Illinois Legislative News

Third Reading Report: May 18, 2026

Senate Executive Committee Advanced AI Regulation Bills

After holding a series of hearings related to artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the 2026 General Assembly session and months of stakeholder negotiations, the Senate released a package of bills to regulate AI and protect consumers which were discussed and passed out of the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, May 13. Below is a listing of the bills with a brief description of their contents.

 

  • SB 315(Edly-Allen)targets frontier AI developers by requiring risk assessments, third-party audits to ensure safety, and honoring whistleblower protections. There will be an amendment to this legislation regarding audit and auditor requirements. SB 315 passed unanimously out of committee.
  • SB 316(Edly-Allen)specifically addresses AI companion chatbots, mandating suicide prevention protocols such as referring a user to services like 988 if they exhibit suicidal thoughts and prohibiting the generation of sexually explicit content for minors. SB 316 passed unanimously out of committee.
  • SB 317(Ventura)focuses on transparency, requiring businesses to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures whenever a consumer is communicating with an artificial system rather than a human. There will be an amendment to this bill as it does not currently account for voice-based AI systems. SB 317 passed unanimously out of committee.
  • SB 318(Stadelman)bans the use of “bots” and multiple user accounts to bypass ticket limits. The bill also prohibits resellers from falsely advertising that they are associated with an artist or venue. An operator of a venue or ticket office must disclose how many tickets are withheld. SB 318 passed unanimously out of committee.
  • SB 340(Murphy)provides consumers with rights regarding their personal data such as prohibiting the sale of sensitive data, deleting personal data, and opting-out of using personal data for targeted advertisements. SB 340 passed out of committee by a vote of 9-4-0.
  • SB 343(Guzman)prohibits landlords from using algorithmic software to coordinate rent prices by updating the Illinois Anti-Trust Law to address this directly. SB 343 passed out of committee by a vote of 9-4-0.
  • SB 416(Martwick)prevents AI from being used to grade student schoolwork and requires the use of AI for other educational purposes within the school to be adopted by the school boards. SB 416 passed unanimously out of committee.

 

SB 315, SB 316, SB 317, and SB 340 faced tech industry pushback due to including a “private right of action,” which would allow citizens to sue for damages under the law. With only two weeks left in the 2026 Illinois General Assembly spring session, these bills could be called on the Senate floor and sent over to the House, or rolled into a larger AI regulation omnibus bill.

 

Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide

May 22– Opposite Chamber Third Reading Deadline

May 31– Adjournment

November 3– Illinois General Election

 

In the News

COGFA decreases revenue projection by $190 millionThe Daily Line,May 15, 2026

The budget analyst for the legislature is revising its fiscal year 2027 revenue forecast down by $190 million, a 0.3 percent decrease from original projections.

 

IL Senate unanimously passes downcoding transparency billWAND News,May 14, 2026

The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday to ban insurance companies from automatically coding a health service lower than what is actually provided to patients.

 

Springfield strains for balanced budget; Illinois revenue forecast shifts downThe Center Square, May 14, 2026

Illinois is projected to see less tax income than state agencies previously expected due to a variety of economic factors.

 

Illinois’ budget picture tightens in final stretch amid economic uncertaintyCapitol News Illinois, May 13, 2026

Illinois’ new budget offices lowered revenue projections for the upcoming fiscal year on Wednesday, citing growing economic uncertainty.

 

Illinois Democrats push AI regulation bills on consumer protection, data privacy and mental healthChicago Tribune, May 13, 2026

With less than three weeks left in its spring legislative session, members of the Illinois General Assembly are pushing to pass legislation responding to the rise of artificial intelligence and what they view as the Trump administration’s failure to shield the public from its potential harms.

 

Illinois nears 3 years without an illegally abandoned baby, almost 25 years after ‘Safe Haven’ law passedChicago Sun-Times, May 12, 2026

A baby hasn’t been illegally surrendered in Illinois since July 2023, according to the Save Abandoned Babies Foundation. That’s a total of more than 1,000 days and counting, nearly double the previous record.

