Post-Session Recap, Part 2: Major Legislation

Written By Will Guzzardi

Dear Neighbor,

Today’s email is my second in a series wrapping up the spring legislative session. I shared details about the budget in my last note; this one will focus on major legislation we passed this year.

A big focus of our legislative agenda was responding to the attacks from Washington on our rights and freedoms. We passed HB 5024 prohibiting ICE detention centers from being located near parks, schools, daycares, homes or churches. We passed HB 5295 protecting reproductive health data, ensuring that if people come to Illinois seeking abortion care, those records aren’t made available in their home state where they might face punishment or even prosecution. And with the federal government’s heartless cuts to SNAP, we passed the FRESH program to provide two months of food assistance to families kicked off their benefits, as well as supporting school meals for students at nearly double the financial investment we made last year.

Lowering the cost of living was also high on the list this year. HB 228 eliminates hidden junk fees by requiring sellers of goods and services to disclose their full cost, fees included, up-front. HB 3564 tackles rent gouging by going after similar hidden fees in rental agreements, keeping landlords from charging tenants excessive application fees, and prohibiting additional costs for routine maintenance, pest abatement, after-hours maintenance requests and more. HB 4456 expands utility assistance through the LIHEAP program, helping more Illinoisans pay their gas and electric bills. And as I’ll explain in more depth next time, we finally capped increases to home and auto insurance, a fight I’ve been waging for years.

We also took further steps to rein in Big Tech. SB 3020 protects people from online harassment by addressing doxxing, deepfakes, and other new forms of harassing behavior that social media companies are failing to control. The Children’s Social Media Safety Act, HB 5511, regulates things like overnight push notifications and addictive feeds, working to keep kids from social media addiction. And SB 2427 will require every school district to adopt a policy banning cell phones in the classroom, while maintaining reasonable exceptions for safety and for kids with special needs.

All in all, it was a very productive legislative session. I’m excited for my next message, where I’ll share the big wins I had a hand in passing, including home and auto insurance regulation, discrimination protections, expanded drug treatment, and a win for trans rights.

Until then, all my best,

Will

Summer EBT

Summer EBT is back to help eligible families buy food during the summer months. Each eligible school-aged child will receive a one-time benefit of $120. Most eligible children will receive benefits automatically, while some households may need to apply.  

Visit abe.illinois.gov/sebtPortal to: 

  • Use the screener to check eligibility 

  • Find out if you need to apply 

  • Get the latest Summer EBT updates

Affordable Housing Openings

Bickerdike Apartments, LLC will be opening affordable housing waitlists for the following properties for a very limited time beginning on the following dates:

Monday, June 8 at 9:00am: 2-bedroom lists

  • Harold Washington Apartments

  • Nelson Mandela Apartments

Monday, June 15th at 9:00am: 4-bedroom lists

  • Harold Washington Apartments

  • Nuestro Pueblo Apartments

  • West Town Housing Preservation

Interested persons should submit a pre-application on-line by scanning the QR Code on the property flyer, or navigate directly to their webpage:

Please note that waitlists close very soon after opening, interested individuals should be ready to apply right at 9 am on the dates indicated above. Applicants will receive their Waitlist Number in the mail.

Applicants who do not have web access may call the Bickerdike Apartments office at 773.227.6332, and a pre-application will be mailed. The completed pre-application card must be returned by mail.  Bickerdike will not accept pre-application cards in person. No walk-ins will be accepted.

Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program

The Illinois Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (CBRAP) provides emergency rental assistance to tenants and housing providers/landlords across Illinois who have pending cases in eviction court. Eligible applicants may qualify for up to $10,000 that can be applied to past due rent, up to $700 for court costs, and up to two months' future rent to prevent housing displacement.

CBRAP is accepting new applications for a limited time beginning Wednesday, May 27, through Monday, June 22, 2026. 

Care Over Cost: Healing Toward Liberation

The People’s Lobby is hosting Care Over Cost: Healing Toward Liberation on Friday, June 12 from 5 to 9pm at St. Luke’s in Logan Square, 3325 Wrightwood Ave. Care Over Cost is oriented toward the broader public, especially those who are concerned with cuts to funding around health care and Medicaid. There will be resources, light refreshments, and an ongoing community art project, and the program will take place from 6 to 7:30pm. RSVP and find out more information here.

The Miracle Madness Basketball Tournament

The Miracle Center is hosting The Miracle Madness Basketball Tournament, a community fundraising event dedicated to furthering TMC’s mission of transforming lives through the creative arts, mentorship, workforce development, and community engagement initiatives throughout Chicago.

The event will feature a full basketball tournament experience alongside local vendors, food trucks, family-friendly activities, and a live stream of the basketball tournament taking place in our gymnasium throughout the day. 

All proceeds from this event will directly support TMC’s Arts, Media, Music, and Sports Incubator programs.

Will Guzzardi
Next

Post-Session Recap, Part 1: The State Budget