A look at what Illinois lawmakers passed during the spring session
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

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.
