104th ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois House convened this week from Tuesday, April 7th, to Thursday, April 9th. The Senate was off this week, although some Senate committees and subcommittees held subject-matter hearings. Both chambers will reconvene on Tuesday, April 14th, through Friday, April 17th. Please note that Friday, April 17th, is the 3rd Reading deadline in both chambers.
House members were advised to determine their legislative priorities next week, so as to manage the calendar during the 3rd Reading deadline week. House leadership noted that there will be limits on the number of bills a legislator can call next week. In total, 133 bills passed the House this week.
The House focused this week on passing legislation on 3rd Reading and approving floor amendments at the committee level. Below are highlights of this week’s action:
HB 228 (Morgan), which bans hidden junk fees in Illinois, advanced out of the House 77-18 and now heads to the Senate. The measure is part of Governor Pritzker’s Affordability Agenda.
HB 4953 (Deuter) updates rules for where prescription drugs can be delivered. The bill passed the House unanimously and moves to the Senate.
HB 5000 (Gong-Gershowitz) expands the types of health care mergers that must be reported to the Attorney General and removes the Act’s January 1, 2027, sunset date. The bill passed the House unanimously and heads to the Senate.
HB 3564 (Syed) bans certain “junk fees” in rental housing and requires disclosure of all non-optional fees on page one of the lease. The House concurred with the Senate’s amendments by a vote of 64-40, and the bill now moves to the Governor’s desk.
HB 5234 (Syed) delays implementation of HB 3564 (referenced above) until January 1, 2027. The measure passed the House 67-31 and heads to the Senate.
HB 4834 (Cassidy) removes testosterone from the Prescription Monitoring Program and exempts mifepristone, misoprostol, GnRH analogues, and estrogen if federally scheduled in the future. The bill passed the House 68-37 and moves to the Senate.
HB 5313 (Hirschauer) removes certain mandated performance-based payment metrics for hospitals under the Medicaid program. The bill passed unanimously out of the House and heads to the Senate for further consideration.
As mentioned earlier, subject-matter hearings were held this week too; the House Executive Committee held a meeting on Wednesday to gather input from mayors, union representatives, and agricultural stakeholders on the community impacts of data centers. This initial subject matter hearing is the first in a series of three planned by the committee to facilitate stakeholder engagement, with subsequent hearings focusing on energy consumption and water usage. A Senate subcommittee is also conducting hearings on data centers and their impacts.
At Wednesday’s meeting, local government representatives highlighted economic advantages, such as increased property tax revenue, while also advocating for enhanced transparency and state oversight of water usage and noise regulation. Labor organizations cautioned against overly stringent requirements, and agricultural groups requested that land and water considerations be incorporated into future deliberations. Read more here.
Key 2026 Session Dates:
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:
Illinois Health Facilities Services and Review Board: Governor Pritzker reappointed Gary Kaatz for another term on the Illinois Health Facilities Services and Review Board. Kaatz previously held positions as President and CEO at Rockford Health System and Forum Health System in Ohio, as well as Associate Vice President of Clinical Affairs at Rush-Presbyterian, St. Luke’s Medical Center. He currently serves on the boards of the Illinois Hospital Association and GiGi’s Playhouse. Kaatz earned his B.S. from Penn State and his MBA with a focus on Health Care and Finance from the University of Chicago.
Regional Site Readiness Program: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced seven funding recipients and an additional $30 million for the Regional Site Readiness Program, totaling $60 million this round. The funds aim to help regions attract industrial development, with $1.5 million earmarked for planning grants to support site studies and readiness. Read more here.
OTHER NEWS:
CGFA Issues March Report: In its latest monthly report, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability noted that the third quarter of FY 2026 closed with a solid financial performance, as General Funds revenues increased by $233 million (4.8%) in March. The rise was mainly driven by strong Personal Income Tax receipts, which grew by $309 million (8.8%), although a significant portion of this gain was due to an extra receipting day compared to last year. Sales Tax revenues also improved modestly, up $27 million (2.9%), while Corporate Income Tax receipts declined by $11 million (3.4%). The “All Other State Sources” category, typically a strength, saw a $20 million drop in March, largely due to a decrease in Insurance Taxes. Despite some losses in other areas, Public Utility taxes increased by $14 million. Overall, General Funds revenues for the fiscal year are up $1.571 billion (4.2%).
The Commission’s report also includes revenue comparisons between COGFA and GOMB estimates, which are key as lawmakers prepare next year’s budget. It also provides quarterly figures on cannabis sales, details on the upcoming April bond sale, offers information on Illinois’ economic indicators, and provides an update on the State Employees’ Group Health Insurance Program. Read the full report here.
Federal Appeals Court Sides with Business in BIPA Ruling: A recent federal appeals court ruling may significantly lower the damages companies face in Illinois biometric privacy lawsuits, marking a significant victory for businesses. The ruling stems from 2024 changes to Illinois' Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA) that clarify violations occur only when companies fail to obtain consent, rather than each instance of biometric data collection. This decision may retroactively affect pending lawsuits, diminishing plaintiffs' leverage in settlement negotiations. And while the ruling isn’t binding on state courts, experts believe state courts are likely to follow this precedent unless the Illinois Supreme Court intervenes. Read more here and here.
HHS Investigating States Regarding Abortion Insurance Coverage: The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is investigating 13 states for requiring state-regulated health insurance plans to cover abortion services. The HHS's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is examining these states for potential violations of the Weldon Amendment, which protects healthcare entities from being discriminated against for not providing abortion services. Paula Stannard, the OCR director, emphasized that healthcare entities are protected from state mandates that contradict their conscience regarding abortion coverage. The AP reports that the states under investigation include California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Read more here and here.
