Happy Holidays! We are reaching the end of another year, and over the next few weeks I hope you are able to spend quality time with family, friends, and other loved ones.
As always, it is my privilege to serve you in the Illinois Senate, and my office is always available to assist if you have an issue with a state agency or department or if you want to express an opinion on a piece of legislation.
From all of us on Team Lewis, we wish you a very happy holiday season and a prosperous new year!
New Laws Taking Effect January 1, 2026 Part 1
As Illinoisans prepare to ring in the New Year, 292 new laws are set to take effect on January 1, 2026. This is part 1 of a two-part write-up of some of the more noteworthy laws that will officially come online as we enter the new year.
These new laws cover a wide variety of topics, including policies that impact students, enhance educational opportunities, improve public health and healthcare access, support veterans, and more. They are all bills that I supported and championed for the people of Illinois. Let’s get to it!
Improvements to Education for Students and Families
Several new laws are taking effect that relate to K-12 education in Illinois schools. House Bill 2801 (P.A. 104-0249) requires ISBE to create a list of approved opportunities related to CTE career pathways. Similarly, House Bill 2802 (104-0250) allows students to have excused absences to participate in Supervised Career Development Experiences that are approved instead of directed by a teacher, allowing students to more easily receive excused absences for FFA events, career and technical education-related events, and national youth organizations’ events.
Other new laws that seek to enhance educational opportunities include House Bill 3026 (P.A. 104-0266), House Bill 3039 (P.A. 104-0267), and Senate Bill 1920 (P.A. 104-0399). HB 3026 aims to improve dual-language program quality by refining implementation standards, while HB 3039 expands what scenarios 7th or 8th graders can complete courses that can count toward required high school credits. SB 1920 encourages schools to collect teaching resources to properly implement American Sign Language (ASL) course standards while expanding access to ASL as a recognized language option.
Parents and guardians of students with special needs will benefit starting January 1 from a new law that strengthens their involvement and oversight. House Bill 1366 (P.A. 104-0047) improves notification and communication requirements so parents receive timely notice about special education services and meetings. It also provides that information be shared that states a parent or guardian is allowed to bring other people with knowledge of the child to the IEP meeting. Similarly, through House Bill 3500 (P.A. 104-0314), parents and guardians will receive information regarding ABLE savings accounts for their students with 504 Plans. This will help families better understand financial tools available to them.
Regarding safety in the classroom, two new laws seek to improve processes and protective measures. Senate Bill 1329 (P.A.104-0373) allows the State Superintendent of Education to notify a school when an employee is being investigated for an alleged act of misconduct that constitutes a threat to the safety of students, including serious physical injury, sexual misconduct, or a sex or other offense involving drugs. Additionally, House Bill 1787 (P.A. 104-0198) ensures substitute teachers receive basic training related to school safety drills to improve consistency in emergency preparedness.
At the higher education level, students will have enhanced access to mental health services through House Bill 3385 (P.A. 104-0303). This new law requires each public university or community college to provide licensed mental health professionals either in a part-time, on-campus capacity or a full-time on or off-campus capacity.
Insurance Changes
Key constituent groups will benefit from changes coming to the Insurance Code in 2026. House Bill 2464 (P.A. 104-0060) helps families avoid high medical expenses by requiring coverage for neonatal intensive care from a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating facility at no greater out-of-pocket cost than with a participating provider or facility, as long as the care is for emergency services. For older Illinoisans, House Bill 3328 (P.A. 104-0295) establishes pre-admission cognitive assessment requirements for assisted living facilities with Alzheimer’s units to ensure accurate evaluation of cognitive impairments. And Senate Bill 69 (P.A. 104-0068) requires insurance companies to cover therapeutic horseback riding services for qualifying individuals with disabilities. This newer form of therapy helps with the engagement of sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems.