 

Tracy speaks to manufacturers, merchant groups in SpringfieldCapitol City Now, May 12, 2026

A candidate for U.S. Senate in the November election told a meeting of two groups Tuesday Illinois is bad for business.

 

Illinois Dems wary of redraw pushPolitico, May 12, 2026

High-profile Democrats have been pointing to Illinois as a state that could redraw congressional boundaries in response to Republican-led redistricting efforts across several Southern states. But Illinois Democrats, who control all branches of state government, remain hesitant to jump into the fight.

 

WATCH: Ex-rep sues Pritzker, Illinois over race-based congressional mapThe Center Square, May 12, 2026

Illinois’ congressional district map is being challenged over what some argue are unconstitutional racial requirements for districts. A former Republican state representative sued Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the State Board of Elections late last week.

 

Unemployment rising throughout IllinoisCapitol News Illinois, May 12, 2026

Unemployment continues to rise faster than the national average in Illinois and was up 0.5 points in March over the last year. The rate has increased in all metro areas and only three areas have recorded new job growth compared to March 2025. The state overall has also lost nonfarm jobs since then.

 

Jeanne Ives claims she’s ‘injured’ by the Illinois Voting Rights ActCapitol Fax, May 11, 2026

Jeanne Ives… I have filed a federal lawsuit against Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois State Board of Elections, and its executive director for violating the United States Constitution through Illinois’ race-based legislative mapping process.

 

Illinois lawmakers face budget deadline, Bears stadium fight and insurance battle with 3 weeks leftChicago Tribune, May 11, 2026

With less than three weeks before the Illinois General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment, lawmakers are in a race to finish a multibillion-dollar budget while navigating threats from Washington, a simmering fight over soaring insurance rates, a stadium deal that could decide whether the Bears stay in Illinois and a cascading set of debates over who should pay for it all.

 

How Illinois county clerks are combating election misinformationCapitol News Illinois, May 11, 2026

Amid eroding trust in elections, Illinois county clerks are working to repair voter trust and campaign against misinformation.

 

As Trump looks to punish foes, Democratic states find ways to push backStateline, May 11, 2026

President Donald Trump is wielding power in unprecedented ways to bring states to heel, marking a dark new chapter in the relationship between the federal government and the states.

 

Pritzker calls for justice in Sheridan Gorman’s death as family speaks outFox 32 Chicago, May 8, 2026

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is speaking out following the death of Loyola student Sheridan Gorman, saying her family deserves justice.

 

IL Senate passes bill requiring transparency from third party hotel booking sitesWand News, May 8, 2026

The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill Thursday to require transparency for third party hotel booking websites to protect customers.

 

Biss supports political hardball on mapsPolitico, May 8, 2026

Democratic congressional candidate Daniel Biss says Illinois Democrats may need to consider redrawing congressional maps if Republicans keep aggressively reshaping districts in states they control — even if it could cost him his own seat in Congress.

 

Chicago and North Chicago among cities adding residents as municipalities try to regain lost populationChicago Tribune,May 15, 2026

Chicago slightly reversed its recent population loss, while outlying suburbs like Plainfield and Lockport continued to grow at the fastest rates in Illinois, reflecting nationwide growth in medium-sized towns, new U.S. Census estimates show.

 

Chicago ekes out population growth while big-city rivals shrinkCrain’s Chicago Business, May 14, 2026

Chicago’s population growth slowed dramatically last year as immigration cooled and demographic headwinds intensified, but the city still outperformed some of the nation’s biggest urban rivals.

 

Gov. Pritzker, Mayor Johnson pitch Chicago to once again host Democratic National ConventionChicago Sun-Times, May 13, 2026

Gov. JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson are once again wooing top Democratic leaders this week as they try to position Chicago to land one of the next two Democratic National Conventions.

