104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly remains on summer break. The Legislature will convene for a two-week Veto Session in October.
The House Executive Committee rescheduled the subject matter hearing to discuss HB 4017 (Tarver). The hearing will be held on July 31 at 10 am in the Bilandic Building in Chicago.
GOVERNOR’S HIGHLIGHTS:
Executive Order: Governor JB Pritzker issued Executive Order 2025-03, which directs state agencies to evaluate the impact of tariffs on key economic sectors and the increased costs that will be passed onto working families.
As part of the Executive Order, Governor Pritzker has directed state agencies to assess the following:
· Identify Business Vulnerabilities and Workforce Disruptions
· Prepare for Medical Supply Chain Disruptions
· Stabilize Food Assistance Programs
· Protect Infrastructure Investments
· Develop a Strategy for Material Cost and Supply Chain Risks
· Strengthen Emergency Preparedness and Supply Chain Resilience
Read more here.
Governor Asks for Release of Federal Education Funds: Governor JB Pritzker joined with governors from 16 states, calling upon the Secretary of Education to release approximately $6.8 billion in federal funds that are being withheld from schools and students. Based on fiscal year 2025 grant awards, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Community College Board estimate the federal government is currently withholding $241.8 million from Illinois schools, community colleges, adult education providers, and students. Read more here.
Electric School Bus Grants Awarded: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency awarded seven grants totaling over $13 million for the purchase of 46 new all-electric school buses. This funding will enable school districts and student transportation companies to retire older diesel-powered buses and provide the necessary charging infrastructure for the new electric buses. This initiative aims to improve air quality for students and the surrounding communities. Read more here.
IDFPR Adds More Licenses to Online CORE System: The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation now offers licensure for 24 additional professions through its CORE online system. The latest license additions represent the completion of Phase 2.3. The final phase is expected this summer. Read more, including the professions added to CORE, here.
Governor Pritzker Criticizes State Farm Insurance Rate Increase: Governor Pritzker criticized Bloomington-based insurer State Farm for announcing a 27.2% increase in homeowners’ premiums, expressing concern that the hike is unfair and based on inconsistent data from the Illinois Department of Insurance. He urged the General Assembly to implement legislation during the upcoming Veto Session to prevent such excessive rate increases. In response, the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies stated that the Governor is mischaracterizing the insurance market and emphasized the need for competitive insurance products. The Illinois Insurance Association and the American Property Casualty Insurance Association also rejected the Governor’s claims of arbitrary rate hikes and shifting costs onto Illinois consumers. Read the Governor’s complete statement here. Read more here. The State Farm rate filing is here. DOI’s objection is here.
Children’s Adversity Index: The Pritzker administration launched the Children’s Adversity Index, a new tool designed to measure childhood trauma exposure among children aged 3 to 18 in communities throughout Illinois.
Developed by Chapin Hall and the Illinois State Board of Education, the Index was created in collaboration with eight state agencies and leading experts. It reflects the administration’s commitment to fostering equitable, inclusive, and supportive environments for all children. Originating from the 2022 Whole Child Task Force Report, the Children’s Adversity Index became a legislative mandate in 2023. This initiative represents a significant step towards identifying and addressing the systemic challenges that affect communities across the state.
2025 Prevailing Wage Rates Announced: The Illinois Department of Labor updated the prevailing wage rates for construction trades for 2025, effective July 15. This change is based on an annual survey mandated by the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, which requires that workers on publicly funded projects be paid according to local wage standards. To view the 2025 prevailing wage rates by county and construction trade, visit IDOL’s website.
Tech Incubator Enhancement Grants Awarded: The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $7 million in grants to four grantees through the Tech Incubator Enhancement Grant (TIEG) Program. This funding aims to support entrepreneurship and innovation in key growth industries in the state and enhance the resilience of startup incubators. The TIEG Program is focused on modernizing tech incubators to serve the evolving needs of startups, promoting an ecosystem of innovation, collaboration, and resilience. Read more here.
OSF Fire Station Grant Awards: The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal announced the inaugural Fire Station Construction and Rehabilitation Program awards totaling $5 million to 16 grantees across the state. This funding will allow fire departments or fire protection districts to repair, upgrade, or construct new fire stations. A list of grant recipients is here.
Measles Outbreak Update: The Illinois Department of Public Health declared the measles outbreak in Southern Illinois is over. There were a total of eight cases, with no new cases reported since May 22. Read more here.
ISP Graduates New Cadet Class: The Illinois State Police graduated its largest cadet class in the last 25 years. A total of 95 new troopers from Cadet Class 150 participated in a graduation ceremony. These new troopers will be assigned to all ten ISP Troop locations throughout the state starting Sunday, July 13, 2025. Read more here.
Gubernatorial Appointments: Governor Pritzker appointed the following:
· Theodore Hengesbach will continue to serve as Inspector General at the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.
· Christopher Thor Martin will serve as Inspector General at the Illinois Department of Human Services.
· Dionne Hayden will serve as Chair for the Illinois Gaming Board.
· Michael Glaub will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
· William McLaughlin will continue to serve as an Arbitrator on the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
· Francis Brady will continue to serve as an Arbitrator of the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
· Kisa Sthankiya will serve as a Member of the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board.
· Ava George Stewart will continue to serve as a Member of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission.
· Stacey Young will continue to serve as a Member of the Enterprise Zone Board.
