104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly adjourned for the holiday weekend. The Senate was in Session from Monday afternoon through Thursday; Friday’s session was canceled. Meanwhile, the House was in session Tuesday through Friday as previously scheduled. Deadline extensions are expected in both chambers.
Both chambers will return to session on Monday, May 25, at 4 pm. There is one week left in the Spring Session. Adjournment is scheduled for May 31.
The Senate approved 66 House Bills on an Agreed Bill List. The House did not use an Agreed Bill List and instead considered each bill individually. In total, the Senate approved 17 Senate Bills and 140 House Bills this week. The House, meanwhile, approved 108 Senate Bills and 1 House Bill.
Budget: There was no formal movement on the budget this week. On May 7, each chamber compiled the Governor’s introduced budget into one amendment in each chamber, positioning it for future consideration. The leaders issued a joint statement at the time indicating the move was to allow adequate public viewing and input. HFA #1 to HB 131 (Welch) was subsequently assigned to the House Executive Committee, but has not been considered by the committee at this time. SFA # 1 to SB 2512 (Sims) was filed, but remains in the Committee on Assignments.
Note that both of these bills remain in the first chamber and will require three separate readings in the opposite chamber. It remains unclear if either of these bills will serve as the actual vehicle for the final budget.
Cannabis: Identical legislation was filed Wednesday in both chambers to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of intoxicating hemp products through the state’s existing cannabis dispensary network. The omnibus bills also make several changes for the cannabis industry, including doubling the allowed amount of legal possession, increasing the allowed size of “craft” growers’ operations, and easing local relocation rules. The bill also lowers the threshold that triggers a background check for partial owners from 10% to 1%. A summary of the legislation is here. The Senate filed the language as SFA #1 to SB 20 (Lightford). That amendment remains in the Committee on Assignments. Representative Guzzardi filed a new bill, HB 5784, which remains in the House Rules Committee. If cannabis legislation moves, it will likely be placed on a different vehicle bill that is poised for quick passage.
BUILD Housing Package: The Senate filed a housing package Thursday evening after the chamber adjourned for the holiday weekend. The amendments are all pending in the Senate’s Committee on Assignments. The package includes:
· SB 329 (Harmon) shifts the cost of leasing broker or leasing agent fees from the renter to the landlord.
· SB 330 (Harmon) expands anti-discrimination protections for victims of gender-based violence by making it illegal in certain housing and lending situations to discriminate against someone because they are a survivor of gender-based violence.
· SB 331 (Harmon) creates the Restock the Block Act to limit large institutional investors from buying large numbers of residential homes and imposes fees on large investors, with the proceeds being allocated to affordable housing.
· SB 332 (Harmon) creates a tenant’s right of first refusal, giving tenants the first opportunity to purchase their building before an owner can sell it to someone else.
· SB 608 (Harmon) creates the Federally Assisted Tenant Protection Act, which prohibits most landlords and housing authorities that receive federal housing assistance money from imposing mandatory work requirements or time limits on tenants receiving subsidized housing in Illinois.
· SB 635 (Harmon) creates the Faith-Based Housing and Mixed-Use By-Right Act, which makes it easier for churches and other religious organizations to build housing on land they own by limiting local zoning barriers.
· SB 640 (Harmon) significantly reduces local zoning restrictions in Illinois and requires cities and counties to allow development of much denser “middle housing” (such as duplexes, four flats, cottages, townhomes, and auxiliary dwelling units) in areas currently zoned for single-family homes.
· SB 643 (Harmon) creates a statewide “shot clock” for local governments reviewing building permits and inspections in Illinois, and allows developers to use private third-party reviewers or inspectors if the government misses the deadlines.
Prescription Drug Advisory Board: A second attempt to create a Prescription Drug Advisory Board advanced this week out of the House on SB 3496 (Harmon/Syed), as amended. The Board is authorized to set maximum, state-regulated price limits on certain drugs. The bill allows the state’s Medicaid program and State Employees Health Programs to “opt in,” limits the number of medications subject to upper payment limits, and places a 5-year sunset on the statute. Passed the House 62-39 and now heads back to the Senate for concurrence.
