In the second part of the summaries of new laws taking effect on January 1, 2026, I am highlighting new laws that focus on supporting farmers, environmental changes, improving business practices, and laws impacting public safety across Illinois and more. Again, these are all bills I supported (and in many cases, sponsored or co-sponsored) to benefit Illinoisans.
Part 2: New Laws Taking Effect January 1, 2026
Helping Tomorrow’s Farmers
Individuals seeking to enter Illinois’s top industry of agriculture and farming will receive valuable assistance through Senate Bill 2372 (P.A. 104-0146). This law creates a Farmland Transition Commission to examine current barriers individuals aged 25 through 40 face when trying to purchase or access farmland. The commission members must review current incentives and policies to encourage the transfer of farmland to current or prospective farmers between the ages of 25 and 40 and make recommendations on possible incentives or policies to assist these individuals in purchasing or accessing farmland.
Improved Business Practices, E-Signing
A few new laws will modernize business practices in Illinois. Among them are 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, emphasizing more secure and standardized state technology practices. It is intended to reduce confusion across agencies and strengthen accountability. SB 2044 expands the validity of web-based signatures for a wider range of transactions. It creates new levels of convenience for consumers and businesses while promoting secure verification standards.
Enhanced Consumer Protections & Fraud Prevention
Significant steps were taken this year to protect consumers from fraud and put strengthened rules in place for those who might prey on the elderly and other vulnerable groups. House Bill 1865 (P.A. 104-0055) targets predatory insurance selling practices, especially those aimed at seniors in nursing home/long-term care settings and seeks to hold bad actors accountable without burdening legitimate agents. Similarly, Senate Bill 2318 (P.A. 104-0144) ensures that FinTech companies and any others face penalties for misleading consumers into believing that they are chartered banks. The measure is designed to back honest businesses and protect consumers from dishonest schemes. Additionally, House Bill 3352 (P.A. 104-0297) prohibits collection agencies from pursuing debts obtained through coercion or abuse by providing victims with a clearer process to challenge illegitimate debt claims.
When Illinoisans with mental health issues or disability challenges are hospitalized, House Bill 3718 (P.A. 104-0327) strengthens oversight of mental health and developmental disability facilities by improving how employee misconduct is investigated, helping protect residents and reassure families and loved ones. It promotes accountability within state-run and contracted programs and should provide families and loved ones with peace of mind. House Bill 1431 (P.A. 104-0181) requires clearer disclosure when medical facilities charge separate “facility fees.” This will help patients better understand costs upfront and avoid unexpected bills. Another new law, House Bill 1597 (P.A. 104-0191), strengthens protections for residents in assisted living and nursing homes by requiring notice of significant health changes and preventing unsafe or improper discharges to help ensure seniors and people with disabilities receive appropriate care and to give families peace of mind.
Addressing Environmental Concerns
With hopes of reducing the amount of garbage in landfills, House Bill 3098 (P.A. 104-0274)
updates standards for recycling electronics by encouraging responsible disposal. It specifically includes provisions regarding education and consumer awareness requirements for electronic recycling events. It also simplifies the permit process for those who want to host an e-waste collection program. In addition, Senate Bill 2425 (P.A. 104-0148) revises regulations surrounding low-level radioactive materials with a focus on safety compliance.
Public Safety, Criminal Justice
Several new laws aim to improve public safety in 2026. Senate Bill 1195 (P.A. 104-0084) updates training standards for law enforcement by requiring the curriculum for probationary law enforcement officers to include a block of instruction addressing trauma-informed programs, procedures, and practices. Additionally, House Bill 3140 (P.A. 104-0276) supports law enforcement animals that served the state by establishing a program to ensure proper medical care for retired police K-9s.
Other new laws that address public safety and criminal justice include House Bill 3439 (P.A. 104-0307), which prioritizes child safety by strengthening background-check requirements for childcare workers, and House Bill 2690 (P.A. 104-0245) which strengthens penalties and reporting requirements for crimes involving child sexual abuse materials.
Victims of sexual assault have new avenues available to them through Senate Bill 1274 (P.A. 104-0371). This law helps victims of sexual assault flee their abusers by providing free transportation vouchers to be used for taxis and car-share services. Another new law that seeks to improve outcomes for victims is House Bill 2774 (P.A. 104-0247), which requires the Department of Human Services to establish a statewide Domestic Violence hotline for information and referrals.
Individuals with developmental disabilities will benefit from expanded outreach under Senate Bill 1548 (P.A. 104-0384), which allows the Endangered Missing Person Advisory outreach program to promote awareness directly to individuals with developmental disabilities, their communities, and the organizations that serve them. And Senate Bill 24 (P.A. 104-0339) seeks to provide families with clarity and closure by improving procedures for reporting and investigating missing persons and unidentified remains.
House Bill 1697 (P.A. 104-0027) and Senate Bill 1295 (P.A. 104-0372) enhance lifesaving capabilities during emergencies by requiring all dispatchers to be trained in how to guide callers through the steps of CPR, while House Bill 3178 (P.A. 104-0282) regulates the misuse of digital replicas of individuals for harmful or deceptive purposes by protecting personal likeness rights amid evolving technology like AI. And lastly, Senate Bill 1563 (P.A. 104-0029) strengthens property owners’ rights by making it easier to remove squatters who move in and try to occupy someone else’s home, by removing the requirement that property owners undergo a lengthy eviction process.
Laws Affecting Sportsmen/Women, Landowners, and Outdoorsmen
Outdoor enthusiasts will see new enhancements through a series of bills taking effect on January 1. House Bill 2340 (P.A. 104-0059) provides for the issuance of free landowner deer permits for landowners with at least 20 acres who live in counties where DNR has identified chronic wasting disease in the deer population. Also benefiting sportsmen/women is Senate Bill 710 (P.A. 104-0361), which loosens regulations concerning nuisance permits and landowner permits by providing for the automatic issuance of additional antlerless-only permits during the regular firearm or archery season if a landowner demonstrates proof of harvesting certain percentages. This new law also provides that Illinois resident tenants of at least 40 acres of commercial farmland can receive free deer and turkey permits to hunt only on that land, including one either-sex and one antlerless-only permit for both firearm and archery deer seasons. For boaters, Senate Bill 2179 (P.A. 104-0137) improves enforcement and encourages safer recreation by updating boat-registration procedures and safety standards.
Improving Safety for Motorists and Drivers
Motorists and cyclists will enjoy improvements that aim to improve safety on the roads. House Bill 1120 (P.A. 104-0041) helps first responders in emergencies by removing the ineffective requirement for driver’s licenses and state IDs to include space for voluntary blood-type and Rh-factor information, and Senate Bill 2075 (P.A. 104-0408) standardizes training guidelines and increases the number of training Illinois training centers for motorcycle riders.
Click here to view a full list of all new laws taking effect on January 1, 2026.
