104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly stands adjourned until the start of the 2026 Spring Legislative Session. The Illinois Senate reconvenes on Tuesday, January 13, and will continue through Thursday, January 15. Meanwhile, the House reconvenes the following week, Tuesday, January 20, through Thursday, January 22.
The Senate calendar is here. The House calendar is here.
The bill request deadline (LRB deadline) is Friday, January 16. The bill filing deadline is Friday, February 6.
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:
SNAP Benefits Restored: The Illinois Department of Human Services is restoring full SNAP benefits now that the federal government shutdown has ended. The Department anticipates that the remaining benefit payments will be made over the coming days, with all SNAP recipients receiving their full November benefits by November 20.
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is offering a funding opportunity under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act for Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure. This funding is for the purchase and installation of Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC, Level 3) and Alternating Current (Level 2) stations at public locations in Illinois. This funding is first-come, first-served. Application materials are now available on Amplifund, with the application period opening on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Central Time. Read more here.
Shimer Square: The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and Economic Growth Corporation (GROWTH) celebrated the opening of Shimer Square, a significant step in redeveloping the historic Shimer College campus. The project aims to preserve the site’s architectural history while transforming the 14-acre area into a vibrant mixed-use community, contributing to new housing, job creation, and long-term economic growth for Mount Carroll and the surrounding region. Read more here.
Gubernatorial Appointments: Governor Pritzker appointed the following:
· James Hagerman will serve as a Member of the Teachers’ Retirement System Board of Trustees.
· Amy Bilton will continue to serve as a Member of the Workers’ Compensation Medical Fee Advisory Board.
OTHER NEWS:
2026 Election Update: Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey announced this week that he will stay in the Republican primary race for Governor following the tragic loss of four family members in a helicopter crash last month in Montana. Bailey’s son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren were killed in the crash. “After a lot of prayer and reflection, Cindy and I have decided we are staying in this race for governor, not for politics, but for every family trying to make it in a state that’s lost its way, for every parent that dreams of a better future for their children, and for every Illinoisan who knows we can do better,” Bailey said. Read more here.
Attorney General Reaches Settlement with Staffing Agency: Attorney General Kwame Raoul reached a settlement with Staffing Network LLC over allegations of an illegal no-poach agreement with other staffing agencies. The settlement requires Staffing Network to pay $275,000 to compensate affected temporary workers. In 2022, Raoul’s office filed a lawsuit against Staffing Network and five other agencies, including their client, Vee Pak LLC (doing business as Voyant Beauty), claiming that they conspired to restrict hiring among themselves, which harmed workers’ job opportunities, wages, and benefits. The settlement mandates Staffing Network to ensure affected workers can seek employment freely and to implement compliance measures to prevent future violations of antitrust laws. Read more here.
Attorney General Leads Coalition Opposing Changes to Toxic Substances Control Act: Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a group of 17 attorneys general in opposing the EPA’s proposed changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act. The proposed rule would allow the EPA to exclude certain uses of chemical substances from risk evaluations and consider other uses in isolation, potentially overlooking the cumulative risks from combined exposures. The coalition argues this could harm overburdened communities and workers, as it undermines the assessment of aggregate effects on public health and environmental justice. They urge the administration to conduct more comprehensive risk assessments. Read more here.