* WAND…

The Illinois House Restorative Justice Committee unanimously approved a plan Wednesday morning to help provide more educational opportunities for young people serving time in the Department of Corrections.

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice could be required to establish an emerging adult program for individuals 18 to 21 in prisons. Those people would be transported to a juvenile justice center in Harrisburg, Illinois to participate in therapy sessions, case management, vocational training and higher education opportunities. […]

Senate Bill 426 could be discussed on the House floor before lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn Friday. The proposal passed out of the Senate on a 41-15 vote on May 6.

* Capitol News Illinois…

Illinois legislators this week approved a bill to restructure an oversight board in charge of distributing state money to courts that provide prison alternatives, while other criminal justice measures introduced throughout the session remain stalled.

House Bill 4409 would change the makeup of the Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight Board to include 20 members, including two individuals who have previously participated in an Adult Redeploy program. Currently, it is comprised of state officials and probation officers, but no board members have the experience of being a participant in a diversion court program.

Under current law, the board provides formula-based funding to dozens of diversion programs in courts around the state, but the bill would change that to a grant-based program that’s subject to appropriation in future budgets. It would also give the board authority to penalize courts for not meeting agreed-upon goals for reducing the number of probation-eligible individuals who are transferred to state correctional facilities. The governor’s office proposed spending $14.6 million on the Adult Redeploy Illinois program in the upcoming fiscal year, roughly level from the current year.

The measure also changes the term for participants in the program from “offenders” to “justice-impacted individuals,” a new common practice with terminology in criminal justice legislation. It needs only a signature from the governor to become law.

* WAND…

A bill heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk will cap the monthly cost of prescription inhalers at $25 for people with health insurance.

Many Illinoisans who struggle with asthma and other lung diseases currently pay between $180 to $300 per month for rescue and controller inhalers.

The plan would also prohibit health insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage for prescription inhalers starting January 1, 2026. […]

Senate Bill 3203 passed out of the House on a 87-21 vote. The legislation previously passed out of the Senate on a 53-2 vote.

* WTVO…

There’s a push to make sure a program that helps people with their power bill does not go away.

It is the low-income home energy assistance program and it is designed to help people pay for energy services like their heat bill. State funds for the program are set to sunset on January 1st.

If that happens, the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission said more than 174,000 homes across the state would be impacted. […]

The bill passed unanimously in both the state house and senate. It now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature.

* Rep. Adam Niemerg….

State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) passed legislation to permit the transfer of a Fire Protection District’s ambulance levy to a county that is already providing its ambulance service. Supported by the Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts, the new law will permit this transfer when emergency ambulance service to any portion of the Fire Protection District is already providing that service through an intergovernmental agreement by the county. […]

Upon certification to the county clerk by both the County and Fire Protection District that all criteria have been met under the provisions, the rate for emergency ambulance service for the area once serviced under the Fire Protection District for emergency ambulance service shall be the rate the county levies under the Code. Endorsed by the United Counties Council of Illinois, Senate Bill 3402 now goes back to the Senate for a vote on the House change.

* WAND…

Illinois senators passed a plan Wednesday to prohibit landlords from retaliating against their tenants.

The proposal could ban landlords from terminating leases, increasing rent, decreasing services or threatening lawsuits. It also states that landlords would no longer be allowed to refuse to renew a lease after a tenant complains about code violations or seeks assistance from elected officials.

“Like many state offices, my staff receives and works with plenty of constituents who have faced some form of housing retaliation,” said Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago). “These individuals are looking for quality, safe and affordable housing and should not be barred from seeking remedies without fear of retaliation.” […]

House Bill 4768 passed out of the Senate on a 34-19 vote with two senators voting present. The measure now moves back to the House on concurrence. It previously passed out of the House on a 62-42 vote with two representatives voting present on April 16.

* Capitol News Illinois…

A measure that would prohibit contests that award cash or prizes for killing certain wildlife is unlikely to clear the Senate after narrowly passing the House last week, according to its Senate sponsor.

House Bill 2900 would ban the practice of holding wildlife contests that reward participants with cash, prizes or inducements for killing fur-bearing animals. Much of the floor debate centered on contests that award the killing of coyotes as a method of population control.

Under the measure, organizing, sponsoring or participating in such contests would be a Class A misdemeanor and subject to a fine between $500 and $5,000.

Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure arrived too late in the process for passage by the chamber’s scheduled Friday adjournment. It arrived in the Senate on May 16 but had not yet received a substantive committee assignment as of Wednesday.

* Ben Szalinski…

* Eater Chicago…

The Illinois beer industry is rallying against legislation in Springfield that, if passed, could make making low-dose THC beverages illegal. The brewers claim the dispensary lobby is ramrodding a bill through the state Senate and House that would mandate breweries and distilleries that produce drinks like THC seltzers to operate under the same (and more costly) licensing requirements as dispensaries.

Introduced in April, the Hemp Consumer Products Act (Senate Bill 3926) presents far-reaching regulations that impact bars and taprooms, which began serving hemp-derived products in February. These products are derived from hemp rather than cannabis. Licenses would come with a $5,000 application fee and a July 1, 2026 deadline to apply.

An amendment to that bill, filed on Tuesday, May 9, which brewers say goes beyond the scope of public safety, and adds stricter guidelines for hemp-derived products. In a statement, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild describes the legislation “as short-sighted and the monopolization of THC under the guise of legislation” and claims that the measures would “immediately prohibit thousands of Illinois businesses manufacturing hemp-based products, including craft breweries.”

The regulations would administer a big blow to the state’s breweries, which are searching for ways to boost sales since the industry’s peak at the start of the pandemic.

* Sen. Javier Cervantes…

State Senator Javier Cervantes is making it easier to cancel unwanted gym memberships thanks to legislation that he passed through the Senate to streamline how people can cancel a contract.

“Giving consumers simple and efficient methods to cancel their subscription or contract helps ensure they don’t fall victim to confusing subscription services that automatically renew payments for services they no longer use,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This legislation will simply update business practices to fit with modern times.”

Under the new legislation, businesses offering physical fitness services, like gym memberships, would have to allow customers to cancel their contract either online or by email, instead of only by mail or in-person.

The measure would also require contracts for physical fitness services that automatically renew to comply with the Automatic Contract Renewal Act, which ensures businesses give full disclosure of their automatic terms and cancellation policies and do not charge customers without proper consent.

“Consumers in Illinois have the tools to make canceling their subscriptions with other services easier—these provisions should also apply to fitness services,” said Cervantes. “Residents may go months or even years without knowing if their old gym membership is renewing and charging them, which can cause financial strain. These changes will make the process more transparent, fair and easier for everyone.”

House Bill 4911 passed the Senate on Thursday.