources like the Farm Family Resource Initiative and a helpline will provide mental health support for rural communities. Read more here.
SNAP Executive Order: In signing Executive Order 2025-08, the Governor launched a statewide response to protect food access and invest $20 million in food banks across Illinois — with $10 million coming from the Budget Reserve for Immediate Disbursements and Governmental Emergencies Fund and $10 million from the Illinois Department of Human Services. Nearly 2 million Illinoisans are expected to lose federal SNAP benefits on November 1 amid the federal government shutdown. Read more here.
Regional Site Readiness Program: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is providing $31.5 million in funding through the Regional Site Readiness Program. The goals: help communities attract businesses, create jobs, and support renewal efforts through grants to prepare underutilized sites (like abandoned factories or brownfields) for development. More info here.
Rockford Brake Manufacturing Receives EDGE Agreement: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce announced an Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) agreement to support Rockford Brake Manufacturing’s $6.6 million investment in reopening a historic factory in Rockford. This new business — created by four former Gunite Corporation employees after its closure in February 2025 due to bankruptcy — will enable the purchase of a 619,000-square-foot factory and 41 acres of land, including a grey-iron foundry and a machine shop. The investment aims to manufacture brake drums for the commercial vehicle industry and preserve the legacy of Rockford’s longest-standing factory. Read more here.
Funding Available for Home Repairs: The Illinois Housing Development Authority announced $15 million in grants to 34 local organizations for the Home Repair and Accessibility Program (HRAP). This program will help approximately 400 homeowners statewide with up to $50,000 for essential health, safety, accessibility, and energy efficiency repairs. Homeowners must meet specific income and ownership criteria to qualify. Eligible repairs include addressing significant mechanical, electrical, structural, or plumbing issues, making accessibility modifications, and a “roof-only” repair option for homes without other major problems. Homeowners can apply for HRAP through a grantee organization that serves their area. Read more here.
OTHER NEWS:
Election Update: Candidates for federal and state offices began filing petitions Monday with the Illinois State Board of Elections. The filing period closes Monday, November 3.
AG Files SNAP Lawsuit: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with 26 other attorneys general and governors, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Secretary Brooke Rollins for unlawfully suspending the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program supports food purchases by over 40 million Americans, including nearly 2 million in Illinois. Raoul criticizes the Trump administration’s decision as illegal and harmful, especially during rising food costs. The USDA had previously warned that ongoing government shutdowns may lead to insufficient funds for SNAP benefits but has access to contingency funds that could be used. The lawsuit contends that the USDA’s failure to provide these funds disproportionally affects vulnerable populations. Read more here.
AG Urges Congress to Prevent Sale of Intoxicating Hemp: Joining 38 other attorneys general, Raoul has sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to clarify the federal definition of hemp. Concerns have grown over the unregulated sale of hemp-derived THC products — like delta-8 and delta-10 — which can be as potent as marijuana and are often marketed appealingly to children. Sold without consistent age restrictions or safety standards, these products are seeing increased pediatric exposures. Raoul calls for Congress to address this issue during the FY2026 appropriations process or when reauthorizing the Farm Bill to enhance consumer and child safety. Read more here.
Federal Judge Blocks Cuts to Federal Mental Health Grants: Raoul has also announced that a federal judge has blocked funding cuts to K-12 mental health programs by the Trump administration. Raoul and 16 other state attorneys general filed a lawsuit in June, arguing that the cuts violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution. On October 21, U.S. District Court Judge Kymberly Evanson rejected the Department of Education’s motion to dismiss the case and issued a preliminary injunction, stating that the department acted arbitrarily. The injunction specifically protects grantees who demonstrated harm from the funding cuts. Raoul emphasized the importance of the mental health programs, created by a bipartisan act allocating $1 billion following a mass school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. These programs have significantly benefited students, reducing suicide risk and improving engagement and attendance. Read more here.