103rd ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The 103rd Illinois General Assembly adjourned sine die, following a four-day Lame Duck Session during which members finalized several pieces of legislation before the new General Assembly took over. The members of the 104th General Assembly will be sworn into office during a ceremony on Wednesday, January 8 at noon.
Below is a recap of this week’s action.
Energy Omnibus: The Illinois General Assembly approved a small energy package on HB 587 (Gabel/Cunningham). HB 587 passed the Senate as amended by a vote of 39-16. The House concurred by a vote of 74-39 and the measure now heads to the Governor’s desk. Among other aspects, the bill as amended:
(1) Makes several technical changes to the Illinois Power Agency’s renewable energy procurement process, including revisions to IPA contract language aimed at ensuring long-term renewable contracts receive payment. The intent is to guarantee long-term financing for clean energy projects.
(2) Introduces flexibility to the current ratio for solar and wind procurement, allowing the IPA to modify this ratio in its long-term plan.
(3) Requires annual (instead of 5-year) updates to solar income eligibility.
(4) Deems energy storage facilities and high voltage converter stations eligible for high-impact business classification.
(5) Mandates training and safety requirements for high voltage transmission work.
(6) Directs the ICC to conduct a workshop to develop a proposed procurement process that incentivizes energy storage development in Illinois. This proposal would then require approval from the General Assembly in the spring.
(7) Ensures the state’s power grid is built and maintained by an Illinois-based union workforce.
Hemp: Attempts to pass legislation to regulate hemp-derived THC, including delta-8 products, fell short during the Lame Duck Session. Representative Buckner filed HA # 2 to SB 2417 (Halpin/Buckner), which mostly mirrored legislation passed by the Senate on a vote of 54-1 in May (HB 4293 Buckner/Lightford). The amendment would have required intoxicating hemp products to be sold by state-licensed cannabis dispensaries to keep them out of the hands of children. The bill also would have required testing and labeling of hemp products, as well as restrictions on marketing and packaging. Neither SB 2417 nor HB 4293 was ever assigned to a House committee for consideration during the lame duck session.
The Governor’s office issued a statement saying “Governor Pritzker is disappointed that lawmakers failed to take bipartisan, common-sense action to protect children and the public from unregulated and untested hemp products. The Governor is never beholden to special interests and will always put people, especially children, over politics and profits.” Representative Buckner said, “This is going to get done, and I am committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure we achieve a solution that protects the public, supports innovation and entrepreneurship, and moves Illinois forward.” Read more here and here.
Warehouse Worker Protection Act: The Illinois Senate approved HB 2547 (Olickal/Villanueva) by a vote of 35-15. The legislation, as amended, mandates that warehouse employers provide new hires with a written description of any production quota and potential disciplinary actions on their hire date. Employers also must furnish an updated quota description within five business days of any changes. According to the sponsor, the legislation aims to address the lack of transparency in non-union warehouses, where workers face “invisible clocks” and constant threats of termination or discipline, leading to physical injuries and severe mental stress. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendments by a vote of 79-34 and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Local Government Revenue Omnibus: The House concurred, by a vote of 87-25, with the Senate’s amendments to HB 4224 (Evans/Cunningham) which as amended represents a mini local government revenue omnibus. The bill: (1) clarifies that a property tax exemption can be granted to a parking deck for a nonprofit trade school; (2) allows for municipalities in Cook County to apply to the county clerk to retroactively abate property tax for a property in a special service area; and (3) clarifies that Township mental health boards may levy a tax through referendum that is initiated by citizens (in addition to when the vote of the township board initiates the referendum). The measure passed the Senate during Veto Session and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Prisoner Review Board Reforms: The Senate approved, by a vote of 32-21, HB 3288 (Ness/Harmon) which attempts to modernize and professionalize the Prisoner Review Board. The amended bill enhances transparency and training for Board members, including specialized domestic violence education. It also mandates a more balanced composition of professional experiences on the appointed Board, aiming to prevent a dominance of law enforcement and criminal justice veterans. Additionally, the legislation increases compensation for newly appointed Board members, aligning it with the compensation of the Human Rights Commission. Finally, the bill allows for the appointment of Commissioners, similar to administrative law judges, to assist the Board. While the bill passed the Senate, it was not considered in the House prior to adjournment.
Gaming: The Senate unanimously approved HB 5367 (Benton/Castro) which, as amended, revises the Substance Use Disorder Act to codify gambling disorders as a recognized disorder – thereby enabling the Department of Human Services Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery to coordinate gaming disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. The bill further requires the Illinois Gaming Board to allow sworn law enforcement personnel employed by the board who retired in good standing to keep their previously issued board identification cards, provided the card notes the retirement. Finally, the bill amends the Illinois Gaming Act to allow a person hired to perform non-gaming functions to begin employment with the casino upon providing fingerprints (rather than waiting for the results of the fingerprint submission to begin employment). The House assigned the legislation to the Gaming Committee, but the bill was never considered.
