104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly is set to begin the 2026 Spring Session in January. The Illinois Senate will reconvene Tuesday, January 13, through Thursday, January 15. The House of Representatives will reconvene the following week, from Tuesday, January 20, through Thursday, January 22.
Deadlines will approach quickly in the new year. January 16 is the deadline to request a bill be drafted for spring consideration. February 6 is the deadline to file legislation.
The Illinois Senate Democratic staff compiled a list of new laws taking effect in 2026. Read the list here.
Key 2026 Session Dates:
January 16: LRB Deadline — Both Chambers
February 6: Bill Filing Deadline — Both Chambers
February 18: Governor’s Budget and State of the State Address
March 13: Deadline — Substantive Senate Bills out of Committee
March 27: Deadline — Substantive House Bills out of Committee
March 17: Primary Election
April 17: Deadline — 3rd Reading Substantive Bills in First Chamber
May 8: Deadline — Substantive Bills out of Committee in Second Chamber
May 22: Deadline — 3rd Reading Substantive Bills in Second Chamber
May 31: Adjournment
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Mass Transit: Governor JB Pritzker signed a $1.5 billion transit overhaul package into law this week, aimed at modernizing Illinois’ public transportation system. The new legislation will provide increased funding for capital projects, fare collection improvements, oversight, and the procurement of new trains, tracks, and buses. Funding sources include the state’s existing Road Fund interest, a 0.25% increase in sales tax within the six-county “NITA region,” and the redirection of an existing gas sales tax. Effective next summer, the law will establish a new oversight board to replace the current Regional Transit Authority system, introduce a unified fare system by 2030, and raise accountability standards starting in 2028. The new law will also create new capital projects, support transit-oriented development by 2027, and launch a “Transit Ambassador Program.” Read more here and here.
Other New Laws: Also signed:
· HB 250 grants Will County quick-take powers for a road construction project.
· HB 576 creates the Public Official Safety and Privacy Act.
· HB 643 prohibits municipalities from collecting any tax on joint-use airport transactions in certain regions.
· HB 762 directs the Illinois Department of Insurance to study liability insurance practices for community-based providers of foster care and adoption services.
· HB 1085 strengthens parity between mental health and other healthcare by establishing a reimbursement rate floor for mental health and substance use disorder services.
· HB 1607 creates the Task Force on Eliminating Food Deserts within the Department of Public Health.
· HB 3492 makes changes to the juvenile justice system.
· SB 90 expands the State Comptroller’s debt offset authority.
· SB 618 makes several changes to the Liquor Control Act, including establishing a Class 3 Craft Distiller License and Special Showcase Permit.
· SB 642 represents a TIF omnibus, extending TIFs for several municipalities. The bill also increases the maximum income limitation for the Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption, establishes the interest rate for delinquent property taxes for tax year 2025, and allows the county clerk to administer payment plans and waive interest penalties.
· SB 1911 is the Veto Session revenue omnibus. The bill decouples from federal bonus depreciation for newly constructed non-residential real property, replaces the Global Intangible Low Tax Income tax with Net Controlled foreign Corporation Tested Income, extends the excess business loss deduction for trusts, extends the State and Local Tax Deduction, amends the Film Production Services Tax Credit Act, creates the Statewide Innovation Development and Economy Act, and includes a one-time transfer from the General Revenue Fund to the Audit Expense Fund.
· SB 1950, the Medical Aid in Dying bill, which will allow qualified terminally ill patients the ability to seek medication to end their lives. Read more here.
· SB 1989 consolidates the Southwest Regional Port District with the Kaskaskia Regional Port District and restructures the board.
· SB 2339 prohibits adverse actions against an employee due to a notice of individual taxpayer identification number discrepancies provided by a federal agency or outside vendor not responsible for immigration enforcement.
· SB 2683 extends a bond authorization for the Iroquois County Community School District.
Resource Adequacy Study: In accordance with Section 9.15(o) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency have released their joint 2025 Resource Adequacy Study assessing the current and projected electric resource adequacy and reliability throughout Illinois across the period ahead. Read the Executive Summary and full report here. Read more here and here.