Identical legislation was adopted on HFA #4 to HB 1443 (Syed) earlier this spring. That bill was debated on Third Reading but ultimately pulled from the record before a vote was taken. That measure was debated late in the day, and there were not enough Democratic members present to pass the measure.
Artificial Intelligence/Data: The Senate approved an AI/Data package, sending it to the House for consideration. These bills are scheduled for a hearing in the House Executive Committee on Wednesday, May 27, at 10 am in Room 118.
SB 315 (Edly-Allen) requires large frontier developers – like ChatGPT and Claude – to provide an independent, third-party annual report explaining what mechanisms they have in place to mitigate catastrophic risks, provide transparency reports, and report critical safety incidents to IEMA and the Attorney General. Passed the Senate 52-5.
SB 316 (Ellman) requires AI companies that use companion AI to implement methods for detecting user expression of suicidal ideation or self-harm, work to prevent such harm, and provide a notification to the user that refers them to a crisis service provider, such as the 988 suicide hotline. Also requires the chatbot to notify the user that they are speaking to a chatbot and not a human. Further grants the Attorney General enforcement authority and allows for a private right of action. Passed the Senate 57-0.
SB 317 (Ventura) requires consumers to be notified when they interact with an AI chat interface at the start of the conversation. Passed the Senate 57-1.
SB 318 (Stadelman) prevents the use of bots to purchase tickets in excess and prohibits a reseller from falsely representing that it is affiliated with an artist, team, or venue. Passed the Senate unanimously.
SB 340 (Murphy) mandates that consumers can opt out of having their data used for ads or sold to third parties. The measure also protects individuals from being subjected to algorithmic profiling that could influence major life decisions like loan approvals, job screenings, or insurance rates. The sponsor noted that medical records are exempt. Passed the Senate 54-3.
SB 343 (Guzmán) prohibits landlords from coordinating rental pricing indirectly through a shared third-party service or software, such as an algorithm that sets prices across multiple competing landlords. Passed the Senate 34-21.
SB 415 (Villa) allows school districts to use biometric data only for legitimate instructional purposes by the 2027-2028 school year. Passed the Senate 57-0.
SB 416 (Martwick) prohibits teachers from using artificial intelligence to assign grades to students’ work. Requires districts to adopt a policy regarding the use of AI in the district. Passed the Senate unanimously.
Meanwhile, the House approved HB 4248 (Hirschauer), as amended by HFA # 2 and 3, which creates the Algorithmic Pricing Prohibition Act to ban algorithmic pricing in Illinois — a practice where businesses utilize personal data to create individualized prices through surveillance systems. The bill fully prohibits algorithmic pricing, which is defined as “a price for consumer goods or services generated in whole or in part using an automated decision system, machine learning model, or data-driven algorithm.” The bill does not prohibit ordinary sales, discounts, loyalty programs, coupons, or legitimate market-based pricing. Businesses can still adjust their pricing based on supply and demand, transportation costs, promotions, and competition. The Attorney General is authorized to enforce the Act and to investigate violations. The Attorney General can seek to restrain or enjoin violations through preliminary or emergency injunctions and may seek restitution and a civil penalty of up to $50,000 for each violation. Passed the House 78-19 and now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Mega Projects/Chicago Bears: The Senate did not act on the Mega Projects legislation, which would provide incentives for large-scale projects, including efforts to relocate the Chicago Bears to Arlington Heights. The Chicago Tribune offers the latest on the negotiations here.
Passed Both Houses: Below are highlights of bills that passed both chambers. They now head to the Governor’s desk.
HB 4725 (Hoffman/Aquino) strengthens the Illinois Attorney General’s Workplace Rights Bureau by granting it enhanced investigative tools to combat wage theft and unsafe working conditions. The bill empowers the bureau to issue subpoenas, conduct confidential interviews with employees, and inspect employers’ premises and records. Passed the Senate 43-14-1.
HB 4456 (Faver Dias/Johnson) expands eligibility for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to 300% of the federal poverty level, allowing individuals with an annual income of up to $47,880, or a family of four with a household income of up to $99,000, to qualify for relief. The legislation would also permanently prevent an expected increase in the surcharge rate. Passed the Senate 42-17.
