The Illinois General Assembly wrapped up the first year of the spring session of the 104th General Assembly last week. Much like other years, it was filled with last-minute committee hearings, contentious floor debate, and the filing of almost all the highly anticipated omnibus packages. While the state budget, the budget implementation bill, and the revenue omnibus have yet to be filed, the House did pass an empty appropriations bill (HB 111), and the Senate passed an appropriations shell bill (SB 2510). The following is a list of key legislation filed at the end of session:
- HB 3657 (Kifowit/Martwick) – Police & Fire Pension Reform
- HB 3193 (Canty/Martwick) – Technical Pension Omnibus
- SB 1937 (Martwick/Kifowit) – Tier 2 Pension Reform and New Funding Ramp
- HB 1697 (Davis/Koehler) – Prescription Drug Affordability Act
- HB 3438 (Andrade/Villivalam) – Transit Governance Reform and Funding Package
- SB 2111 (Simmons/Delgado) – Transit Governance Reform Package (same as HB 3438 without funding language)
- SB 1950 (Ellman/Gabel) – Medical Aid in Dying (‘Deb’s Law’)
- SB 1988 (Koehler/Katz Muhl) – Community College Four-Year Degree Program Bill
- SB 40 (Preston/Hoffman) – Energy Omnibus
- SB 2008 (Cervantes/Hoffman) – DCEO Omnibus
- HB 2771 (Hernandez, B./Aquino) – Hospital Assessment Omnibus
- SB 2456 (Feigenholtz/Morgan) – Sunset Omnibus
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
May 31 – Adjournment
In the News
WATCH: Illinois lawmakers move ‘no content’ budget legislation – The Center Square, May 29, 2025.
Illinois lawmakers have passed empty budget legislation with two days left in the General Assembly’s spring session.
Latest transit proposal would hike tolls, tax ride-shares to avoid $771M fiscal cliff – Chicago Tribune, May 29, 2025.
After months of negotiations amid warnings of potentially drastic service cuts, Illinois lawmakers on Wednesday introduced a bill they said addresses the expected $771 million financial shortfall for Chicago-area public transit with proposals that include a 50-cent hike on Illinois toll roads and an additional tax on ride-sharing services.
Transit reform bill amended to include revenue from added charges on rideshare, property transfers, highway tolls – The Daily Line, May 30, 2025.
With two days to go before the General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment date, a Chicago-area transit reform package has been amended to include funding to fill a fiscal cliff. But labor unions and suburban counties say the measure isn’t ready.
Chicago risks severe cuts to transit. Its poorest suburbs could be hit even harder – AP News, May 29, 2025.
Winfred Wilson was struggling to make ends meet on less than $700 a month, so he moved in with his daughter, gave up his car and started relying exclusively on public transit to take him wherever he needed to go across Chicago’s southern suburbs.
Rep. Buckner talks about the budget, says legislature on track for timely adjournment – Capitol Fax, May 29, 2025.
House Speaker Pro-Tempore and Co-Budgeteer Kam Buckner spoke with reporters after caucus today.
Lawmakers file transit reform bill, but don’t yet address fiscal cliff – Chicago Tribune, May 22, 2025.
Illinois lawmakers filed a long-awaited bill Wednesday that would reform the Chicago area’s public transportation system with changes to its overall governing structure and a new police force to patrol its bus and train lines.
General Assembly transit reform package includes a new oversight authority but does not include new funding – The Daily Line, May 29, 2025.
The General Assembly’s proposed reform plan for Chicago-area transit includes a new oversight authority and an emphasis on safety but does not include the funding transit agencies say they need to avoid service cuts.
Pritzker threatens to veto any budget containing ‘broad-based’ tax increase – Capitol News Illinois, May 28, 2025.
Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday he will not sign a budget that includes broad tax hikes to fund new spending as lawmakers are in the final hours of budget negotiations.
Civic groups blast union-backed Tier Two pension bill – Capitol Fax, May 28, 2025.
Civic organizations sent a letter to the governor and the four tops about a bill to reform Tier 2 pensions.
Illinois state lawmakers pass ‘safe at home’ gun bill – ABC 7, May 29, 2025.
Illinois state lawmakers have passed the “safe at home” gun bill.
Illinois House committee approves firearm safe-storage bill – The Daily Line, May 28, 2025.
A measure to expand gun storage requirements cleared a House committee Tuesday, but the sponsor says negotiations are ongoing as the General Assembly enters its final days of session. Senate Bill 8 would create the Safe Gun Storage Act, prohibiting gun owners from storing their firearms on any premises where the firearm owner knows it could be accessed by a minor, prohibited person or at-risk person.
Rep. Regan Deering: Illinois doesn’t need a bigger budget — it needs a better one – Chicago Tribune, May 28, 2025.
Later this week, the General Assembly is expected to pass a new state budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Most Illinoisans won’t even know it’s happening. It will likely be done late at night, without real discussion, transparency or input from the very people who will be forced to pay for it. The Democratic majority is talking about new tax hikes, more spending and more empty promises. And once again, these lawmakers are doing it behind closed doors.
State lawmakers seek to cover budget shortfall, avoid doomsday deadline for mass transportation – ABC 7, May 27, 2025.
State lawmakers are now down to the final week of this legislative session, grappling with how to cover a budget shortfall and also, how to avoid a doomsday deadline for mass transportation. Transit officials have been stressing the need for hundreds of millions of dollars for the CTA, Metra and Pace to avoid massive layoffs. Lawmakers in Springfield have been feeling the sense of urgency to get things done with time running out.
