Note: We will not publish a weekly report on April 6. The next weekly report will be published on April 13.

Last week was a busy one at the State Capitol as the Illinois House of Representatives rushed to meet the March 27 deadline to pass House bills out of committee. The deadline is significant as it largely determines which bills will proceed further in the legislative process, although new language can be amended onto bills that have already advanced through the legislative process later in session. The Illinois Senate’s committee deadline occurred two weeks earlier, on Friday, March 13. However, that deadline came just a few days before the primary election, and many Senate bills that were not considered before the committee deadline had their deadline extended through March 27, giving the week a committee deadline feel in the Senate as well.

Last week, the House passed a total of 264 bills out of committee, and the Senate has passed a total of 21 bills out of committees. To meet the deadline, many of the bills that cleared committee this week will be held on second reading on the House Floor and sent back to committee with or without amendment language for further consideration.

Some significant bills that have passed out of their committees include the following measures:

• HB 4514 (Syed) amends the Public Utilities Act to require the Illinois Commerce Commission to hold at least one in-person public hearing in the service territory of any gas, electric, water, or sewer public utility that requests a general rate increase, allowing affected ratepayers to testify and provide input. HB 4514 passed the House Public Utilities Committee as amended by a vote of 11-6-0.

• HB 5196 (Morgan) amends the General Obligation Bond Act and the Illinois Pension Code to extend the Accelerated Pension Benefit Buyout Programs for SERS, SURS, and TRS through June 30, 2028 and authorizes an additional $700 million in State Pension Obligation Acceleration Bonds to fund buyout payments. HB 5196 passed the House Personnel & Pensions Committee as amended by a vote of 10-0-0.

• HB 3762 (González) creates the Workplace Extreme Temperature Safety Act, requiring the Director of Labor to adopt rules establishing excessive heat and cold standards for employers. HB 3762 passed the House Labor & Commerce Committee, as amended, by a vote of 18-10-0.

• HB 1581 (Ammons) creates the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act, establishing a needs-based funding formula for distributing State appropriations to public universities based on student affordability, enrollment, persistence, and outcome metrics. HB 1581 passed the House Appropriations-Higher Education Committee as amended by a vote of 12-4-0.

• HB 910 (Buckner) establishes a framework for a statewide megaproject incentive program allowing municipalities to negotiate special agreements for large-scale developments, including freezing property tax assessments and providing sales tax exemptions on building materials. HB 910 passed the House Revenue & Finance Committee as amended by a vote of 13-7-0.

• HB 1429 (Olickal) amends the Bill of Rights for the Homeless Act to prohibit the State or local governments from imposing fines or criminal penalties against people experiencing unsheltered homelessness for life-sustaining activities on public property. HB 1429 passed the House Housing Committee as amended by a vote of 11-6-0.

• HB 1443 (Syed) creates the Health Care Availability and Access Board Act, establishing a board to protect State residents and stakeholders from high prescription drug costs by adopting the federal Medicare Maximum Fair Price as the upper payment limit for prescription drug products. HB 1443 passed the House Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee by a vote of 8-4-0.

• HB 4248 (Hirschauer) creates the Algorithmic Pricing Transparency Act, requiring entities selling goods or services online to disclose when prices are generated using surveillance pricing and allowing consumers to opt out of personalized pricing in favor of a non-personalized baseline price. HB 4248 passed the House Consumer Protection Committee by a vote of 6-3-0.

• HB 4803 (Vella) creates the Electric Transmission Colocation and Siting Priority Act, establishing a priority order for siting new electric transmission facilities using existing utility corridors, State highway corridors, and new corridors, and requiring project labor agreements for construction on public rights-of-way. HB 4803 passed the House Public Utilities Committee as amended by a vote of 12-6-0.

• HB 4980 (Rashid) creates the Meaningful Human Control of Artificial Intelligence Act, requiring meaningful and continuing human review before public employers use automated decision-making systems for specified functions, and mandating initial and biennial impact assessments. HB 4980 passed the House Labor & Commerce Committee as amended by a vote of 18-9-0.

