* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias…

Bipartisan legislation drafted by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias designed to improve security at libraries and enhance safety for librarians was recently signed into law.

The measure, which was approved in the General Assembly this spring, allows the Secretary of State’s office to issue funding grants to increase security measures at public, school and academic libraries. […]

The legislation, which was signed into law last week by Governor JB Pritzker and takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026, was sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy (28th District-Des Plaines) and State Representative Michael Coffey Jr. (95th District-Springfield) and had strong support from the Illinois Library Association and the Illinois Municipal League.

The legislation comes after several libraries across the state received bomb threats in recent years, including the Illinois State Library. There have been more than 25 bomb threats with multiple libraries responding to repeat threats during the past two years.

While state law contains penalties for threats targeting schools, public officials and human services providers, it does not include the same protections for all libraries and librarians.

Under the legislation, state library grant applicants will have the ability to use funding to install things like security cameras, silent alarms, or security check points, for which funding is not always available and until now grants were not authorized to support.

* WCIA…

Illinois police officers are now required to have more training to respond to sexual abuse and sexual assault cases, thanks to a new law signed on Friday.

After a sexual assault, one problem survivors often said they face is law enforcement retraumatizing them with certain questions. […]

With the new law, officers will be trained to be more empathetic when talking to survivors. The Illinois Law Enforcement Trainings and Standards Board said they’re already working to add the topic to trainings officers go through.

“This legislation underscores our collective commitment to ensuring that every officer is equipped with the knowledge and skills to respond to victims of sexual assault and sexual abuse with the utmost sensitivity, empathy, and professionalism,” Sean Smoot, the board’s chairman said in a statement.

* Sen. Julie Morrison…

With increasing threats to public health emerging from the intersection of human, animal and environmental factors, a new law spearheaded by State Senator Julie Morrison will create the One Health Commission — a unique collaboration among Illinois experts to improve communication and coordination across fields. […]

The new law establishes the One Health Commission within the Illinois Department of Public Health that will promote collaboration among physicians, veterinarians and other scientific professionals. The commission will work closely with state agencies to recommend best practices to promote interdisciplinary communication, establish methods for the response to and recovery from disease outbreaks in animals and humans and develop ways to monitor emerging health threats, among other responsibilities. A report of recommendations will be submitted to the governor and General Assembly by Jan. 1, 2028.

The One Health approach, which is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recognizes the connection between human, animal and environmental health. This framework promotes a multisector approach to addressing broad health challenges — such as diseases that spread between animals and people, and bacteria or viruses that become resistant to medicine. Research shows integrating expertise across disciplines helps achieve better health outcomes for all living things. […]

Senate Bill 291 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.

* WAND…

A new Illinois law will give the state more oversight over the 2-1-1 emergency counsel service.

2-1-1 is a federal phone line that provides callers with emergency counseling if they need to find food, shelter, mental health services and other life-sustaining resources.

The law will give the Illinois Department of Human Services more oversight over the nonprofit and volunteer organizations providing 2-1-1 response.

Providers must maintain minimum work standards, provide proof that they receive a diverse range of funds, and demonstrate kind and quality service to callers. […]

This law also calls for a data report from providers, including call volume, reasons for each call and caller demographics. That includes data on the age, race, gender, coverage rates and year-over-year trends.

* WCIA…

A new law in Illinois will make it easier for people with disabilities to obtain license plates and parking placards by cutting “red tape” out of the process.

Senate Bill 1256 was passed unanimously by both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly earlier this year, and it was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on Friday. State Senator Steve McClure (R-Springfield) and State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville), the primary sponsors of the bill, explained that the bill allows certifications for disabled individuals to remain valid for five years and allows licensed physical therapists to sign off on applications, which the legislators said will save families time and the cost of additional medical visits. […]

“This bill was just basic common sense. There’s no reason a person with a permanent disability should have to prove that every year,” Davidsmeyer added. “This will alleviate hassle for both Illinoisans and government alike.”

The issue was brought to the legislators’ attention by a woman who lives with multiple sclerosis and who said the law will make a meaningful difference for both her and other Illinoisans.

* Sara Feigenholtz…

State Senator Sara Feigenholtz championed a newly signed law strengthening Illinois’ efforts to address the teacher shortage by removing unnecessary hurdles that drive people away from becoming an educator.

“For years, parents and teachers in my district have been feeling the crunch of the teacher shortage,” Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) said. “As we continue to equip our teachers with resources and support, we need to make sure they don’t face setbacks because of family or medical obligations.”

The law, originally Senate Bill 1584, comes in response to a local resident who took family and medical leave during her pregnancy when she was licensed under short-term approval. For many educators, including Feigenholtz’s constituent, short-term approval in a new subject area is a path to becoming a more versatile teacher who can teach more classes — but it typically only lasts three years.

To ease barriers for these educators, Feigenholtz’s new law allows teachers to take family and medical leave while they are licensed under short-term approval without jeopardizing their short-term licenses. This change “stops the clock” when someone takes FMLA leave so they can pick up where they left off without losing any of their short-term approval period. […]

Senate Bill 1584 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.