· Alan Zais will serve as a Member of the Affordable Housing Advisory Commission.
OTHER NEWS:
Head Start Programs: The Trump administration announced that immigrants in the country illegally will be barred from enrolling in the federally funded Head Start preschool program as part of its efforts to restrict access to federal benefits for undocumented individuals. The Department of Health and Human Services stated it would classify these programs as federal public benefits, thus excluding those without legal immigration status. Despite the change at the federal level, the Illinois Head Start Association advised its members to refrain from making policy changes due to the lack of federal guidance on implementing this ban. Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, the association’s head, expressed concern that inquiring about legal status could instill fear and anxiety in the communities served by the program. Read more here.
2026 Election Update: State Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced that she will not seek re-election to the post in 2026. Mendoza is widely expected to run for mayor of Chicago in 2027. Comptroller Mendoza is a former state representative and Chicago City Clerk, who was elected Comptroller in 2016 (following the death of Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka). She was elected to a full term in 2018 and re-elected in 2022.
With Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza not seeking re-election, three Democratic candidates are considering running to replace her. Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim, State Representative Margaret Croke, and State Senator Karina Villa.
Yet another candidate has jumped into the crowded Democratic primary race in the 9th Congressional District. Nick Pyati, a former teacher and federal prosecutor, said, “It’s time for a vision and a plan that expands our economy, inspires innovation, and rebuilds America — an America we are proud to leave to our kids.”
Will County Board member Julie Berkowicz will run in the Republican primary for the 21st Senate District, currently represented by Democratic Senator Laura Ellman. Berkowicz said at the county level, she advocates for lower taxes and smaller government, and has been frustrated in recent years with the increased tax levies that have been approved.
State Representative La Shawn Ford announced that he will not be seeking reelection to the 8th Representative District. Ford has held this position for the past 17 years. On May 21, he filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to run for the United States Congress in Illinois’ 7th district, a seat currently occupied by Danny Davis since 1997. Ford stated that if Davis decides to run in the upcoming November election, he will not challenge him and will instead retire from politics.
John Harrell, co-founder and president of Black Men United, and a pastor at two Baptist churches, filed to run as a Democrat in Ford’s 8th House District. Harrell also serves on the Loretto Hospital Board. Republican Leslie Collazo also announced she will run to replace Ford.
Four candidates are now vying in the Democratic primary to replace Representative Hoan Huynh who is running in the crowded Democratic primary in the 9th Congressional District. Demi Palecek, a sergeant in the Army National Guard, is the president of the 46th Ward Democratic Organization, who worked at Operation Swing State as director of marketing communications. Also announcing this week is former House Democratic staffer James O’Brien. They will face Sunjay Kumar and former Statehouse lobbyist and former Executive Deputy Attorney General Adam Braun.
Senators Neil Anderson, Steve McClure, Andrew Chesney and Julie Morrison along with Representatives Bradley Fritts, Dan Swanson, Jason Bunting, Daniel Didech and Dr. Paul Jacobs announced they will seek reelection. Republican Senator Don Dewitte announced he will not seek reelection in 2026. He plans to serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in January of 2027.
Opiod Settlement: Illinois is set to receive up to $23 million from settlements with pharmaceutical companies involved in deceptive practices that contributed to the opioid crisis. The total settlements, reached with eight companies, amount to $720 million across nine states. Attorney General Kwame Raoul emphasized the ongoing impact of opioid addiction on families and the commitment to hold companies accountable. The settlements prohibit seven companies from marketing opioids and require monitoring systems for suspicious orders. The eighth company, Indivior, has agreed to stop manufacturing opioid products for 10 years but can still market medications for treating opioid use disorder. Read more here.
Settlement Reached with Gilead Sciences: Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a $202 million multistate settlement with Gilead Sciences Inc. for operating an illegal kickback scheme to promote its HIV medications. The scheme involved providing incentives to healthcare providers, which led to the submission of false claims to government healthcare programs. The settlement allocates $49 million for Medicaid nationwide, with over $925,000 designated for Illinois. From January 2011 to November 2017, Gilead violated federal anti-kickback laws by paying healthcare providers to promote drugs like Stribild and Genvoya, covering travel expenses, and hosting lavish dinners. Raoul emphasized the importance of holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for illegal practices. Read more here.
Illinois Attorney General Sues Over Federal Education Grant Freeze: Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a coalition of 25 states, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for unlawfully freezing billions in funding for six education grants just before the school year begins. Raoul highlighted the negative impact on school budgets and student programs, causing stress for families reliant on these resources. The lawsuit claims the funding freeze violates several federal laws and the U.S. Constitution, seeking a court ruling to declare the freeze unlawful and to mandate the immediate release of the withheld funds. Read more here.
Illinois Attorney General Sues Over Ending FEMA’s BRIC Program: Attorney General Kwame Raoul and a coalition of 20 states sued the Trump administration for trying to shut down FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. For 30 years, this program has provided resources to help communities strengthen their infrastructure against natural disasters, focusing on preparedness to protect property, reduce costs, and save lives. Read more here.
Transit Fiscal Cliff Update: The Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois reports that Chicago’s transit fiscal cliff may be less severe than expected, thanks to increased revenue from a new e-commerce tax. The Regional Transportation Authority could gain over $200 million annually if spending remains steady, reducing the projected $771 million funding shortfall for the CTA, Metra, and Pace after federal pandemic relief ends next year. Read more here and here.