May 9, 2025 State Capitol Report

The House and the Senate spent this past week meeting its deadline for passing bills to the other chamber for consideration. Each day, your Illinois REALTORS® state legislative team spent long, grueling hours identifying and ensuring that “simple” amendments did not result in bad policy as well as defending against problematic legislation and averting dead issues from being revived. All the while, your Illinois REALTORS® team also worked to advance the initiatives contained in our Housing Stability and Affordability package. Below are the highlights of this week’s legislation.

Illinois REALTORS® Housing Stability & Affordability Initiative

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

Bills of Interest

The following “Bills of Interest” saw legislative action this week.

HB 3566 amends the Eviction Article of the Code of Civil Procedure to seal an eviction file if a minor has been named. Requires dismissal of a complaint in its entirety against all defendants if the complaint names a defendant who is a minor at the time of filing. Provides that in a case in which a minor was specifically name shall be immediately sealed. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits a party from filing an action against any defendants who otherwise may be properly named. The Illinois REALTORS® State Legislative Team have been actively involved with this legislation for the entirety of the 2025 Spring Session, and upon REALTORS® request, an amendment was filed removing an automated process for defendants to recover court costs, attorney fees and punitive damages. The bill passed out of the Senate Judiciary committee Wednesday on a 8-1-0 vote and will be sent to the Senate floor for final passage. Illinois Realtors® are NEUTRAL on HB 3566.

Senate Committee Amendment 1 (SA1) to HB 3616 replaces everything after the enacting clause and amends the Affordable Housing Planning and Appeals Act by adding provisions that require the Illinois Department of Housing Authority (IDHA) to collect data and calculations in order to establish records of available inventory of qualified housing available in each municipality that would be considered “missing middle” housing defined by Average Median Income (AMI) parameters. Inventory collected will be properties included in existing IHDA established programs. Illinois REALTORS® do not have a position on the bill and continue to monitor this legislation. HB 3616 – (SA1) Passed out of Senate Judiciary and was placed on order of 2nd Reading in the Senate.

Senate Floor Amendment 1 (SA1) to SB 2264 replaces everything after the enacting clause creating a new bill that restricts local ordinances that would result in an eviction or lease non-renewal for contacting the police or others for emergency assistance. The bill also restricts the eviction of any tenant for criminal activity the person did not perpetrate; association with another tenant or person (unless it’s unlawful under state law); or an arrest record, as required by the Illinois Human Rights Act. SB 2264 (SA1) bans local government penalties on a landlord for not imposing or not threatening a tenant based on any of the above factors, including language in lease provisions. The bill also states that for any evictions that are a result of a municipalities Crime Free or nuisance property programs, the local government must provide the tenant with a 30-day written notice and an opportunity for an appeal to be heard. SA1 to SB 2264 would also require local governments to complete an annual assessment of enforcement of existing housing programs. SA1 to SB 2264 mirrors language included in Illinois REALTORS® supported initiative HB 3110, prohibiting mandated Crime Free Housing programs and is a direct result of REALTORS® continued advocacy efforts in addressing this pressing problematic housing issue. SB 2264 (SA1) has been posted for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary committee Wednesday, May 14. Illinois Realtors® SUPPORTS this legislation.

HB 1083 amends the Rights of Married Persons Act regarding legal documentation by changing all terminology is the statute that refers to married persons as “husband”, “wife” and “husband and wife” and replacing it with “married couple”, “spouse in a marriage” and “spouse”. HB 1083 passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 5-3-0 vote and will be sent to the Senate floor for final passage. Illinois REALTORS® are NEUTRAL on this legislation.

Next Week At-A-Glance

Only three weeks remain on the calendar for scheduled session days and substantiative bills since the last week of May being reserved for strictly budgetary matters. As the end of session nears, your State Legislative Team has a lot of work just beginning, with several pieces of legislation still needing to either go through the legislative process and be acted upon or negotiations and agreements to address problematic language. It should be an action-packed final couple of weeks and as always…Stay Tuned!!!

Thank you for reading the May 9, 2025 State Capitol Report. Click here to read previous reports.