March 14, 2025 State Capitol Report

While only the House was in Springfield this week, the legislative activity was considerable. More bills were discussed in committees this week than any prior. With the committee deadline fast approaching we expect even more legislative action next week. Below are highlights of the bills discussed this week, along with updates on Your Illinois REALTORS® Housing Stability & Affordability Initiative.

Illinois REALTORS® Housing Stability & Affordability Initiative

Learn more about the “Housing Stability & Affordability Initiative” at www.illinoisrealtors.org/housing.

Two of the five bills from our package scheduled to be deliberated in the House Housing Committee this week were held back by the Chair for further discussion.

Through a collaboration with House Democratic Leaders, Rep. Kam Buckner (HB 1709 sponsor) and Rep. Bob Rita (HB 1813 sponsor), both HB1709 and HB1813 now have identical language with HB 183 moving forward through legislative process. It was assigned to the House Housing Committee. HB 1813 aims to be the first of many steps needed to remove unnecessary barriers to housing availability and development. The bill creates the “Local Accessory Dwelling Unit Act” to balance the need for more housing while ensuring safety standards. Under the direction of municipalities, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) offer a quick, affordable housing solution due to their size and ability to increase housing density without raising the cost of living dramatically.

Your Illinois REALTOR® leadership, executives and the state legislative team are excited at the opportunity to present on just one component of the “Housing Stability and Affordability Initiative” and believe this small step on ADUs will have a great impact on boosting the inventory of affordable housing units. Please be ready for a REALTORS® member action request regarding HB 1813 next week. Until then, the message stays the same to all elected officials in Illinois – WE NEED MORE HOUSING! HB 1813 might be called for a hearing as soon as this Wednesday, March 19 in the House Housing Committee.

HB 1814 is another one of the five bills included in Your Illinois REALTORS® “Housing Stability & Affordability Initiative.” This legislation doesn’t just tackle density head-on; it combats negative gentrification and the implicit segregation that can be caused by traditional zoning practices. HB 1814 provides for moderate increases in neighborhood density, without dramatic increases in the cost of living – or positive gentrification (the type that does not displace current residents, redefine the character of neighborhoods, or cause surrounding property values to increase at an unhealthy pace). By allowing more housing types on larger lots, developers and builders can design middle housing to meet the needs of tomorrow’s home buyers, while reducing sprawl and costly land acquisition costs. House Democratic leaders strongly back HB 1814. Several of them have signed onto the bill as “Chief Co-Sponsors.”

Legislators from both parties understand the need to remove long-standing zoning barriers to allow for the long overdue “missing middle” types of housing to be built in areas that historically have only allowed for one specific type of housing. HB 1814 might be discussed in the House Housing Committee as soon as this Wednesday, March 19 at 10 am. If so, Your Illinois REALTORS® will be presenting and testifying in SUPPORT of the passage of sensible zoning, which is HB 1814. If you receive a Call For Action for HB 1814, please contact your legislator and urge the elected official to “Vote Yes” in committee for HB 1814.

Bills of Interest

The following pieces of legislation are bills your Illinois REALTORS® State Legislative Team are currently actively engaged in and saw legislative action this week.

HB 1843 amends the Zoning Division of the Illinois Municipal Code by removing a provision that currently grants municipalities the authority to regulate and restrict the use of property on the basis of family relationship. HB 1843 also provides that zoning powers of a municipality may not be used in any way that violates or otherwise contradicts any other applicable state or federal law, including the federal Fair Housing Act. Illinois REALTORS® SUPPORTS this initiative. The bill passed the House Housing Committee on Wednesday and will be favorably reported to the House floor.

The Week Ahead

As previously mentioned, we are expecting legislative action to drastically increase in the next week. Below are bills that will require the attention of your State Legislative Team next week.