Karina’s Law: HB 4144 (Hirschauer/Villanueva), as amended, represents Karina’s Law, which aims to strengthen gun violence protections for victims and survivors of domestic violence. The bill expands the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Illinois Domestic Violence Act to allow a court to order the surrender and the seizure of firearms and firearm parts that could be assembled into a firearm as well as the surrender of FOID cards, upon the issuance of an ex parte, interim and final protection order of protection. HB 4144 passed the Senate as amended by a vote of 43-10. The House concurred by a vote of 80-33 and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk. Read more here.
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation: The House approved SB 867 (Guzzardi/Welch) by a vote of 63-41-2. The legislation, which passed the Senate 49-7 in May, would authorize the state to transfer approximately 1,500 acres of land that is now Shabbona Lake and State Park to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources would enter into a land-management agreement with the Potawatomi regarding how the park would be managed in the future. The House sponsor pledged that there would be no gaming on this land and said he would introduce a trailer bill in the spring session to reaffirm that commitment. The bill, which previously passed the Senate, now heads to the Governor’s desk. Read more here.
Halal/Kosher Food: SB 457 (Villivalam/Olickal) is the revised Halal/Kosher food legislation which was approved by the Senate during 2023 veto session in response to the Governor’s veto of a previous version of the bill on HB 3643 (Rashid/Villivalam). SB 457 requires the Illinois State Board of Education, subject to appropriation, to enter into one or more statewide master contracts to purchase religious dietary food options. Requires ISBE to notify school districts of any prepackaged meal options, including halal and kosher food options, available for purchase under a statewide master contract for the upcoming school year. The bill requires the University of Illinois Hospital to offer religious dietary food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines. In addition, the Halal Food Act and the Kosher Food Act are amended such that any halal food or kosher product offered by a State-owned or State-operated facility be purchased from a halal-certified or kosher-certified vendor. Establishes penalties for violations. Requires any Corrections facility with food services or cafeteria services for which food products are provided or sold to also offer religious dietary food options that comply with federal and State nutritional guidelines. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 64-38 and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Other Bills That Passed:
HB 4907 (Gabel/Aquino), as amended, makes changes to the formula used to calculate nursing service per diem add-on payments for nursing home staffing; increases the maximum size of contiguous counties in which hospitals can apply to operate under one single license; and makes a change to the Behavioral Health Administration Burden Task Force. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously. The House concurred by a vote of 112-0-1 and the measure now heads to the Governor’s desk.
SB 2655 (Sims/Slaughter) makes two changes as amended. The first provision is a request from the Illinois State Police to rectify statutory conflicts with their dash camera and officer-worn body camera policies. The second provision is a request from the Attorney General to make technical cleanup changes to the AI child pornography bill passed during the spring session. The bill passed both chambers unanimously and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The Senate concurred, by a vote of 38-15, with House Amendment #1 to SB 3180 (Castro/Croke). The bill amends The One Day Rest in Seven Act to prohibit employers from retaliating against workers who exercise their rights under the law, including filing a complaint with the Illinois Department of Labor. The bill also empowers the attorney general to enforce the Act and obtain relief for workers whose employers violate its provisions. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Legislation to address name changes passed the Senate by a vote of 33-16. HB 5164 (Olickal/Villivalam), as amended, would cap the cost of legal name changes, reduce the state residency requirement for name changes from 6 months to 3 months, and allow certain individuals to request that their name change be kept private and exempt from public disclosure. The Senate adopted SFA # 1 at the request of the State’s Attorneys Association. The amendment clarifies that if a court grants a motion to impound a file under the Code, it must still report the name change to the Illinois State Police. The Illinois State Police must then update the criminal history transcript and offender registration for each person 18 years of age or older to include both the new name and the person’s former name. The House concurred with SFA # 1 by a vote of 71-38 and the bill now heads the Governor’s desk.