• HB 5045/SB 2968 (Mayfield/Johnson) amends the State Treasurer Act to allow the State Treasurer to establish and administer a nonprofit investment pool and electronic payment processing program for qualifying not-for-profit corporations in the State. HB 5045 passed the House Executive Committee by a vote of 11-0-0. SB 2968 passed the Senate Executive Committee by a vote of 10-3-0.

• HB 5319 (Katz Muhl) amends the Public Community College Act, allowing community college districts to establish and offer baccalaureate degree programs if specified conditions are met, including demonstrating expertise, resources, and sufficient student demand. HB 5319 passed the House Executive Committee by a vote of 12-0-0.

• SB 3772 (Villanueva) amends the Environmental Protection Act to require evaluation of environmental justice concerns in air pollution permitting, including whether applicable sources fall within areas of environmental justice concern, and establishes an Office of Environmental Justice within the Environmental Protection Agency. SB 3772 passed the Senate Executive Committee by a vote of 9-3-0.

This week, both chambers are on a break for the annual legislative spring recess. The House will return to Springfield on April 7, and the Senate will reconvene on April 14. Both the House and Senate have their initial chamber third reading deadline on April 17. Prior to the March 17 primary election, legislative action was slow, but now that General Assembly members are not focusing on campaigning, the remaining two months of session stand to be much busier than the first three months.

Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide

April 17 – Initial Chamber Third Reading Deadline

May 8 – Opposite Chamber Committee Deadline

May 22 – Opposite Chamber Third Reading Deadline

May 31 – Adjournment

November 3 – Illinois General Election

In the News

Illinois farmers brace for another bruising season as Iran war spikes fertilizer prices – Chicago Tribune, March 27, 2026

From sunrise to well past sundown, Rodney Bushmeyer has been driving his tractor over freshly turned soil on his western Illinois farm, planting soybean seeds. He has covered nearly 800 acres. But with another 2,200 acres to go, spring planting season is far from over.

IL Senate passes bill allowing not-for-profit fire departments to receive state grants – WAND News, March 26, 2026

The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a proposal Thursday to allow not-for-profit fire departments to receive state grant funding.

Illinois House committee advances bill banning immigration detention centers near homes, schools – Capitol News Illinois, March 25, 2026

An Illinois House committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would prohibit the federal government from owning, leasing or operating an immigration detention center within 1,500 feet of any home, school, day care center, park, forest preserve, cemetery or place of worship.

How the Iran war is raising more than Chicago’s gas prices – Chicago Sun-Times, March 25, 2026

Any kind of disruption to oil markets, even abroad, impacts prices in the U.S. and experts say it’ll be felt in sectors like transportation, pharmaceuticals, travel and food.

Welch wins, Benton loses bid for Democratic State Central Committee – Capitol News Illinois, March 24, 2026

Twelve of 36 seats on the Illinois Democratic State Central Committee were contested in Tuesday’s primary election.

Farmers, students celebrate Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day – WAND News, March 24, 2026

Thousands of farmers and ag students were at the state Capitol Tuesday for the annual Illinois Agriculture Legislative Day.

Estate tax reform ‘something that I could support,’ Pritzker says – Capitol News Illinois, March 24, 2026

Gov. JB Pritzker, speaking with reporters after an event with FFA and F-H students Tuesday morning, said that he would be open to signing changes to the estate tax if they hit his desk.

‘Hours worked’ under Illinois Minimum Wage Law includes certain pre- and post shift activities, Illinois Supreme Court rules – The Daily Line, March 24, 2026

Illinois workers should be paid for certain pre- and post shift activities, despite federal exemptions, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled.

US Supreme Court weighs post-Election Day ballot counting in case that could affect Illinois and other states – Chicago Tribune, March 23, 2026

Questioning by U.S. Supreme Court justices fell along partisan and ideological lines Monday during oral arguments in a case that could upend mail voting practices in Illinois and more than two dozen other states over whether ballots cast by Election Day can be counted afterward.

Springfield nonprofit loses state funding amid fraud claims – The State Journal-Register, March 23, 2026

The Phoenix Center has been under investigation from Illinois agencies for more than two years and is now losing funds.

