A series of new laws will take effect in Illinois on January 1, 2026, addressing issues such as agriculture, business practices, consumer protection, environmental concerns, public safety, and outdoor activities.
One notable measure is Senate Bill 2372 (P.A. 104-0146), which establishes a Farmland Transition Commission. This commission will examine the barriers that individuals aged 25 to 40 face when trying to purchase or access farmland. The group is tasked with reviewing current incentives and policies and recommending ways to help these individuals enter the agricultural sector.
Business practices are also set for modernization with House Bill 1631 (P.A. 104-0195) and Senate Bill 2044 (P.A. 104-0406). HB 1631 clarifies the Department of Innovation and Technology’s authority over state technology practices, aiming for more secure and standardized procedures across agencies. SB 2044 expands the validity of web-based signatures for various transactions, increasing convenience while maintaining security standards.
Several laws focus on protecting consumers from fraud. House Bill 1865 (P.A. 104-0055) targets predatory insurance sales tactics aimed at seniors in care facilities. Senate Bill 2318 (P.A. 104-0144) penalizes companies that mislead consumers into believing they are chartered banks. House Bill 3352 (P.A. 104-0297) prohibits collection agencies from pursuing debts obtained through coercion or abuse by giving victims clearer ways to challenge illegitimate claims.
House Bill 3718 (P.A. 104-0327) strengthens oversight at mental health and developmental disability facilities by improving investigations into employee misconduct. House Bill 1431 (P.A. 104-0181) requires medical facilities to disclose “facility fees” more clearly to patients, while House Bill 1597 (P.A. 104-0191) mandates notice of significant health changes for residents in assisted living or nursing homes.
Environmental measures include House Bill 3098 (P.A. 104-0274), which updates electronic recycling standards and encourages responsible disposal through education efforts and streamlined permitting for e-waste events; and Senate Bill 2425 (P.A. 104-0148), which revises regulations around low-level radioactive materials with a focus on safety compliance.
Public safety legislation includes Senate Bill 1195 (P.A. 104-0084), updating training requirements for law enforcement officers to include trauma-informed instruction; House Bill 3140 (P.A 104‑0276), establishing medical care programs for retired police K‑9s; as well as bills strengthening background checks for childcare workers and increasing penalties related to child sexual abuse materials.
Senate Bill 1274 (P.A 104‑0371) provides free transportation vouchers for sexual assault victims fleeing abusers, while House Bill 2774 (P.A 104‑0247) requires a statewide Domestic Violence hotline be established by the Department of Human Services.
Other measures expand outreach under missing person advisories to those with developmental disabilities, improve reporting on missing persons cases, require dispatcher CPR training during emergencies, regulate digital replicas used deceptively via new technology like AI, strengthen property owners’ rights regarding squatters, enhance permit processes for landowners hunting deer or turkey on their own land, update boat registration rules for safer recreation, remove outdated information from driver’s licenses regarding blood type disclosure in emergencies, and standardize motorcycle rider training guidelines across more centers statewide.
Harriss was elected as a Republican state senator representing Illinois’s 56th Senate District in 2023, succeeding Kris Tharp.