Civic leaders: State lawmakers still have time to adopt a measured fix for Tier 2 pension problem – Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2025.
Illinois faces a defining fiscal challenge: a staggering $144 billion in unfunded liabilities across its five state pension systems. This immense burden strains state resources; crowds out critical investments in education, public safety and infrastructure; and undermines economic confidence.
A look at the options vying for Durbin’s Senate seat | Paris on Politics – FOX 32, May 26, 2025.
FOX 32’s Paris Schutz has the latest on politics in Chicago, the state of Illinois, and across the nation.
Illinois lawmakers face Spring Session deadline to pass legislation – CBS News, May 26, 2025.
Several bills are on Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk, and transit funding remains unresolved.
Democrats are winning in fight against Trump, says Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul – Chicago Sun Times, May 23, 2025.
To Attorney General Kwame Raoul, the legal war against President Donald Trump is personal.
Illinois session almost done, budget details mostly unknown – KWQC, May 23, 2025.
Illinois lawmakers are in the final stretch of session, yet the most expensive proposed budget in state history doesn’t have a lot of public details.
Future of Wyndham is uncertain – Illinois Times, May 25, 2025.
It may be many months before the Wyndham Springfield City Centre Hotel can reopen.
Finance committee to hold hearing on city’s credit rating downgrades, future of U.S. municipal bond policy – The Daily Line, May 30, 2025.
The City Council’s finance committee on Tuesday will gather to hear subject matter on the city’s recent credit ratings downgrades and negative financial outlook.
Revenue Subcommittee to hold hearing on expiring state grocery tax – The Daily Line, May 30, 2025.
The City Council’s revenue subcommittee next week will hold a hearing on the possibility of Chicago establishing its own tax on groceries once the state tax expires at the end of the year.
Chicago is spending $3.2 million on consultants to probe city’s budget – Crain’s Chicago Business, May 29, 2025.
Chicago will spend nearly $3.2 million to have Ernst & Young consultants scour the budget for efficiencies as the city confronts anticipated shortfalls the next two years over $1 billion.
Health committee approves Board of Health appointment, holds hearing on CDPH summer overdose, gun violence reduction plans – The Daily Line, May 29, 2025.
The City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations on Wednesday approved an appointment to the final vacant seat on the Chicago Board of Health and heard from Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) staff about their strategies for protecting public health this summer.
Fitch downgrades Chicago’s financial outlook to ‘negative’ – Crain’s Chicago Business, May 27, 2025.
Fitch Ratings has revised its financial outlook for the city of Chicago to “negative,” citing a lack of meaningful progress in closing a $1.12 billion structural budget gap. The move, first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, signals the city could face a future downgrade if it fails to stabilize its finances.
As Trump targets foreign enrollment, this Chicago university could be hardest hit – Crain’s Chicago Business, May 27, 2025.
The increased scrutiny coming from President Donald Trump’s administration over the enrollment of international students is putting the entire landscape of higher education on alert, especially schools that enroll higher percentages of international students, such as Chicago’s Illinois Institute of Technology, a science and engineering-focused university in Bronzeville.
Alderperson proposes ordinance to pause elimination of tipped wage, but opponents warn it would cause hospitality workers to ‘suffer’ – The Daily Line, May 28, 2025.
A Lakeview alderperson introduced an ordinance at last week’s City Council meeting to freeze in place Chicago’s phased elimination of the subminimum wage for tipped workers after restaurant and hospitality industry groups warned it had already contributed to job losses.
Mayor Brandon Johnson urges ‘expediency’ in addressing CTA fiscal cliff – Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2025.
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday reiterated his urgency for Springfield to hammer out a deal addressing the Chicago Transit Authority’s fiscal cliff before the legislative session ends this week, while remaining vague on his latest demands.
Former Portage Mayor James Snyder seeks dismissal of bribery charge ahead of sentencing on IRS charge – Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2025.
Former Portage Mayor James Snyder would like to see his bribery charge dismissed with prejudice before sentencing on an IRS charge and for the court to bar prosecutors from re-trying the bribery charge at sentencing.
A long way to go: Chicago Bears proposed move to Arlington Heights would require complicated approval by local taxing bodies – Chicago Tribune, May 28, 2025.
The Chicago Bears have submitted required traffic and financial impact studies to Arlington Heights, marking the next step in their quest to build a new football stadium there. The studies are considered preliminary drafts that will be worked on further with a village consultant, so Village Manager Randall Recklaus declined to release them publicly for now.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson credits his policies for drop in crime – CBS News, May 25, 2025.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke out on Sunday, one week after his comments on the city’s hiring practices sparked a federal investigation.
These are the largest public companies in the Chicago area – Crain’s Chicago Business, May 27, 2025.
Crain’s list of the Chicago area’s largest publicly traded companies is back for 2025 with Walgreens Boots Alliance topping the rankings for likely the last time.
Johnson-backed proposal would put additional requirements on new industrial developments. Industry is pushing back. – Chicago Tribune, May 27, 2025.
Mayor Brandon Johnson will push forward this spring an ordinance designed to reform land-use policies that environmentalists say for decades led to pollution in Black and Latino communities.
Haggling over hiring – Politico, May 27, 2025.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson hasn’t shied away from talking about hiring diverse leaders to his team — even as the Trump administration has doubled down on why it’s launched a Civil Rights investigation into his City Hall appointments.