AIPAC funded secretive super PACs that hid contributors and spent big in Democratic primary, new records show – Chicago Tribune, March 23, 2026

Newly released records reveal the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, was the primary funding organization behind two ostensibly independent super PACs that spent heavily to reshape Chicago-area Democratic congressional primaries — a connection the groups did not disclose during the campaign.

How Democratic congressional nominees fended off challenges from their left – Daily Herald, March 21, 2026

Despite holding many traditionally progressive views, U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider of Highland Park was among the Democratic lawmakers who faced challenges from their left flanks in last week’s primary election.

Illinois House committee approves bills extending affordable housing, theater production tax credits – The Daily Line, March 27, 2026

The Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee unanimously approved a bill Thursday to extend a state affordable housing tax credit.

Johnson devising strategy to tackle pension crisis that includes ‘deferred retirement option’ – Chicago Sun-Times, March 26, 2026

Chicago’s Acting Chief Financial Officer Steve Mahr said he expects the so-called “D.R.O.P or deferred retirement option” to be one of “roughly a dozen or more ideas” that will “set the city’s agenda” for the next decade.

Chicago population grows despite immigration decline as more people stay put – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 26, 2026

The number of people in the Chicago region grew for the third straight year, despite a nationwide slowdown in international immigration that sapped population growth.

House committee approves bill aiming to reverse Chicago’s tipped minimum wage elimination despite some Democratic lawmaker opposition – The Daily Line, March 26, 2026

An Illinois House Committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit municipalities from regulating the tipped minimum wage, effectively nullifying the city of Chicago’s phase-out.

Mayor vetoes ordinance freezing annual tipped wage phase-out – The Daily Line, March 26, 2026

The mayor issued the third veto of his term on Wednesday by quashing the ordinance freezing the phase-out of the city’s tipped wage, which was passed by the City Council last week.

Mars to add 600 jobs and invest $100M in Chicago operation – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 25, 2026

Mars Snacking, which acquired the Chicago-based snacks business of Kellogg called Kellanova last year for $36 billion, will add a new North American regional office in Fulton Market at Fulton Labs. The company’s accelerator division also will take over the former Kellanova headquarters in River North.

Mayor talks public safety strategy following firings of top officials, high-profile killings – The Daily Line, March 25, 2026

The mayor on Tuesday defended his administration’s track record on crime, violence and public safety in the wake of two major homicide cases and following the departure of two senior violence prevention officials.

Judge orders federal government to unfreeze CTA funding for Red Line extension – Chicago Sun-Times, March 24, 2026

U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin granted the CTA’s temporary restraining order against the Department of Transportation, which had frozen the funds since last October while the federal government said it was reviewing the CTA’s contracting practices for race- and sex-based discrimination.

Commercial landlords avoid penalties amid Cook County’s twice-delayed property tax sale – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 24, 2026

Downtown office buildings and hotels with unpaid property tax bills are among the hundreds of commercial properties sheltered from penalties while Illinois legislators mull how to fix the state’s unconstitutional tax sale system.

ICE agents deployed at O’Hare as partial government shutdown continues to impact travelers – Chicago Sun-Times, March 23, 2026

Agents in ICE gear were seen in Terminals 1, 2 and 3 at the airport Monday, while none were to be found at Midway.

United Center owners’ massive 1901 Project could get nearly $55 million property tax break – Chicago Sun-Times, March 23, 2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced the property tax incentives to the City Council, and the arena’s owners said it would help support their self-funded $7 billion project.

Opinion: With Chicago’s forced bond sale, the financial details just keep getting uglier – Chicago Tribune, March 22, 2026

You know you’re in financial trouble when you start putting regular monthly expenditures on your credit card and you don’t pay them off right away, allowing your bank to charge you double-digit interest on stuff like utilities or groceries.

Johnson proposes $55M tax break for Bulls, Blackhawks 1901 development – Crain’s Chicago Business, March 20, 2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson is proposing a $55 million property tax break to help launch the first phase of a $7 billion real estate redevelopment backed by the owners of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks.

Feds Froze $3.1 Billion For CTA Because Of ‘Political Retaliation,’ Suit Says – Block Club Chicago, March 20, 2026

The CTA sued the federal government Friday in an attempt to unfreeze federal grants that had already been awarded for the Red Line Extension and the Red and Purple Modernization projects.