As amended, HB 817 (Vella/Halpin) addresses an issue with the state-controlled Marine Bank Building in Springfield by authorizing the State Treasurer’s office (which oversees the building) to make repairs and maintenance. Additionally, the bill makes changes to the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act to ease the administrative burden on nonprofits and community partners receiving state and federal grants. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendment by a vote of 106-0-2 and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The Senate unanimously approved HB 2840 (Guerrero-Cuellar/Faraci) — a trailer bill that resolves issues with park district and child labor laws, as well as covenants not to compete for first responders. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendment by a vote of 113-0 and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
As amended, HB 2474 (Moeller/Collins) amends the Nursing Home Care Act to protect nursing home residents from retaliation. The bill establishes that residents may file a civil suit against a nursing home if they suffer retaliatory action; outlines how a violation can be proven; and identifies the damages that may be awarded to the resident. The bill also mandates that nursing homes annually notify residents of their anti-retaliation rights and the process for filing complaints. Lastly, the amendment requires nursing homes to implement training programs designed to prevent retaliatory actions against residents. The Senate approved the measure by a vote of 48-2. The House concurred with the Senate’s changes by a vote of 89-16 and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The Illinois Senate approved, by a vote of 43-11, HB 297 (Davis/Preston). The legislation, as amended, establishes a mandatory interest arbitration procedure for educational supervisors – such as principals and assistant principals – in Chicago Public Schools when a collective bargaining impasse occurs. The legislation stipulates that the existing terms of employment would remain in effect during the arbitration process. The House concurred by a vote of 75-33 and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
By a vote of 43-10, the Illinois Senate approved HB 4410 (Guzzardi/Villa). The bill, as amended, would require law enforcement agencies to create and adopt policies prohibiting officers from engaging in sexual conduct with a suspect while investigating prostitution and require the Illinois State Police, local law enforcement, and circuit court clerks to automatically seal all prior arrest and court records related to felony prostitution charges. The bill would also update certain phrases regarding sex work-related offenses. The House concurred with the Senate’s changes by a vote of 73-38 and the bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
HB 4828 (Olickal/Peters), as amended, requires the Illinois Department of Corrections to publish quarterly reports online detailing general trends, including demographic information, lengths of confinement, incidents of self-harm, and access to health care in restrictive housing (solitary confinement) units. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 44-12; the House concurred 75-38. The measure now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The House unanimously concurred with the Senate’s amendments to HB 4781 (Evans/Hunter) which aims to prioritize kinship care to enhance outcomes for DCFS-involved children. The measure seeks to preserve family connections, minimize separation trauma, and achieve faster, more stable permanency for children in foster care. The bill passed the Senate during Veto Session and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
SB 899 (Simmons/Buckner) clarifies that IDOT is responsible for posting signage for certain intersections with respect to truck length and turning restrictions. The bill unanimously passed the House. The bill passed the Senate in May and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The House unanimously approved SB 727 (Simmons/DuBuclet) which codifies recent federal PFAS rules on maximum PFAS contaminant levels in community water supplies. The bill passed the Senate during the Spring Session and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The House unanimously concurred with the Senate’s amendments to HB 4412 (Vella/Loughran Cappel ) which addresses criminal background checks for daycares. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
SB 952 (McConchie/Syed) authorizes quick-take power for the Village of Deer Park. The bill passed the House by a vote of 83-27. The measure passed the Senate in Veto Session and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
HB 5373 (Cassidy/Fine) reflects new guidelines issued by the CDC regarding opioid prescribing. The bill allows physicians to make necessary prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids, without strict limitations based on dosage amounts (except as provided under federal law). Patient confidentiality is also protected under the bill, by preventing the release of opioid prescription and treatment information without a legal order verified by the Illinois Department of Human Services or an administrative subpoena from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The measure passed the Senate in Veto Session. The House unanimously concurred with the Senate’s amendment and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The House concurred, by a vote of 113-0-1, with SA # 2 to HB 4439 (Hanson/D. Turner) which designates the soybean as the official state bean. The measure previously passed the Senate and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
HB 5151 (Stava Murray/Lightford) addresses termination of residency under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act and the Nursing Home Care Act. The bill was an initiative of the Department on Aging. The measure previously passed the Senate. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendment by a vote of 71-38. The measure now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Other Legislative News:
Kyle Moore, the former Quincy Mayor and a longtime community leader, was sworn into office on January 3 to replace retiring Representative Randy Frese.
Speaker Welch announced additional staff changes. Legislative Director Kylie Kelly, Chief Counsel Kendra Piercy, and Press Spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll submitted their resignations. Nora Walsh, who served as Deputy Legislative Director will replace Kelly. Kat Bray, who currently serves on the Speaker’s staff, will replace Piercy as Chief Counsel. A replacement for Driscoll has not yet been named. As readers were told last week, Clayton Harris III replaced Tiffany Moy as Chief of Staff. Harris began in his new role January 2.
The Warehouse Safety Task Force, created by the General Assembly in January 2023 following a deadly tornado that killed six Amazon warehouse workers in the Metro East area, has issued its final report. The report recommends that warehouses have tornado shelters and require site-specific emergency plans based on OSHA’s guidelines for employers to prepare for tornadoes. These plans, to be shared with local first responders, would include floor plans and details about warehouse contents. The task force also recommends requiring statewide certification requirements for building code inspectors. This certification requirement will be supported by the community college system to increase the number of code inspectors. Read the list of recommendations here. Read more here.