HB 4509 (Grasse/Koehler) would require the Illinois Department of Human Services or a designee to visit any individual admitted to a nursing home with a diagnosis of serious mental illness within 60 days of admission. It would also require a resident review within 72 hours when a resident with serious mental illness experiences a significant change in their physical or mental health. Passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 4702 (Cochran/Fine) creates the Diaper Labeling Act, which requires diaper manufacturers to include a clear, printed list of all ingredients on the packaging. Passed the Senate 54-5.
HB 4394 (Didech/Edly-Allen) requires law enforcement officers to inform survivors of sexual assault or abuse that they may request to be interviewed by an officer of a particular sex or gender. Also allows a support person to be present during interviews with law enforcement or prosecutors. The requirement would not apply during preliminary investigations at a crime scene, in emergency settings, or under urgent circumstances. Passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 4137 (Mussman/Villa) allows school districts to provide an extended motel stay for students who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Passed the Senate 47-11.
HB 4461 (Briel/Guzman) prevents hospitals from placing liens on a patient’s primary residence to recover unpaid medical debt. Passed the Senate 46-12.
HB 4584 (Davis/Castro) requires direct service workers to complete at least two hours of training on Alzheimer’s and dementia, including safety risks, communication, and behavior. The training must be completed within six months of employment and renewed annually. Passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 228 (Morgan/Aquino) bans hidden junk fees. Passed the Senate 46 -12.
HB 4606 (Faver Dias/Castro) requires the Department of Human Services to establish the administrative framework for voluntary, short-term home visits to all families with newborns. Passed the Senate 49-8.
HB 4834 (Cassidy/Johnson) excludes reproductive health medications and gender-affirming hormones (specifically testosterone, estrogen, GnRH analogues, mifepristone, and misoprostol) from the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) database. Passed the Senate 39-19.
HB 4844 (Hoffman/Martwick) mandates that employers with more than 25 employees compensate workers at their regular rate of pay while they serve on jury duty. The bill is an initiative of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Passed the Senate 35-20-1.
HB 4948 (Deuter/Morrison) establishes the Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) Program for drivers who have been convicted of multiple reckless driving or high-speed offenses (exceeding 26 mph over the limit) within a 12-month period, requiring them to install speed-limiting technology in their vehicles or have their license suspended. Passed the Senate 49-9.
HB 4695 (DeLuca/Joyce) would expand the Comptroller’s powers to investigate a licensed crematory, its records or any other aspects of crematory operation the comptroller deems appropriate. It would permit the Comptroller to perform an unannounced inspection of the premises. As part of its investigations, if the Comptroller finds any violation or wrongdoing under the grounds for dismissal that constitute an imminent danger to the public, the Comptroller could suspend the crematory’s license. The bill would also implement additional penalties for violations. Passed the Senate unanimously.
SB 3329 (Villanueva/Hirschauer) is a trailer bill to Karina’s law. The bill prohibits any third-party individual from knowingly transferring a firearm to a respondent in an order of protection action or allowing the respondent access to a firearm. It would also require law enforcement to take reasonable steps to notify petitioners of domestic violence cases if the agency seeks to correct or nullify a search warrant for a respondent’s firearms. Passed the House 78-28.
SB 3508 (Morrison/Morgan) is the Department of Insurance Omnibus bill. Passed the House 107-1.
SB 2914 (Loughran Cappel/Moeller) allows teachers to challenge a notice of remedy (a warning to correct a behavior that violates school policy) by going to arbitration to potentially overturn the warning. Teachers currently have no way to challenge a warning from the school administration. This is an initiative of the IEA to end the practice of school administrators keeping accusations that have been proven false in an educator’s employment record. Passed the House 83-25.
SB 3815 (Ellman/Deuter) is an initiative of the Department of Insurance that prohibits insurers from denying coverage to individuals or employers due to unpaid premiums from prior, separate policies. The bill amends the Illinois Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to protect consumers from coverage denials based on past-due debts. The legislation does not apply to “grandfathered” health plans. Passed the House 94-5.
SB 3917 (Fine/Faver Dias) establishes new monitoring requirements for PFAS, “forever chemicals,” in wastewater and biosolids. Passed the House 64-34.
