Our 2025 Legislative Agenda

Affordable, Accessible, and High-Quality Healthcare

Prescription Drug Affordability Board – HB 1443/SB 66 (Syed/Peters)

Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs) are structures that oversee and regulate prescription drug prices. The board would consist of experts in fields such as healthcare economics, clinical medicine, and consumer advocates. The board conducts cost reviews to assess the affordability of certain high-cost drugs and sets upper payment limits - ensuring that no one, from wholesalers to patients, pays more than what is fair.

Prescription Drug Importation – HB 1272/ SB 1971 (West/Ventura)

Prescription Drug Importation allows the state to purchase prescription drugs from international markets where prices are typically lower. This initiative requires rigorous quality and safety standards to ensure that imported drugs meet the same standards as domestically produced medications. By expanding the options for drug sourcing, states intend to introduce more competition and exert downward pressure on drug prices.

Illinois Food Safety Act – SB 93 (Preston/Stava-Murray)

Harmful additives such as propylparaben and potassium bromate have been linked to serious health problems – including reproductive issues, hormonal damage, and an increased risk of cancer. The Food Safety Act would protect Illinoisans by banning these additives, following the lead of other states like California that have taken similar measures.

Enhanced Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Regulation – HB 1159 (Jones)

PBMs act as middlemen between pharmacies and insurers. They routinely engage in practices that raise costs for consumers, such as spread pricing, and there is little transparency in the way they operate. This bill would expand PBM regulations by banning spread pricing, increasing reporting requirements, and requiring that fees & rebates are returned to consumers.

The Health Care Transparency Act – HB 2904/SB1679 (Avelar/Aquino)

The Health Care Transparency Act would require hospitals and health care institutions to disclose what services they do not provide for non-medical reasons to both the Illinois Department of Public Health and patients as part of the informed consent process. Patients across Illinois would be empowered to better make decisions about where to seek health care because they would have access to information about hospitals that deny care and a list of the services they refuse to provide. The Health Care Transparency Act focuses on LGBTQ+ health services, reproductive health services, and end-of-life care.

Expanding Voting Rights

Curbside Voting Expansion – HB 1442 (Syed)

This bill requires curbside voting to be available during early voting and on Election Day across Illinois. Currently, election authorities may provide curbside voting, but it’s not consistently offered, creating barriers for voters with mobility challenges or health concerns.

Extended Voting on Public University Campuses – HB 1445/SB 1650 (Syed/Halpin)

This bill addresses barriers to voting for students at public universities by expanding early voting hours and ensuring polling locations are available on Election Day. It mandates at least six days of early voting at student unions, including weekends and the Monday before Election Day, with consistent hours from 10 AM to 5 PM. Additionally, it requires student unions to serve as polling locations on Election Day itself, operating from 6 AM to 7 PM, eliminating confusion and improving accessibility.

Permanent VBM Application Expansion – HB 1444/SB 1649 (Syed/Halpin)

This bill simplifies and streamlines the process for Illinois voters to enroll in Permanent Vote by Mail (PVBM) by requiring a checkbox for PVBM on all one-time vote-by-mail applications. Currently, voters must locate and complete a separate form for PVBM, which creates unnecessary confusion and administrative hurdles. By integrating this option into existing applications, the bill reduces barriers to voting, particularly for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and others who rely on vote by mail, while easing the workload for election authorities.

Accessible Vote by Mail Bill — SB 1464 (Sen. Morrison)

This bill ensures equitable access to voting by allowing Illinois voters with print disabilities, military service members, their families, and citizens living overseas to return their vote-by-mail ballots electronically. Currently, voters with print disabilities must print, sign, and mail their ballots, often requiring assistance that violates their right to vote privately and independently under the ADA. Military families and overseas citizens face similar challenges, leading to lower voter participation due to logistical barriers. By enabling electronic ballot submission, this bill removes these obstacles, promoting accessibility and inclusivity in the democratic process.

The RACE Act – SB1733 (Collins)

Like everyone else, incarcerated individuals are affected by decisions made by our elected officials. But without the right to vote, incarcerated individuals have no voice to hold elected officials accountable. Disenfranchisement disproportionately impacts young, Black, and low-income Illinoisans. This bill restores the right to vote no later than 14 days post-conviction.