Due to the massive and blatant infringement on private property rights, Illinois REALTORS® have historically been OPPOSED to bills like. HB 1873 (Navigable Waters). If passed, it would go against Illinois common law and an Illinois Supreme Court decision. Illinois common law has recognized the distinction between property boundaries on a lake versus a river or a stream of over 100 years. Also, the Illinois common law of “reasonable use” does not apply to the use of surface water to enter the property of another “riparian” owner but instead applies to “direct consumptive or diversionary uses of the water” of riparian owners. The circuit court, appellate court and Illinois Supreme court ruled that there is neither a precedent nor Illinois common law that grants a riparian owner on a non-navigable river or stream the right to use that waterway to cross the property of another riparian owner, without that owner’s permission. HB 1873 includes provisions that allow the public access to riparian owner’s private property, IF the original entrance to the connected waterway was done through a public access point. Your Illinois REALTORS® is part of a multi-organizational coalition that strongly OPPOSES HB 1873. The bill is expected to be heard on Tuesday, March 18 in the House Energy and Environment Committee.

HB 2729 is a “companion” bill to HB 1873 (Navigable Waters) and creates the Riparian Protection and Water Quality Practices Act. This new Act would require landowners who own property adjacent to a water body be identified and mapped on a buffer-protection map to maintain a buffer to protect the state’s water resources. HB 2729 also includes provisions for the installation of specific types of buffers, as well as timelines for the completion of installations. Your Illinois REALTORS® OPPOSES HB 2729. The bill is posted for discussion in the House Agriculture and Conservation Committee on Tuesday, March 18 at 2pm.

Your Illinois REALTORS® is part of a large multi-industry coalition that strongly OPPOSES this bill. SB 2401 attempts to undo a Supreme Court decision exempting various wetlands and streams from being under EPA’s jurisdiction. Illinois REALTORS®  concerns were with the language regarding restrictions and requirements of residential development on private property. SB 2401 is an attempt to fill possible gaps in the protection of certain wetlands after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government overreached in the exercise of its authority in the case Sackett v. EPA in 2023. These wetlands, referred to as non-jurisdictional wetlands because they do not fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are oftentimes hard to identify, have minimal impact on drainage or environmental quality, and have the potential to impact virtually every sector of the economy if regulated in an ineffective manner.

We firmly OPPOSE this legislation due to the belief that passing this bill will create a serious threat to the use of private property in Illinois by imposing restrictions on landowners to do anything on their property that would affect any body of water.

SB 2401 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and is scheduled for a hearing on Wednesday, March 19.

SB 1955 amends the Code of Civil Procedure. It provides that in the Eviction Article the term “impounded” has the meaning ascribed to the term in the Court Record and Document Accessibility Act. In that Article, it replaces the term “seal” with “impound.” The bill is an initiative of the Chicago Bar Association to codify changes in criminal terminology into Illinois’ Civil Code. Illinois REALTORS® OPPOSES SB 1955 due to one very problematic section that can be found in the final paragraph of the 58-page bill. Sec (b-5) would change Illinois’s Civil Code to allow sealing or “impounding” of eviction files “upon agreement” of all parties. Even with the language stating “upon agreement” SB1955 and in particular section (b-5) is an attempt to prevent the public from being able to see a perspective tenants’ eviction records. Your Illinois REALTORS® does not disagree with the bill’s intent or any other section of SB1955 and believe that removing Sec (b-5) would not deter or diminish the overall legislative intent in any way. Illinois REALTORS® appreciates the sponsor’s partnership on this issue and will continue to work to clarify this language to ensure future landlords have an opportunity to view eviction records. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and could possibly be heard on Wednesday, March 19.

Next Week At-A-Glance

Members of both the House and Senate will be back in Springfield and both chambers are up against a Friday, March 21 deadline for bills to get out of committee and be considered on their perspective floors. Your Illinois REALTORS® State Legislative Team remains focused on advancing the “Housing Stability & Affordability Initiative” and being strongly engaged all on legislation concerning the real estate industry. Make sure the collective REALTOR® Voice is heard by staying up to date on all the important REALTOR® initiatives and information you will need. As always… stay tuned!

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