SB 4041 (Murphy/N. Hernandez) requires O’Hare and Midway airports to conduct studies every five years on eligibility for residential sound insulation programs. Using modern data collection techniques, the study would aim to ensure that every household affected by excessive airport noise is eligible for sound insulation assistance. Passed the House 71-24.
Passed the Senate: The following Senate Bills passed the Senate and now head to the House for consideration.
SB 3341 (Guzman/Avelar) provides that any minor may give effective consent for contraceptive services or supplies, and the consent of no other person is required. Passed the Senate 37-19.
SB 3211(Hastings/Rita) expands and regulates the use of teledentistry to improve access to oral healthcare. The bill sets safety parameters for remote dental care while protecting patients. Passed the Senate unanimously.
SB 3777 (Johnson/Slaughter) codifies the use of disparate impact standards under the Illinois Human Rights Act, ensuring that policies that appear neutral on their face but disproportionately harm protected communities can still be challenged under state law. The sponsor believes the measure would reinforce Illinois’ authority to provide stronger protections than the federal minimum by safeguarding residents from systemic discrimination in employment, housing, education, financial credit, and public accommodations. Republicans objected, saying the bill does not “codify” and instead sets a new standard in Illinois. Passed the Senate 38-20.
SB 3391 (Villanueva/Jones) requires charter school operators to formally execute renewal agreements within 90 days of approval and establish stronger financial safeguards to ensure students, staff, and public resources are protected if a charter school closes. Passed the Senate 31-21-1.
SB 3223 (D. Turner/Gill) requires pharmacies to post information to help patients access recall notices for prescriptions. Passed the House unanimously.
The following bills passed the Senate and are now back in the House for concurrence.
HB 3409 (Harper/Hunter) creates the Chemicals in Cosmetic Products Act. It bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of cosmetic products containing intentionally added harmful chemicals—including PFAS “forever chemicals,” various parabens, formaldehyde-releasing agents, and mercury—to align the state with stricter European Union beauty standards. Passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 5284 (Morris/Lightford) creates the Menopause Equity and Care Act, aimed to improve menopause and perimenopause care by creating public education programs, mandating workplace accommodations, and requiring future insurance coverage. Passed the Senate 51-4.
HB 4762 (Mah/Belt) Reduces professional regulatory restrictions. Removes mandated licensure, renewal, and restoration requirements for personal service workers, such as barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, hair braiders, and nail technologists. Requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to classify disciplinary records as confidential and automatically remove final disciplinary actions from public view after five years. Prohibits the department from automatically holding, delaying, or denying license applications simply because the applicant is incarcerated. Passed the Senate 40-16.
HB 5107 (Syed/Hastings) would require school districts and private schools to consider the use of a mobile panic alert system in the development of their school emergency and crisis response plans by the beginning of the 2028-2029 school year. Passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 5000 (Gong-Gershowitz/Guzman) expands the state’s healthcare transaction reporting laws and requires private equity firms and controlling parent companies to provide advance notice to the Illinois Attorney General before acquiring or restructuring healthcare facilities. Passed the Senate unanimously.
Other Senate Action:
HB 5295 (Canty/Villanueva) creates the Reproductive Health Records Privacy Act, safeguarding abortion-related and gender-affirming medical data from out-of-state disclosure. The bill works to prevent electronic networks from sharing protected health information with entities outside the state without explicit patient consent. Passed the Senate Executive Committee 9-4 and is pending before the full Senate.
HB 4953 (Deuter/Ellman) updates Illinois’ Wholesale Drug Distribution Licensing Act to allow prescription drugs that are not controlled substances to be delivered to additional authorized health care locations if the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation receives notice from the licensee approving the delivery location. Passed the Senate Licensed Activities Committee unanimously and is pending before the full Senate.
HB 4304 (Stuart/Halpin) protects the constitutional rights of students in higher education institutions and enumerates further academic rights including the right to an inclusive and safe learning environment, accessibility, free expression and academic access, freedom of association and organization, peaceful protest, academic transparency, fair evaluation, educational records, protection of academic programs from political interference, career preparation, educational quality, due process, institutional accountability, financial transparency, refunds and withdrawals and right to transfer. Passed the Senate Executive Committee 8-4 and is now pending before the full Senate.
