A look at what Illinois lawmakers passed during the spring session
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The state Senate in the Capitol in Springfield. Photo: Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
The General Assembly's deadline for the spring legislative session is Friday, but lawmakers have already passed several bills over the last three months, including a proposed $53 billion budget.
Why it matters: The budget includes most of Gov. JB Pritzker's legislative agenda, including $182 million to help address the migrant crisis, $440 million for undocumented immigrants' health care, and increased taxes on sports betting and video gambling.
- The spending plan also expands the child tax credit from children ages 3 and under to 12 and under.
What we're watching: Stocks for sports betting giants DraftKings and FanDuel took a dip following news that the budget includes a progressive tax of up to 40% on sports betting companies, Bloomberg reported.
- Some industry insiders are speculating those companies might ditch Illinois.
Here are some other bills and funding initiatives the legislature passed:
Grocery tax
The statewide 1% grocery tax will be eliminated in January 2026.
- Lawmakers are lauding the move, which they say will relieve some of the burden inflation has put on the price of groceries.
- Yes, but: Local governments can choose to keep the tax for their municipalities, and the Illinois Municipal League estimates cutting the tax could cost the state $325 million in revenue.
Carbon capture
- As increased federal funding has created a growing industry for carbon capture pipelines, lawmakers passed a bill to better regulate the practice.
Prison Review Board
State of play: Earlier this year, the Board released on parole a man who was later charged with killing an 11-year-old and attacking the child's mother, prompting renewed calls by lawmakers for changes.
- The Democratic-led chambers broke from the governor on some key changes to the state's board, namely by opening some hearings to the public.
- A Pritzker spokesperson called the creation of an independent task force to oversee the board "an unfunded and completely unworkable mandate," the Tribune reported.
Birth Equity Initiative
- The budget includes $23 million dedicated to closing the maternal health gap. Black women in Illinois were twice as likely to die from any pregnancy-related condition and three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions as white women, according to IDPH.
- The initiative will include insurance coverage for doulas and licensed midwives in births and abortions.