August 29, 2025
104TH ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY:
The Illinois General Assembly remains on summer break. Both chambers return in October for a two-week Veto Session.
Upcoming Committee Hearings: The House scheduled two subject matter hearings for September. The House International Relations, Tourism, and Trade Committee will hold a hearing on September 16 at 12:30 pm in the Bilandic Building in Chicago to discuss how Illinois can respond and lead on tariff policy.
The House Gun Violence Prevention Committee will hold a hearing on September 22 at 11:00 am in the Bilandic Building in Chicago to discuss gun violence prevention and community violence intervention.
Governor’s Highlights:
The Governor has now concluded acting on all the legislation passed during the 2025 Spring Legislative Session. In total, 436 bills passed the General Assembly this spring (233 House Bills/203 Senate Bills). Of those, the Governor vetoed four bills: two total vetoes, one amendatory veto, and one line-item veto of the budget. A complete list of the new laws and veto action is available here.
Governor Responds to President's Threat to Deploy National Guard to Chicago: Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson held a press conference with community and business leaders this week, urging President Trump to refrain from deploying the National Guard in Chicago. Pritzker criticized Trump's actions as illegal and unconstitutional. The Trump administration claims the deployments are necessary to address crime and assist with federal deportation efforts. Emphasizing that there is no ongoing emergency that would justify deploying the Guard, the governor said such an action would infringe on Illinois’ sovereignty. Pritzker and Johnson noted that they have not been contacted by the White House to discuss crime prevention strategies and expressed unity among local leaders. Read more here.
Federal Immigration Enforcement Action Expected in Chicago: In a separate operation, the Trump Administration is reportedly preparing to conduct a major immigration enforcement operation in Chicago, perhaps as soon as next week. The operations are expected to be large-scale and use personnel from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and possibly other agencies. Officials reportedly are preparing the National Guard to help if a peacekeeping presence is needed. The campaign is expected to begin on September 5, although discussions are reportedly ongoing and the plan is in flux.
DOJ Demands Illinois Turn Over Voter Data: The Illinois State Board of Elections received a Labor Day deadline from the Trump administration for voter data requests. Similar data requests have been made in other states, like Wisconsin, and the Justice Department has also filed lawsuits against election officials in North Carolina and California regarding voter roll issues. Read more here.
Cronus Chemicals Will Build New Fertilizer Facility: Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced a $2 billion investment from Cronus Chemicals LLC to build a new fertilizer production facility in Tuscola, Illinois. This project, supported by an Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) agreement from DCEO, is expected to create 130 new jobs in Central Illinois.
Groundbreaking for New Fertilizer Distribution Center: Governor JB Pritzker, along with the Illinois Department of Transportation and local leaders, broke ground on a new fertilizer distribution center at the Shawneetown Regional Port District. Funded by $12.6 million from the Rebuild Illinois capital program, the project aims to enhance regional freight activity, create jobs, and improve agricultural operations by reducing travel distance to the nearest port, which should increase safety and reduce road wear.
Manner Polymers Opens Southern Illinois Facility: Governor JB Pritzker, Manner Polymers, and the Illinois DCEO held a ribbon-cutting for a new 108,000-square-foot, 100% solar-powered manufacturing facility in Mount Vernon. The plant will produce electric vehicle PVC compounds, solar panel components, and materials for various industries. This expansion will increase production capacity to 100 million pounds and create over 60 high-quality jobs in Southern Illinois.
OTHER NEWS:
2026 Election Update: Candidates continue to announce their intentions for the 2026 election cycle.
Illinois Comptroller: State Senator Karina Villa officially kicked off her campaign for Comptroller this week. She will face Representative Margaret Croke, Representative Stephanie Kifowit, and Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim in the Democratic primary.
33rd Senate District: Two more Republicans are gearing up to run to replace retiring Senator Don DeWittee. Elgin Republican Cody Holt announced his candidacy this week. Meanwhile, Danielle Penman established a campaign committee for the 33rd Senate District. They join Jessica Breugelmans and Tom McIntosh in the Republican primary.
48th Senate District: Sangamon County Recorder Frank Lesko, a Republican, announced he will challenge Democratic State Senator Doris Turner in the general election.