Environmental advocates rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday, urging legislators to pass the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition Platform – a slate of legislation that advocates argue would bolster Illinois’ climate policy and secure an equitable, affordable, and healthy future for all Illinoisans, regardless of the federal administration in power. The rally included community leaders, environmental advocates, faith leaders, business representatives, consumer groups, students, and state legislators. Advocates urged legislators to support the Energy Savings Bill, which maximizes Illinois’ energy efficiency programs amidst growing demand and provides Ameren and ComEd customers equal access to energy-saving programs that help reduce their bills. Advocates also lobbied for the Clean and Reliable Grid Act, the Clean and Equitable Transportation Act, and the Clean and Healthy Buildings Act which advocates argue will accelerate clean energy deployment, electrify vehicles and public transit, and transition buildings to clean heating. The legislation, which did not advance during the 2024 session, will likely be reintroduced for consideration during the 2025 session.
2025 Spring Session Key Dates and Deadlines:
January 8: Inauguration of the 104th General Assembly
January 24: House and Senate LRB Request Deadline (LRB Blackout Begins)
February 7: Deadline – Bill Introduction Deadline Both Chambers
February 19: Governor’s Budget and State of the State Address
March 21: Deadline – Committee Deadline Both Chambers
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:
Illinois Selected to Participate in Federal Initiative to Improve Maternal Health: The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has been selected by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate in the new Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model. This federal program aims to improve maternal health outcomes by implementing a more comprehensive, whole-person approach to care. Over the next 10 years, Illinois Medicaid and other awarded state Medicaid agencies will receive $17 million in critical funding to develop and pilot a more integrated approach to addressing physical health, mental health, and social needs throughout the pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum continuum. The majority of these resources will be invested in strengthening provider infrastructure. This support will also enable the development of a value-based alternative payment model for maternity care services, with the goal of enhancing quality, improving health outcomes, and promoting the long-term sustainability of these essential services. Read more here.
Health Equity Zone Grants: Following a competitive grant process, the Pritzker administration and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) awarded two Health Equity Zone (HEZ) grants to fund programs aimed at reversing historic health disparities in McDonough and Winnebago counties.
In McDonough County, the Henderson County Rural Health Center received $113,873 to collaborate with Western Illinois University, the McDonough County Public Health Department, the Western Illinois Regional Council, and other organizations. This HEZ initiative will address obesity, sexually transmitted infections, and mental health outcomes.
The Winnebago County Health Department was awarded $118,000 to expand its Community of Concern (COC) program. The COC will partner with community groups to improve mental and behavioral health in the vulnerable Rockford area. Strategies include increasing access to self-care, reducing mental health stigma, and building community resilience.
OTHER NEWS:
CGFA December Report: The Commission on Government Financing and Accountability issued its December report noting for the month that Illinois’ General Funds receipts increased by $327 million, or 6.7%, compared to the previous December. Excluding one-time transfers, the year-over-year growth improved to $410 million, or 8.6%. Strong Individual Income Tax receipts, aided by revenue redistributions, capped off a generally positive, though modest, first half for FY 2025 revenues.
Illinois Attorney General Issues Updated Consumer Alert: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued an updated consumer alert warning individuals seeking GLP-1 medications for weight loss to beware of unapproved products from unauthorized sellers that may pose health risks. Raoul initially released this advisory on December 18. Read more here and here.
Interchange Fee Prohibition Act: A U.S. District Court judge has issued a preliminary injunction that prevents the state from enforcing the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act on nationally chartered banks and savings institutions, but allows enforcement against credit and debit card processors, credit unions and state-chartered banks. Under the ruling, the state will be able to enforce the law on those latter institutions starting in July. The court will hear additional arguments on January 15.
The General Assembly passed the IFPA at the end of the 2024 spring session as part of the omnibus revenue package. The law prohibits banks, payment card networks, and other entities involved in processing debit or credit card transactions from charging or receiving “interchange fees” on the portion of a transaction attributable to taxes or gratuities within the state.
Reducing Barriers to Meaningful Access in Court Grant: The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Access to Justice Division of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) have launched a new grant initiative, the “Reducing Barriers to Meaningful Access in Court Grant.” The application process is now open and will close on February 18, 2025.
This grant program invites applications from various organizations, including administrative agencies, universities, foundations, legal aid providers, community-based groups, and social service organizations. The goal is to fund projects that increase the ability of low-income, non-English-speaking, disabled, elderly, minority, Native American, veteran, and other vulnerable court users to meaningfully participate in the court system.
Proposed projects must align with the ATJ Commission’s mission and duties under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 10-100, as well as the commission’s current strategic plan. Eligible projects may provide self-help resources, legal advice, legal representation, limited-scope legal services, or legal information to underserved areas (“legal deserts”). The RFP is here.