IDPH Releases Alcohol Consumption Report: The Illinois Department of Public Health has released its first comprehensive report detailing alcohol consumption and misuse among residents of Illinois. Titled “Alcohol Use in Illinois,” the report analyzes data from various sources, including IDPH’s own Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey and the Illinois Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey. The findings from this report can assist state and local health officials in developing targeted programs and interventions aimed at addressing health-related issues associated with alcohol use. Read the report here. Read more here.
Hepatitis B Vaccine for Infants: The Illinois Department of Public Health reaffirmed he recommendations of Illinois’ Vaccine Advisory Committee to continue giving the hepatitis B vaccine to all healthy infants within 24 hours of birth. Read more here.
Grants Awarded to Combat Homelessness: Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness have announced a $2 million investment to combat homelessness in Central Illinois. This funding, part of the Home Illinois grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services, will support local organizations such as Fifth Street Renaissance, Helping Hands of Springfield, and Mercy Communities, Inc. The focus will be on effective housing solutions, specifically rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing, to help achieve the goal of functional zero homelessness, where homelessness is prevented and, when it occurs, is brief and rare. Read more here.
Grant Applications Open for Waterfowl Habitat Restoration: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is accepting grant applications for habitat restoration in Canadian waterfowl breeding grounds until January 4, 2026. Funds from the Illinois Migratory Waterfowl Stamp, purchased by hunters, are used to conserve critical breeding habitats on the Canadian prairies, which are essential for waterfowl migrating to Illinois and the Mississippi Flyway. Only not-for-profit organizations focused on supporting and conserving wild waterfowl in these areas are eligible for the grants. Read more here.
Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants Available: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for Volunteer Fire Assistance grants until February 16, 2026. This federal grant program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, provides matching funds to support fire departments in purchasing equipment and funding training. Recipients can be reimbursed for 50% of project costs, up to a maximum of $10,000, but must initially cover the expenses. Read more here.
Gubernatorial Appointments: Governor Pritzker appointed the following:
· Dr. Héctor García will serve as a Member of the Illinois Community College Board.
· Dr. Dawn Brown will continue to serve as a Member of the State Board of Health.
OTHER NEWS:
Court of Claims Modernization: Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced the modernization of the Illinois Court of Claims with the introduction of electronic filing and remote hearings. This change replaces the outdated, paper-based system, making the process faster and more accessible for claimants. Giannoulias emphasized that the move to a fully digital process will enhance government accessibility, transparency, and efficiency. Starting now, all filings can be submitted through a new online portal, with training videos available for first-time users.
SNAP Benefits: In November, Attorney General Raoul joined a coalition of 21 attorneys general to sue the Trump administration for attempting to cut SNAP benefits for lawful permanent residents. On December 10, the administration reversed its decision, confirming that these residents, including former refugees and asylees, remain eligible for SNAP benefits. However, the administration continued to threaten states with penalties for not implementing the new guidance quickly enough. A U.S. District Court in Oregon temporarily blocked these penalties, protecting SNAP programs while the case is ongoing. Read more here.
Attorneys General Reach Settlement with Hyundai and Kia: Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a bipartisan group of 35 attorneys general reached a settlement with Hyundai and Kia over the lack of anti-theft technology in millions of vehicles. Under the agreement, both manufacturers will:
· Install engine immobilizer anti-theft technology in all future U.S. vehicles.
· Provide free zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protectors for eligible vehicles.
· Offer up to $4.5 million in restitution to consumers whose cars were stolen or damaged.
· Pay $4.5 million to states for investigation costs.
Read more here.
ICC Rules on ComEd Rate Reconciliation: The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) reduced ComEd’s 2024 rate reconciliation request by $25.4 million, part of a new performance-based evaluation process. The majority of the cuts were due to overruns from ComEd’s customer care and billing rollout, as the ICC determined that these costs were not prudently incurred. The decision also removed performance incentives related to the rollout and mandated that ComEd provide updates on affordability and cost benefit analyses for grid plan projects in future rate reconciliations to assess their impact. Read more here.
ICC Rules on Ameren Rate Reconciliation: The Illinois Commerce Commission reduced Ameren Illinois’ $59.6 million rate reconciliation request by $11.2 million. This decision is part of a new performance-based evaluation process aimed at aligning actual utility spending with approved investment plans. Moving forward, Ameren must provide updates on affordability data and cost-benefit analyses for related grid projects in future reconciliation dockets, enabling real-time evaluation of their grid plan’s impact. Read more here.