On behalf of CALL’s Government Relations Committee, below is a sampling of Illinois laws that will go into effect in 2026. For a full list of Illinois laws going into effect this year visit bills-taking-effect-2026.pdf. Commentary is my own (not the GRC’s or CALL’s).
Technology, Court Modernization, Data Collection & Reporting
HB 1062 (PA 104-0166): Prioritizes the connection of anchor institutions to the Illinois Century Network based on the type of institution. Yes, I too had no idea what this is. Created in 1997, the ICN is a high speed broadband network serving K12 and Higher Education, Public Libraries, and Government entities. According to their history page, the ICN is “the largest and most successful state network of its kind in the nation.”
HB 1576 (PA 104-0188): Modernizes the Court of Claims by providing consistency in electronic filing and remote participation.
HB 1710 (PA 104-0197): Amends the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Act and the Uniform Crime Reporting Act to require the Illinois State Police to submit a report or provide through a web-based portal, specified information concerning homicides and specific firearm crimes. The Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting Program has actually been around since 1971. However, this law established a statewide reporting standard for reporting these crimes and clearance rates.
HB 3098 (PA 104-0274): Amends the Consumer Electronics Recycling Act, removing the sunset date, adding home components and peripherals to list of devices covered, and expanding e-waste collection sites and events. I checked, you still can’t throw in the CD-ROMs from treatises at these events. Sigh.
SB 1348 (PA 104-0096): Amends the Counties Code, creating a two-tier fee structure for service and return of process in Cook County to encourage electronic
SB 1523 (PA 104-0382): Amends the Counties Code, requiring county recorders to establish a fraud referral and review process to review deeds and other instruments and a fraud alert system to notify property owners when a deed or instrument has been filed on their property.
Artificial Intelligence and Privacy
HB 1859 (PA 104-0201): Amends the Public Community College Act, providing that a course may not, in lieu of a primary instructor, use artificial intelligence or a generative artificial intelligence program. Now we just need a law to keep AI from replacing the reference desk chat!
HB 3144 (PA 104-0278): Amends the Judicial Privacy Act, adding administrative law judges to the definition of judicial officer in the act, to prohibit their personal information from being posted if the ALJ requests the information be removed from public displays. Wow. How were they not included before?
HB 3178 (PA 104-0282): Amends the Digital Voice and Likeness Protection Act to bring Illinois into parity with California’s law (AB-2602) including what is deemed an unenforceable agreement involving digital replicas.
Libraries, Courts, Education
HB 1615 (PA 104-0192): Amends the Flag Display Act to permit the U.S. flag to be displayed on the grounds of a courthouse, rather than only on top of courthouse. I’m guessing that would make it easier to maintain the flag.
HB 1910 (PA 104-0056): Amends the Illinois Local Library Act, providing that public libraries must maintain a supply of opioid antagonists in an accessible location; requires training of library personnel and staffing so that one trained person is available during library’s open hours to administer an opioid antagonist. Public librarians’ skills list just keeps getting longer… (but for a good cause). Support your local library!
HB 3359 (PA 104-0298): Amends the Jury Act, providing judges with the discretion to impanel up to four alternate jurors (previously 1 or 2) in civil cases.
HB 3363 (PA 104-0300): Creates the FAIR Act, which establishes the Office of the State Public Defender and an independent State Public Defender Commission. This law centralizes Illinois’ public defense system under a statewide office to ensure that people who cannot afford an attorney receive independent, consistent, and well-supervised representation. Some parts of the law take effect on July 1, 2026, and others take effect on January 1, 2027. Learn more about the new public defender law.
SB 1376 (PA 104-0376): Creates the Historical Cost of Attendance Disclosure Act, requiring each public college or university to post its cost of attendance on its website for each of the past 10 academic years, and every academic year thereafter. So parents and can students can finally see how terribly costs have risen…Now we just need that info displayed side-by-side with university employee salary increases so we can all wonder where the tuition increases have gone to.
SB 1475 (PA 104-0380): Amends the Board of Higher Education Act to provide a $500 per semester scholarship for student members of the Illinois Board of Higher Education and Illinois Community College Board.
SB 1550 (PA 104-0108): Amends the Illinois Library Systems Act, providing that state grants shall include planning and construction grants to library systems and public libraries that are members of a library system (rather than planning and construction grants to public libraries and library systems) and grants to improve or enhance security of libraries. I’m not sure I understand the distinction this is making but hopefully, it means more money for libraries?
SB 1920 (PA 104-0399): Amends the School Code, requiring the State Board of Education to develop statewide guidance for school districts and educators on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary education. Now we just need the ABA to create a model rule for “yes, you do still have to read the case.”
SB 2039 (PA 104-0405): Amends the Board of Higher Education Act, providing that the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall jointly prepare and release a Statewide Data Dashboard annually to include individualized data on each public institution of higher education and each private institution of higher education on a publicly available website.
Worker Rights
HB 1616 (PA 104-0193): Amends the Employee Blood and Organ Donation Leave Act so that part-time employees (previously just “employees”) may use up to 10 days of leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ donor. Public Service Reminder: Sign up for organ donation and communicate your wishes to your family!
HB 3638 (PA 104-0320): Amends the Workplace Transparency Act to update the definition of “unlawful employment practice” to mean any practice made unlawful under State and federal employment discrimination and harassment.
HB 3773 (103rd GA) (PA 103-0804): Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act, prohibiting an employer from using artificial intelligence that has the effect of subjecting employees to discrimination on the basis of protected classes or using zip codes as a proxy for protected classes with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, privileges, or condition of employment; places similar restrictions regarding determining a consumer’s creditworthiness.
SB 0212 (PA 104-0076): Amends the Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act, providing that the employer shall provide paid break time to nursing mothers so they may express or pump breast milk for their child.
Miscellaneous/Funsies
For those of us “donating” to a gym… SB 0314 (PA 104-0350): Amends the Physical Fitness Services Act, providing that the center must clearly and conspicuously disclose any change in cost of or reduction in benefits to memberships at least 60 days before the automatic renewal.
From cookies to beans… in a bill that began as one that prohibited persistent cookies or other tracking software in specific circumstances, it ended with a simple declaration that the soy bean is now the official State bean of the State of Illinois. HB 4439 (PA 103-1073). No idea how that transformation came about, but all who hail from Decatur may now rejoice.
Full list of laws – bills-taking-effect-2026.pdf
About the Author: Diana Koppang is the Director of Research & Competitive Intelligence at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP. Ms. Koppang is co-chair of the CALL Government Relations Committee.