* Gov. JB Pritzker signed 59 bills Friday. Click here to check out the full list. Sen. Celina Villanueva…
Graduating high school students will soon see more opportunities to attend Illinois’ public colleges and universities, thanks to a law led by State Senator Celina Villanueva that expands in-state tuition rates to any individual who attended an Illinois high school for three years. […]
For the past several years, Illinois lawmakers have voiced concerns with college costs, specifically citing rising in-state tuition that has led to many students taking on more in education-related debt or seeking higher education across state lines. Villanueva recognizes that the continued rising cost of living disproportionately affects low-income families and students participating in Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – groups that often have to temporarily relocate due to unforeseen circumstances.
Under previous state law, students attending Illinois’ public institutions of higher learning could not receive in-state tuition if they had established residency outside of the state prior to enrollment. Villanueva’s new law modifies in-state tuition requirements beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year, allowing students who attend an Illinois high school for at least three years to receive in-state tuition regardless of if the student had established residency outside Illinois prior to enrolling. […]
House Bill 5093 was signed into law Friday and takes immediate effect.
* Solar Powers Illinois…
Solar Powers Illinois released the following statement following Governor Pritzker’s signing of the CRGA Trailer Bill on Friday, June 26, 2026.
The nation is facing an energy affordability crisis with electricity prices continuing to rise and pressure families and businesses. Thanks to leadership from the Illinois General Assembly and Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois continues to take action to protect residents and address this nationwide crisis by pursuing locally generated, American-made energy.
Today, Governor Pritzker signed into law a trailer bill to support implementation of the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act. While not new legislation, the trailer bill ensures the historic CRGA Act – signed in January 2026 – is implemented as intended to deliver savings to Illinois families and businesses.
Illinois’ clean energy transition is showing that a clean energy future is not only possible but is also a pathway to an affordable energy future, thanks to strong policy and economics. Solar, wind, and storage are the fastest and most affordable energy resources to build, which is why they have moved from being seen as supplemental to forming the backbone of a modern, reliable grid.
* WAND…
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to ban rental junk fees and require transparency for leases.
Sponsors said renters should not be surprised by charges included in their rent, like fees for after-hours service requests, lease renewals, or routine maintenance.
The law requires all non-optional fees to be explicitly disclosed on the first page of a lease agreement. Tenants will not be liable for the fees if they are not listed on the first page. […]
House Bill 3564 passed out of the Senate on a 39-16 vote. It received a 64-40 vote in the House.
* The National Consumer Law Center…
Advocates applauded legislation signed today by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker to protect people who take out Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) loans from hidden charges, unaffordable loans, purchase disputes, and other risks. Most BNPL loans are taken out by people with subprime credit scores and borrowers are disproportionately Black, Hispanic, female, and young. […]
California was the first state to explicitly require licenses for buy now, pay later lenders, and New York passed the first comprehensive state law. A recent issue brief from NCLC shows how other states can adapt and build on the New York law to strengthen protections for borrowers nationwide.
The Illinois law covers closed-end loans with four or fewer installments or a term of 120 days or less. Among other protections, the law:
- Limits BNPL loans to the 36% rate cap that covers other lenders in Illinois, and gives the state regulator the authority to limit late fees and other fees.
- Requires lenders to conduct reasonable risk-based underwriting and to consider the borrower’s ability to repay the loan.
- Prohibits lenders from requiring automated payments or attempting to debit a bank account a second time or more if the account has insufficient funds.
- Gives people the same rights in the case of disputes or errors that people have for credit cards under federal law
- Requires a license even for lenders that do not charge interest.
* CBS Chicago…
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker held a ceremony for the signing of three bills to strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ Illinoisans on Sunday morning. […]
One of the bills Pritzker signed, HB4834, removes testosterone from the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program — the electronic database that collects information about specific medications and treatments. The bill also prevents the addition of estrogen, mifepristone, and misoprostol — the latter two of which are used to end pregnancies early — to the monitoring program.
Another bill, HB5095, enshrines the self-selection process for gender markers on Illinois IDs and driver’s licenses, allowing people to self-report “male,” “female,” or “X.”
A third bill, HB5492, requires insurance companies to cover six months of prescribed hormone therapy.
* WAND…
A new Illinois law is ensuring people in the Department of Corrections are not charged unreasonable fees for sending mail.
The law states committed people and their correspondents can not be charged any fee for mail and scanning services exceeding the standard postage rate.
Sponsors said it’s important that families stay connected with their loved ones, and the state should not make that process harder. […]
IDOC is now banned from generating revenue from communication between families and loved ones. The law also requires annual reporting on rates paid for mail and how the department spends that money.
“Mail correspondence is a vital and often cost-effective lifeline,” said Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago). “When families already spend thousands just to stay in touch with an incarcerated loved one, they shouldn’t face yet another cost barrier to staying connected.”
* Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel…
Championed by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel, a new law will expand cyberbullying protections to include artificial intelligence and deepfake imagery created with AI in schools across the state. […]
Signed into law in 2025, Loughran Cappel’s House Bill 3851 responds to increased incidents of bullying among children and teens using AI and digitally altered images. The law expands the definitions of bullying and cyberbullying to include the posting and distribution of unauthorized digital replicas, specifically if the action creates an effect that falls under the school’s bullying code. Additionally, using a classmate’s image in any form to depict them offensively without their consent is considered cyberbullying under the law. Consensual use of AI in the classroom does not constitute bullying under House Bill 3851. […]
House Bill 3851 takes effect July 1.
* Sen. Dave Koehler…
State Senator Dave Koehler’s House Bill 4420, which enhances editorial independence and makes changes to the College Campus Press Act to include professional journalist on campus has become law. […]
This law modifies the College Campus Press Act to define public media produced at a state-supported institution of higher learning. The measure states that public media and professional journalists at these institutions would not be subject to prior review by the institution’s public officials, and expression by employees or agents producing the media would not be considered speech attributable to the institution itself.
The change in law allows an employee or agent of an entity that creates or distributes public media at a state-supported institution of higher learning to bring a civil action for injunctive or declaratory relief if the act is violated.
“As good journalism is more crucial than ever, we intend to support their storytelling efforts,” Koehler said.
House Bill 4420 was signed into law Friday.
* Sen. Laura Ellman…
Digital coupons have become more common; however, not all consumers can easily access them. State Senator Laura Ellman is combatting this with a new law that will ensure eligible consumers receive the benefits of digital promotions when they meet the stated terms.
“People shouldn’t miss out on savings because a promotion isn’t accessible,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “If it’s offered, it should be usable to all, especially when a digital coupon can make a difference when buying in bulk with increasing grocery prices.”
According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one in four adults over 65 say they need help using digital technology, highlighting ongoing barriers to app-based only promotions. As retail continues to evolve, Ellman’s law will make everyday transactions more accessible.
House Bill 45 will require retailers offering digital promotions to provide a way for eligible consumers to redeem them, including options like automatic discounts, point-of-sale assistance, QR codes or receipt submission. Additionally, the new law will preserve flexibility for businesses and will not require paper coupons or changes to loyalty programs. […]
House Bill 45 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027.
* More…
* Press release | Ellman law to target overdue premium polices, safeguarding patients from potential coverage loss: Senate Bill 3815 will prohibit health insurance companies from denying new coverage to individuals or employers solely because they owe premiums from a previous policy. The law will maintain that insurers may still pursue collection of unpaid balances, but ensures that outstanding debt does not act as a barrier to accessing care. The law will not apply to grandfathered health plans, those established prior to the Affordable Care Act’s enactment in 2010, which are exempt from certain federal requirements and are no longer available for purchase.
* WAND | Pritzker signs plan requiring speed control devices for reckless drivers: Drivers who commit two offenses in a year will be required to install a speed-limiting device in their vehicle. This comes as 75% of people with suspended licenses continue to drive. “Our current methods are not working,” said Rudy Faust with Families for Safe Streets. “The intelligent speed assistance program is a practical and equitable step towards saving lives of both drivers and vulnerable road users without limiting mobility.”
* Press release | Aquino leads measure to increase accessibility for hospital financial assistance: House Bill 5390 tasks the Attorney General with creating a standard form for hospitals to include in applications for financial assistance. The law also establishes a one-year approval period to address current administrative burdens. Previously, hospitals were allowed to create their own application process for financial assistance. The new law standardizes the process to improve accessibility and prevent delays in care.
* Press release | Turner law to ensure people know about prescription recalls: Turner’s law will require licensed pharmacies in Illinois to post a clear and conspicuous sign near their pharmacy counter and drive-up window that includes a QR code informing patients of the ability to sign up for medication recalls via the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s website.
* Press release | Morrison law streamlines dental coverage reimbursements for providers: Recently, dental providers have experienced a loss of reimbursement funds due to fees associated with bank-to-bank, or ACH, transactions. If a provider can’t opt out of the use of electronic transfers for reimbursement purposes, the electronic processing fee can be subtracted from their reimbursement, leading to payment of less than 100% of what the provider is owed. Morrison’s law addresses this issue by strengthening rules regarding the use of credit cards and electronic transfers to pay or reimburse dentists. The law prohibits insurers, dental service plan corporations, professional service corporations or insurance network leasing companies from requiring a dental care provider to only accept payment from a credit card or electronic funds transfer. It also prohibits insurers and managed care plans from using the dentist’s preferred method of payment as a factor when deciding whether to provide them with credentials.
* Press release | Fine-backed Diaper Labeling Act signed into law: The newly signed Diaper Labeling Act closes that gap. The law requires manufacturers of disposable and reusable diapers sold in Illinois to list ingredients clearly on product packaging, in descending order of predominance, with exceptions for ingredients present at 1% or less. To protect proprietary information, manufacturers may list confidential or trade‑secret ingredients by their common or functional names rather than specific chemical formulas.
* Press release | Illinois protects wild animals from exploitation in abusive roadside “zoos,” thanks to Holmes’ new law: House Bill 4255 adds specific breeds to the offense of unlawful use of animals in traveling acts to include cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers, non-human primates, bears, and all elephants, not just endangered species. It also adds any hybrids of these animals. Anyone knowingly using a covered animal is committing a Class A misdemeanor.