44th House District: Republican Ralph Black created a campaign finance committee to challenge Democratic Representative Fred Crespo. As you will recall, Crespo was ejected from the House Democratic caucus during the Spring Session for preparing an alternative budget proposal without obtaining the necessary caucus or leadership approval. This district is strongly Democratic.
74th House District: Democrat Nolan Kemp of Dixon announced he will run for Illinois state representative in the 74th District, currently represented by Republican Representative Bradley Fritts.
84th House District: Republican Brian Scopa filed campaign paperwork to run in the open 84th House District currently represented by Democrat Representative Stephanie Kifowit, who is running for Comptroller. Saba Haider is the lone Democrat running at this time. The district leans heavily democratic.
Mass Transit Fiscal Cliff: The anticipated mass transit fiscal cliff appears to have been postponed, at least temporarily. Late last week, the RTA voted to allocate $74 million to the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), delaying the CTA's expected fiscal cliff until mid-2026—several months later than originally projected. Metra's fiscal cliff is likely delayed until later in 2026, while PACE's is expected in 2027. Regional transit agencies will also benefit from a projected $150 million increase in sales tax revenue this calendar year, attributed to the state's expansion of the sales tax to include more online purchases. In 2026, sales tax revenue is expected to increase by an additional $225 million. The latest projections indicate that this revenue boost could reduce the fiscal cliff from $771 million to approximately $546 million. Although governance reforms continue to be a priority, the actions of the RTA and the increase in sales tax revenues give legislators more flexibility and time to tackle the issue. Despite this added flexibility, the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition and the Labor Alliance for Public Transportation continue to urge lawmakers to act in the upcoming October Veto Session. This week, the groups sent a letter to members of the General Assembly, urging them to act this fall.
President Signs EO to End No-Cash Bail: President Trump signed an order seeking to ban no-cash bail nationwide, but Illinois advocates say he cannot force changes to state policy. Illinois, which ended cash bail two years ago, faces federal funding threats from the administration. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was given 30 days to identify affected states.
AG Raoul Petitions FDA to Remove Abortion Medication Restrictions: Attorney General Kwame Raoul, along with a coalition of 17 attorneys general and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, urged the FDA to remove restrictions on mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions. They submitted evidence highlighting the safety of medication abortion and the burdens created by the FDA's restrictions, particularly affecting access in rural and underserved areas. This filing supports a citizen petition from Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, and New York submitted on June 5, aiming to eliminate unnecessary barriers to accessing this medication.
AG Raoul Secures Release of Federal Education Funds: Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced an agreement that requires the Trump administration to release approximately $219 million in education funds owed to Illinois by October 3. The federal money funds various programs, such as after-school enrichment and support for students learning English. Raoul filed a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration on July 14, challenging the decision to freeze funding for six programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The coalition argued that the freeze was unconstitutional, unlawful, and violated federal funding regulations, as well as principles of federal budgeting and the separation of powers.
Report Details the Role of Illinois Manufacturing: A recent report states that Illinois manufacturers exported almost $69 billion in goods to global markets last year, resulting in economic investment and job creation throughout the state. The study, conducted by the Midwest Manufacturing Association in collaboration with the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, examines the impact of international trade on the economy. It shows that trade enables manufacturers to reach a wider range of customers, expand their operations, and acquire materials or components that are not available locally. The release of the report coincides with the 2025 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, where manufacturing accounts for half of the area’s GDP, underscoring the connection between agriculture and manufacturing. The report also indicates that the Midwest is increasingly dependent on imports to meet domestic needs. Canada and Mexico remain leading sources, accounting for about $321 billion in imported goods in 2024. Asian countries, including China, supplied $278 billion in imports to the Midwest, with $99 billion coming from China alone.
Ameren Illinois Seeks Approval to Build New Transmission Lines: The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), along with Invenergy and consumer groups, is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject a petition from Ameren Illinois that seeks approval for approximately $1.9 billion in transmission projects. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) and Exelon argue that whether Ameren has the right of first refusal (ROFR) to build these lines should be decided by the courts.