 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson reflects on first three years on the jobCBS News, May 13, 2026

Mayor Brandon Johnson is marking three years in office, a term filled with a mix of wins and losses for the man in the chair on the 5th floor at City Hall.

 

Giannoulias pushes Chicago mayoral conversations off to after sessionCapitol News Illinois, May 12, 2026

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said Tuesday that he’s “focused right now on finishing the session” but acknowledged that conversations about a widely-speculated 2027 campaign for Chicago mayor are just on the horizon.

 

Aldermen advance compromise to delay the phase-out of Chicago’s tipped wageCrain’s Chicago Business, May 12, 2026

Chicago’s City Council is on the verge of a compromise to temporarily pause the elimination of the sub-minimum wage for tipped workers a month after Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed a measure that would have frozen it entirely.

 

Chicago tries for a DNC sequelPolitico, May 11, 2026

Starting today, Gov. JB Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago 2028 Host Committee will spend three days courting Democratic National Committee officials as the Democratic Party weighs where to hold its 2028 convention. 

 

Aldermen advance $55 million tax break for United Center developmentChicago Tribune, May 11, 2026

Chicago aldermen advanced a $54.7 million tax break Monday for the $7 billion plan by owners of the Bulls and Blackhawks to redevelop parking lots around the United Center into thousands of residences, plus businesses and a concert hall.

 

Chicago health department leaves millions of federal COVID dollars on the tableChicago Tribune, May 10, 2026

Throughout last year, Mayor Brandon Johnson vowed to protect Chicago’s public health dollars from President Donald Trump.

 

Obama Presidential Center helped by $123 million in public infrastructure improvementsDaily Herald, May 9, 2026

When the Obama Presidential Center opens next month, and its funders are honored and congratulated, there are two major financial contributors worthy of a bow or two: Chicago and Illinois taxpayers.

Special Reports

2024 Illinois General Election Preview

U.S. President Kamala Harris (D) **Presumptive Nominee Donald J. Trump (R) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Independent) Jill Stein (Green) Scott Schluter (Libertarian) Congressional Representatives 1st Congressional District Jonathan L. Jackson (D) (i) Marcus Lewis (R) 2nd...

2024 Illinois End of Session Legislative Report

FY 2025 Budget  SB 251 (Sims/Gordon-Booth) creates the FY 2025 state budget. After three consecutive years of strong revenue growth, FY 2025 revenues are projected to be relatively similar to the previous fiscal year, which led to contentious budget negotiations....

FY 2025 Illinois Budget Bills & End of Session Packages

FY 2025 Budget   SB 251 (Sims/Gordon-Booth) creates the FY 2025 state budget. After three consecutive years of strong revenue growth, FY 2025 revenues are projected to be relatively similar to the previous fiscal year, which led to contentious budget...

2024 Illinois Primary Election Summary | Third Reading Consulting Group

The 2024 Illinois primary election took place on Tuesday, March 19. Candidates for President, Congress, the Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Supreme Court, and various local races appeared on the primary ballot to decide the Democratic and Republican Party nominees...

Previous Reports

Third Reading Report: March 30, 2026

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...

read more

Third Reading Report: March 16, 2026

Illinois Primary Election The 2026 Illinois primary election on Tuesday, March 17 will feature many prominent retirements, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky, Jesús “Chuy” García, and Danny Davis, and other long-standing incumbents declining to seek reelection, triggering crowded contests across multiple levels of government. All of Illinois’ statewide elected officials are up for election in 2026, with all the incumbents except Comptroller Susana Mendoza choosing to...

read more

Third Reading Report: March 9, 2026

The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) released its February monthly state revenue update at the beginning of March. Two-thirds of the way through fiscal year (FY) 2026, Illinois has raised $34.134B, up 4.1% or $1.337B over this point in the previous fiscal year. When factoring out any one-time revenues received, revenue growth is even stronger at 4.3%. Notably, state revenues have been the source of growth as total state revenues are up 5.6% or $1.901B and federal...

read more
Third Reading Consulting Group | Illinois Lobbying & Government Affairs