April 17, 2026 State Capitol Report

REALTOR® Day 2026

On Tuesday, April 14, nearly 800 REALTORS® from across Illinois came together in Springfield for REALTOR® Day 2026, demonstrating a unified voice in support of housing policy and the REALTOR® advocacy agenda. Those in attendance heard from an impactful lineup of speakers, including Governor JB Pritzker, Speaker of the House Emanuel “Chris” Welch, and keynote speaker Adam Kinzinger, and then took their message directly to lawmakers.

The morning kicked off with Illinois REALTORS® President Jeff Kolbus, who welcomed Speaker of the House Chris Welch. Speaker Welch praised our association’s advocacy work and emphasized the critical need for increased housing throughout Illinois.

Governor JB Pritzker followed with a rare public address, unveiling the REALTOR® supported BUILD Plan (Building Up Illinois Developments), which includes several key proposals on ADUs and zoning flexibility your Illinois REALTORS® has advocated for the past five years. BUILD is a bold, comprehensive proposal to accelerate homebuilding, strengthen communities, and ensure every Illinois resident has a place to call home.

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Former Congressman and political commentator Adam Kinzinger brought passion, honesty, and a dose of real-world leadership as this year’s keynote speaker. He challenged REALTORS® to remain engaged in shaping policy that affects homebuyers and communities alike.

Illinois REALTORS® CEO Jeff Baker closed the morning session by rallying attendees around the BUILD Plan message: Illinois faces a housing crisis—and REALTORS® are at the forefront of the solution. The group then left the BOS Convention Center and took to the State Capitol, showing up as REALTORS® united with one voice to advocate for our housing agenda with state legislators across the state.

This year a record number of State Legislative Contacts (SLCs), 144 in total, lead their delegations and reported invaluable feedback from meetings. These insights will help guide our Statehouse Governmental Affairs Team as they continue working with legislators to gain support for the BUILD Plan.

Bad Bills Stopped This Week

HB 3526 (A. Rashid) – Rent Control

Illinois REALTORS® joined coalition partners to oppose all forms of rent control in Illinois. This year’s bill, which sought to allow rent control in mobile home parks, passed out of the Housing Committee but failed to advance in the House. The bill has been stopped for this session.

HB 3596 (A. Moeller) – Wetlands Regulation

Illinois REALTORS® continues to oppose legislation that would impose broad regulations on any accumulation of water on private property. This bill was so broad that it could include small puddles. With three government agencies opposed (Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IL EPA) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)) along with a University of Illinois wetlands study still pending and significant issues unresolved, this bill also stalled and will not advance this session.

HB 5394 (K. Olickal) – Credit Score Restrictions

This measure sought to prevent landlords from accessing credit scores for tenants using housing vouchers. Due to parity requirements in the Illinois Human Rights Act, the bill would have effectively eliminated the ability for landlords to use credit scores as a tool to evaluate financial solvency to determine if a prospective tenant could afford the rental property. Thanks to the work of your Illinois REALTORS® Governmental Affairs Team, the bill was stopped before reaching a House vote.

Six Weeks Left in Session

Of the more than 350 bills initially flagged as harmful to REALTORS®, nearly all have now been amended or stopped. With six weeks remaining before the scheduled adjournment on May 31, 2026, our focus will remain fixed on advancing the BUILD Plan and supporting smart housing policy across Illinois.

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