Improvements to Public Health and Healthcare Access
Several new laws related to Public Health and Healthcare Access seek to improve outcomes for Illinoisans in need of support. House Bill 57 (P.A. 104-0037) ensures individuals with disabilities living in CILAs can designate an essential support person who may visit even during public emergencies, while Senate Bill 1491 (P.A. 104-0106) strengthens crisis intervention response by certifying law enforcement therapy dog teams. House Bill 1287 (P.A. 104-0172) improves emergency preparedness by adding long-term care facilities licensed under the Nursing Home Care Act to the list of facilities that must maintain accessible automated external defibrillators (AED). For individuals who choose to be organ donors, House Bill 1616 (P.A. 104-0193) removes barriers to organ donation by extending donor leave protections to part-time public employees, which were previously available only to full-time employees, allowing up to 10 days of leave within a 12-month period.
House Bill 2462 (P.A. 104-0229), known as Dillon’s Law, expands community readiness to address severe allergic reactions by allowing trained individuals to carry and administer epinephrine auto-injectors in emergencies. Additionally, House Bill 2874 (P.A. 104-0252) seeks to reduce illegal drug manufacturing by tightening regulations surrounding the sale of ephedrine-related products. House Bill 3645 (P.A. 104-0321) enhances the tracking of the opioid epidemic by requiring EMS providers to report opioid overdoses to the state in a standardized format, and Senate Bill 1238 (P.A. 104-0369) encourages safer and less-addictive pain management options by requiring medical providers to give patients information on non-opioid treatment options.
Vulnerable populations will benefit from enhanced training requirements for guardians through House Bill 2562 (P.A. 104-0237). New training requirements for guardians of adults with disabilities will now have two components: one for guardians of the person and another for guardians of the disabled person’s estate. Illinoisans on hospice care will have easier access to their prescriptions through House Bill 3849 (P.A. 104-0336), which allows authorized employees of an organization providing hospice care to pick up prescriptions on behalf of patients.
Finally, parents will have increased awareness of possible metal toxins in baby food through Senate Bill 73 (P.A. 104-0345). This new law requires stricter testing and transparency regarding heavy metals in baby foods by requiring that manufacturers of baby food test each production batch of baby food for toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.
Supporting our Veterans
Action was taken in the legislature this year to support veterans and enhance their access to services. Senate Bill 32 (P.A. 104-0067) reduces barriers that veterans may face when trying to qualify for and access SNAP benefits by providing that households including veterans or armed forces members should be categorically eligible for SNAP benefits if their gross income is at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines. Similarly, Senate Bill 2175 (P.A. 104-0136) improves veterans’ access to healthcare by providing that veterans who are employed receive four paid days per year to receive medical care authorized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at any type of health care provider or health care facility (rather than permitted four days per year to visit a veterans hospital or clinic). And lastly, House Bill 2572 (P.A. 104-0238) supports families who have sacrificed for the country by expanding eligibility for scholarship grants to dependents of veterans.
Improving Women’s Health
Comprehensive changes are coming in the area of women’s health. New laws related to insurance changes include House Bill 5282 (P.A. 103-0701), which improves maternal health protections for new mothers by extending certain pregnancy- and postpartum-related healthcare coverages. House Bill 5295 (P.A. 103-0703) broadens insurance coverage for hormone-therapy to treat menopause, and House Bill 4180 (P.A. 103-0808) helps with early detection of breast cancer for women with dense breast tissue by requiring insurance coverage for enhanced breast imaging for those at higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Other new laws that benefit women’s health include House Bill 2688 (P.A. 104-0244), which increases access to maternity care options by clarifying and expanding scope-of-practice rules for certified midwives.
Addressing the Crime of Human Trafficking
Several strides were made in the ongoing battle against human trafficking. Senate Bill 1422 (P.A. 104-0099) seeks to improve early intervention by enhancing training for frontline workers to recognize trafficking indicators. House Bill 2602 (P.A. 104-0241) provides enhanced protection by extending the statute of limitations for certain trafficking-related crimes. Victims of human trafficking will also have access to several new programs as they move into recovery. Senate Bill 2323 (P.A. 104-0159) enhances Illinois’ response to human trafficking by streamlining support services and enhancing coordination among state agencies. House Bill 1302 (P.A. 104-0173) amends the Rights of Crime Victims and Witnesses Act to enhance victim rights and reporting procedures for criminal sexual assault and domestic violence cases.