Key 2026 Session Dates:
May 22: Deadline — 3rd Reading Substantive Bills in Second Chamber
May 31: Adjournment
GUBERNATORIAL HIGHLIGHTS:
Executive Order: Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2026-05, establishing the EngAging Illinois Multisector Plan for Aging Commission. The Commission will implement the State’s landmark Multisector Plan for Aging, a 10-year blueprint to address the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers across Illinois.
The Executive Order emphasizes Illinois’ commitment to helping residents lead dignified and meaningful lives. It introduces a comprehensive multisector plan, announced in January 2026, which includes strategies in community development, health, housing, transportation, caregiving, and financial services. The plan aims to support the health, connection, and engagement of older residents while addressing inequities and service gaps that hinder their security and stability as they age. Read more here.
Sharps Funding: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is offering annual grants to local governments to support the collection and proper disposal of household sharps, such as needles and syringes. Through this grant program, the IEPA reimburses those who operate sharps collection stations in accordance with the Illinois Environmental Protection Act. A Notice of Funding Opportunity has been posted on the Illinois EPA website. Applications will be accepted until funding is exhausted or March 31, 2027.
Units of local government may be eligible for funding of up to $35,000 to cover expenses incurred from collecting, storing, and disposing of used sharps. Eligible expenses include costs for advertising sharps collection stations, educational materials focused on proper disposal of sharps, obtaining collection containers for use by individual residents, collection receptacles to store sharps at the sharps collection station, mobilization fees assessed by a permitted Potentially Infectious Medical Waste (PIMW) transporter to pick up collected sharps, and disposal of the collected sharps. Read more here.
Homelessness Report: The Department of Human Services released a new homelessness report, titled Latine Homelessness in Illinois: Structural Drivers of Inequality. Read more here.
Supportive Housing: The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) has announced $50 million in funding for six new permanent supportive housing developments across the state. This initiative will create 142 affordable housing units with on-site services for individuals and families facing disabilities, homelessness, or housing instability. The funding, part of IHDA’s Permanent Supportive Housing Development Program, aims to help Illinois reach “functional zero” homelessness by providing affordable housing combined with vital services like healthcare coordination and employment support, promoting long-term housing stability and reducing reliance on emergency services. Read more here.
Natural Areas Stewardship Grants: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for Natural Areas Stewardship grants until June 12. These grants aim to enhance the stewardship of Illinois’ natural areas, addressing needs that exceed the resources of volunteers and organizations. The program funds projects that provide immediate support and help conservation land trusts improve their stewardship capabilities through additional staff and equipment. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) conservation land trusts focused on land restoration and stewardship. Read more here.
Equal Pay Act Case Settlement: The Illinois Department of Labor reached a settlement with Metz Culinary Management, LLC after an investigation into violations of the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003. The investigation revealed that Metz unlawfully requested salary history from job applicants and retaliated against an employee who raised concerns. Metz, which provides dining services, had asked workers at an Illinois college to submit their pay stubs before starting their contract, violating the law that prohibits such requests. Read more here.
IEPA Statement on Federal PFAS Drinking Water Rollback: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Director James Jennings issued a statement following the U.S. EPA’s announcement to roll back protective national drinking water standards for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in community water supplies (CWS).
Director Jennings noted, “Illinois EPA has been working to address PFAS contamination in Illinois community water supplies since 2020. These efforts have included comprehensive water sampling and advocating for protective, scientifically sound, drinking water standards. Thankfully, our proactive efforts have led to the adoption of amendments to Illinois groundwater and drinking water regulations that safeguard Illinois communities. Regardless of the federal government’s actions, our commitment to address PFAS pollution and protect our drinking water resources remains.” Read more here.
Gubernatorial Appointments: Governor Pritzker appointed the following:
· Ama Addai will continue to serve as a Member of the Capital Development Board.
· Jennifer Saba will serve as a Member of the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.
· Heather Steans will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
· Chynna Hampton will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board.
· Mayra Khan will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board.
· Michael Macellaio will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board.
· Dr. Preston Wolin will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board.
· Corinne Briscoe will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board.
· Michael Burns will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board.
· Emery Lindsay will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board.
· Stephanie Love-Patterson will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board.
· Melissa Rollins will serve as a Member of the Prisoner Review Board.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have any
or concerns.