Nearly 300 new laws will take effect in Illinois on January 1, 2026. Below is overview of notable new laws, organized by topic, with bill numbers included for reference.
Public Safety & Criminal Justice
- SB 1422 (P.A. 104-0099): Enhances training requirements for frontline workers to identify and respond to human trafficking.
- HB 2602 (P.A. 104-0241): Extends the statute of limitations for certain human trafficking-related offenses.
- SB 2323 (P.A. 104-0159): Improves coordination of services and support for victims of human trafficking.
- HB 1302 (P.A. 104-0173): Strengthens victim rights and reporting procedures for criminal sexual assault and domestic violence cases.
- SB 1195 (P.A. 104-0084): Updates trauma-informed training requirements for law enforcement officers.
- HB 3140 (P.A. 104-0276): Establishes a medical care program for retired police K-9s.
- HB 3439 (P.A. 104-0307): Strengthens background checks for childcare workers.
- HB 2690 (P.A. 104-0245): Increases penalties and reporting requirements for child sexual abuse material.
- SB 1274 (P.A. 104-0371): Provides transportation assistance for victims of sexual assault.
- HB 2774 (P.A. 104-0247): Establishes a statewide domestic violence hotline.
- SB 1548 (P.A. 104-0384): Expands outreach for missing persons with developmental disabilities.
- SB 24 (P.A. 104-0339): Improves procedures for missing persons and unidentified remains.
- HB 1697 (P.A. 104-0027) & SB 1295 (P.A. 104-0372): Require CPR instruction training for emergency dispatchers.
- HB 3178 (P.A. 104-0282): Regulates misuse of digital replicas and protects personal likeness rights.
Business, Technology & Consumer Protections
- HB 1631 (P.A. 104-0195): Clarifies authority and accountability for state technology systems.
- SB 2044 (P.A. 104-0406): Expands the validity of electronic signatures for business transactions.
- HB 1865 (P.A. 104-0055): Targets predatory insurance sales practices, particularly those affecting seniors.
- SB 2318 (P.A. 104-0144): Prohibits misleading representations by financial technology companies.
- HB 3352 (P.A. 104-0297): Protects consumers from debt obtained through coercion or abuse.
- HB 1431 (P.A. 104-0181): Requires clearer disclosure of medical facility fees.
- HB 1597 (P.A. 104-0191): Strengthens protections for residents of assisted living and nursing homes.
Agriculture, Environment & Outdoors
- SB 2372 (P.A. 104-0146): Creates a Farmland Transition Commission to support young and beginning farmers.
- HB 3098 (P.A. 104-0274): Updates electronic recycling standards and education requirements.
- SB 2425 (P.A. 104-0148): Revises regulations for low-level radioactive materials.
- HB 2340 (P.A. 104-0059): Provides free landowner deer permits in counties affected by chronic wasting disease.
- SB 710 (P.A. 104-0361): Expands nuisance and landowner hunting permits and eligibility for landowners and tenants.
Motorist & Transportation Safety
- HB 1120 (P.A. 104-0041): Removes the voluntary blood-type and Rh-factor designation from driver’s licenses and state IDs to streamline emergency response.
- SB 2075 (P.A. 104-0408): Expands motorcycle rider training standards and increases the number of Illinois training centers.