Protecting Consumers from Predatory and Discriminatory Practices

Stop Increasing Criminalization of Homelessness in Illinois Act - HB 1429 (Olickal/Lapointe)

The U.S. Supreme Court's Johnson v. Grants Pass decision allows local governments to fine and arrest people experiencing homelessness for sleeping outside, even when no shelter options are available. HB 4219 ensures people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are not fined or arrested for life-sustaining activities like resting, eating, or staying warm. It prohibits ordinances targeting homelessness, requires a 7-day notice before removing individuals, and mandates good-faith efforts to provide shelter, transportation, and services

Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act – SB 2264 (Villa)

Municipalities throughout Illinois have enacted “crime-free housing and nuisance property” ordinances under the guise of keeping communities safer. In reality, the ordinances force housing providers to unfairly penalize and even evict tenants based on any alleged criminal or “nuisance” activity – which can include calling emergency services for help. This bill will protect people from unfair discrimination, keep families in their homes, and refocus public policy on more effective responses to crime.

OPPOSING Predatory Income Share Agreements – HB 1519/SB1537 (West/Sims)

This bill would create a licensing framework for Income Share Agreements, a form of student loan where the student receives funding for college in exchange for a percentage of their future income. The current bill language would license highly predatory ISAs with interest rates upwards of 20% APR and would disadvantage low-income students, many of whom would pay more under an ISA than they would under a conventional loan.

The Consumer Financial Protection Law – SB 1512 (Walker)

This bill will establish a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Illinois, aiming to fill the gap left after President Trump weakened the federal agency. It enhances financial oversight, creates the Financial Protection Fund, and strengthens anti-fraud and consumer protection measures.

Juvenile Justice Reform

Attorneys for Juvenile Interrogations – SB 1787 (Peters)

Studies show that minors are more likely to waive their rights and give false confessions during highly stressful interrogations. In 2022, a 15-year-old from Waukegan confessed to a shooting despite having nothing to do with it. This bill would require the attendance of an attorney at all police interrogations involving youth under 18 – putting an end to false and often traumatizing self-incriminations for juveniles.

Preventing Gun Violence

The RIFL Act – SB 2279 (Peters)

This bill creates the Responsibility in Firearm Legislation (RIFL) Act, establishing a firearms manufacturer licensing program in Illinois. Starting January 1, 2028, manufacturers must obtain a license from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Fees will go towards the RIFL Fund, which will provide financial assistance to firearm victims and fund related initiatives. Retailers are prohibited from selling firearms from unlicensed manufacturers, with penalties for violations.

The Safe Gun Storage Act – SB 8 (Ellman)

The Safe Gun Storage Act requires firearm owners to securely store firearms in premises where minors, at-risk individuals, or prohibited persons could gain access unless the firearm is under the owner’s direct control. Violations may result in civil penalties ranging from $500 to $10,000, depending on the outcome of unauthorized access. Penalties collected will support a Mental Health Fund.

Protecting the Environment

Polystyrene Plastic Ban - SB 1531 (Fine)

Polystyrene is a single-use foam plastic that significantly contributes to waste and pollution. The foam foodware, which breaks up into small pieces but never fully breaks down, pollutes land, water, and air. This compromise bill will ban all foam foodware from distribution beginning in 2030.

PFAS Ban - HB 2516/SB 117 (Rashid/Morrison)

PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” are extremely difficult to break down and are present in many items, including food packaging, cookware, and clothing. This bill would ban intentionally added PFAS in many consumer products.

Expanding Public Transit

The Road Usage Charge Act – SB 1938 (Villivalam)

The Road Usage Charge Act establishes a pilot program to explore a mileage-based user fee as an alternative to motor fuel taxes for funding highway infrastructure. It creates the Road Usage Charge Advisory Committee to guide program development and evaluate its effectiveness. The bill also includes changes to public transportation governance, fare revenue requirements, and agency oversight.

Investing in Public Education

Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act – SB 0013 (Lightford)

This bill establishes a funding formula for Illinois public universities, managed by the Board of Higher Education, to distribute general operating funds equitably. It sets adequacy targets, calculates base funding minimums, and includes an accountability framework to assess the impact on affordability, enrollment, and student outcomes. The Act creates an Accountability and Transparency Committee and a Funding Formula Review Panel to oversee and refine the process. 

LGBTQIA+ Protections

The Equality for Every Family Act – HB 2683/SB 2507 (Katz Muhl/Harmon)

The Equality for Every Family Act makes it easier for all families in Illinois to be legally recognized, including LGBTQ+ families and those using assisted reproduction or surrogacy. It clearly defines how someone can be recognized as a parent, streamlines court processes to avoid conflicts, and ensures all children have the legal protections they need, no matter how they joined the family.

Workers Rights

The Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Act HB 3483/SB 2413 (Moeller/Villivalam)

The Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Act creates a paid leave program for employees, managed by the Division of Paid Family and Medical Leave under the Illinois Department of Labor. It sets eligibility requirements, benefit amounts, and durations, and allows self-employed individuals to opt in. The law also establishes the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Fund to finance the paid leave program.