Pritzker signs bills on environmental standards, in-state tuition, climate risks
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By BEN SZALINSKI
& BRENDEN MOORE
Capitol News Illinois
Gov. JB Pritzker signed more than 60 bills since Friday, including new laws to increase transparency around rental fees and give some drivers an alternative to having their license suspended.
Rental
transparency
House Bill 3564 bans so-called “junk fees” charged by landlords and adds new layers of transparency to rental agreements.
The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, will prohibit landlords from levying fees or fines for a lease modification or renewal, an eviction notice, after-hours maintenance requests and routine maintenance, among other common scenarios.
It will also cap application and background check fees at $50 unless the actual cost of a third-party background check exceeds that. The landlord will then have to pay upfront and bill the applicant with a receipt displaying the third-party vendor cost within 14 days.
Landlords must also include a list of all nonoptional fees on the first page of the lease. Tenants aren’t obligated to pay any fee that’s not included.
Those in violation of the law are subject to civil liability.
Blue envelope program
House Bill 4472 requires the secretary of state to establish a statewide Blue Envelope Program. The voluntary program allows people on the autism spectrum to show a blue envelope to police officers that signals to the officer a person has a communication disorder. The envelope can house documents and includes instructions for both the officer and individual about how to handle the interaction.
Many police departments around the country and throughout the state already participate in the program. The law takes effect Jan. 1.
Coupons
House Bill 45 requires retailers to make digital coupons available to other customers through nondigital means. Coupons do not have to be provided in paper, but retailers must ensure the benefits are available to any qualifying customer.
Lawmakers said they filed the bill after hearing concerns from customers about not being able to access digital savings. The law takes effect Jan. 1.
Rate hike forums
House Bill 4514 gives public utility customers the right to request a public forum to discuss rate hike proposals in front of the Illinois Commerce Commission, as well as the right to submit written feedback. It takes effect Jan. 1.
Until now, customer testimony hasn’t been a protected part of the process, with speaking time limited to 3 minutes at ICC hearings and customers given no opportunity to submit written statements as part of the formal record. The new law also requires scheduling the forum on days and times to allow the greatest participation.
Public media
protections
House Bill 4420 enshrines the editorial independence of public radio and television stations affiliated with Illinois colleges and universities.
The new law shields editors and reporters from prior review by university officials. It’s essentially an extension of the protections already provided to student journalists.
According to the Illinois Public Broadcasting Council, eight colleges and universities operate radio and television stations now covered by the law, which the organization says is the first of its kind in the nation.
Diaper labeling
House Bill 4702 will require manufacturers of disposable and reusable diapers to include a list of all ingredients in order of predominance on the product packaging. The updated packaging will be required no later than July 2028.
The goal, proponents say, is to allow families to identify potential allergens.
“With clear ingredient labeling, families will be better equipped to avoid products that may contain substances they prefer not to use and make informed decisions with confidence,” said Sen. Laura Fine, D-Glenview.
Speed control
devices
Illinois drivers who have their license suspended for speeding or reckless driving violations have an alternative under House Bill 4948. Drivers who have their licenses suspended for two infractions within a 12-month period for driving 26 mph or more over the speed limit would be allowed to have a speed control device installed in their car rather than having their license suspended.
The device is programed to know the road’s speed limit and prevents the vehicle from driving any faster than it, no matter how hard the driver presses the gas pedal. It’s similar to ignition interlock devices that people convicted of drunk driving must blow in to start their car.
“This law creates a pathway for high-risk drivers to remain connected to their communities while helping ensure our roads are safe for everyone,” bill sponsor Rep. Marti Deuter, D-Elmhurst, said in a statement.
The law will take effect in 2028.
Environmental standards
House Bill 5070 bars the Illinois Pollution Control Board from adopting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules and regulations that are less stringent than existing state standards.
The board is generally required to adopt federal environmental regulations through an expedited rulemaking process when federal standards change. But the new law would prevent that in some cases amid a significant rollback of federal environmental protections initiated by President Donald Trump’s administration.
“This will ensure Illinois maintains its strong environmental protections that are legally supported and based on sound science,” said Illinois EPA Director James Jennings.
In-state tuition
More students could qualify for in-state tuition at Illinois colleges and universities under a new law.
House Bill 5093 would loosen one of the requirements for paying in-state tuition by making it available to students who attended Illinois high schools for at least three years, even if they established residency outside the state before enrolling. Noncitizens would have to begin the process of becoming a permanent U.S. resident to qualify.
The change will take effect at the start of the 2027-28 school year.
Hormone therapy
House Bill 5492 will require insurance providers to cover up to a six-month prescription of hormone therapy.
The law, one of three signed by Gov. JB Pritzker ahead of the Chicago Pride Parade, will allow patients — especially those receiving gender-affirming care — access to needed medications.
It comes as several Republican-led states and the Trump Administration are increasingly restricting access to gender-affirming care. Advocates say that a longer supply will reduce interruptions in treatment. It takes effect Jan. 1.
Minor League Baseball wages
Minor League Baseball players are no longer subject to Illinois’ minimum wage law under Senate Bill 454. The change only applies to players on the Peoria Chiefs, which is the only MiLB team in Illinois as the High-A affiliate for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, said Chiefs players are salaried, and their wages are governed by a collective bargaining agreement. He said MLB and the player’s union supported the bill, and that state law already exempts other minor league players who play on unaffiliated teams.
Swipe fees
Pritzker also signed Senate Bill 3645, a bill pushing back the effective date or end of several laws, including a controversial bill to ban swipe fees that would’ve taken effect on July 1.
The Illinois law would have prohibited financial institutions from applying an interchange fee to the tax and tip portion of bills. Banks and retailers have estimated it would affect $120 million to $200 million in revenue or more each year — to the benefit of retailers and chagrin of banks. Illinois would be the only place where such a law was implemented.
The law now won’t take effect until at least July 1, 2027, after being delayed for two straight years. It may never take effect after a federal judge issued a permanent injunction against it earlier in June.
Climate risks
Under Senate Bill 4006, insurers generally must send out cancelation and nonrenewal notices 60 days in advance — double what was previously required.
The law also requires insurers that offer fire and extended coverage that doesn’t cover flood losses to explain that in plain language. They must also say whether the company offers flood coverage and how to obtain coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program. The insurer is required to obtain a signature from the insured affirming that flood coverage options were presented and declined.
The law also requires insurers to participate in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ Climate Risk Disclosure Survey.
Maggie Dougherty contributed.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.