In 2023, Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail. Since then, crime trends have moved unevenly, corrections and courts have absorbed a structural shift toward supervision, and more than 90 public-safety bills are pending in Springfield this session. This page walks through the SAFE-T Act, what the crime data actually shows, drugs and firearms, corrections and courts, law enforcement and emergency response, and current legislation.
Public safety encompasses the services and infrastructure designed to safeguard communities and prevent harm. In Illinois, it operates as a connected system: decisions made at each stage, from a 911 call to a courtroom to a cell block, shape outcomes at every other stage.
Public safety is not one agency; it spans law enforcement, courts, corrections, emergency communications, and public health prevention, each feeding into the next.
As the state's primary law enforcement agency, the Illinois State Police (ISP) operates specialized units and support services on top of county and municipal policing.
Source: Illinois State Police.
The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act was enacted in 2021. Its pretrial provision, the Pretrial Fairness Act (PFA), took effect on September 18, 2023, eliminating cash bail statewide and replacing it with a risk-based pretrial framework.
Illinois enacted the SAFE-T Act, a broad criminal justice reform package that included pretrial detention reform, policing reforms, body camera requirements, and detainee rights, alongside broader decarceration goals.
The Act's pretrial provision took effect statewide. Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail, moving from a money-based release system to one based on risk and compliance.
Researchers at Loyola University Chicago's Center for Criminal Justice published the first systematic look at detention rates, case composition, and county-level practices under the new law.
Source: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA); Illinois Policy Institute.
| Category | What Qualifies |
|---|---|
| Detainable Offenses | Non-probationable offenses, forcible felony, stalking, violations of an order of protection, domestic battery, sex offenses, any attempt of the above, and willful flight. The State may request detention if the defendant poses a safety or flight risk that no conditions can reduce. |
| Non-Detainable Offenses | Certain lower-level battery offenses, theft and property offenses, traffic offenses, business offenses, and Class A, B, and C misdemeanors. Defendants are generally released with a notice to appear. |
Source: Illinois Policy Institute; SAFE-T Act (Public Act 101-652).
Being detention-eligible does not mean detention occurs. Actual detention depends on charge severity, judicial decisions, and county-level practices, which vary significantly across Illinois's 102 counties.
Source: Loyola University Chicago Center for Criminal Justice, One Year of Bail Reform in Illinois.
Source: Civic Federation, Illinois Criminal Justice Agency Budget Requests for FY2023 Reflect SAFE-T Act Implementation.
Illinois public safety trends are improving overall, but the improvement is uneven by offense type and geography. The focused question isn't simply whether Illinois is "safe" or "unsafe"; it's where the system is still under the most pressure and demand.
From 2024 to 2025, homicide declined 25.0%, burglary declined 43.6%, and robbery declined 33.4%. Drug/narcotic offenses moved the other direction, rising 9.7% to nearly 40,000 reported offenses; pornography offenses rose 4.75% as well.
All 2025 data is preliminary from FBI/Illinois NIBRS reporting. Source: Illinois Uniform Crime Reporting (ilucr.nibrs.com).
In Illinois, aggravated assault made up a smaller share of violent crime (50.6%) than nationally (71.3%), while robbery (31.2% vs. 16.9%) and rape (16.2% vs. 10.4%) made up larger shares. Illinois's overall crime rate remained below the national average in 2024.
Illinois was compared against Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, California, and the national baseline across monthly per-100,000-population rates in 2024 and 2025. State-to-state comparisons should be read cautiously, since offense definitions, reporting practices, and charging standards vary.
Illinois consistently ranked near the low end of the comparison group in 2024–2025, generally 9–14 incidents per 100,000 monthly. Missouri and California reported the highest rates.
Illinois generally ranked among the higher comparison states in 2024 (0.3–0.6 per 100,000 monthly), tracking near Indiana and Texas in 2025 while trending downward late in the year.
Illinois generally remained in the middle of the comparison group in 2024, and among the higher reported-rate states in 2025 at roughly 3–4 incidents per 100,000 monthly.
Illinois remained among the higher comparison states through 2024–2025, generally 7–9 per 100,000 monthly in 2024, behind only California, which reported the highest rates throughout.
Illinois was among the higher comparison states in 2024 (19–27 per 100,000 monthly), then shifted to the lower-to-middle range in 2025, below California, Texas, and Missouri.
Source: FBI Crime Data Explorer; Council of State Governments Justice Center, Justice Data Snapshots.
| Category | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Crime | Improving | Statewide movement generally follows national declines. |
| Violent Crime | Mixed | Several categories improved, but homicide remains a key concern. |
| Property Crime | Improving | Declines are visible, although burglary still holds demand on the system. |
| Robbery | Elevated | Illinois remains high relative to some Midwest peers. |
| Drug/Narcotic Offenses | Increasing | Moving against the broader statewide decline. |
| County Variation | Significant | Some counties increased despite statewide improvement. |
Fentanyl-driven overdose deaths, impaired driving, and firearm possession offenses each place distinct, sustained demands on Illinois's public safety and public health systems.
The sharp increase beginning in 2020 aligns with the rise of synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl. Nationally, fentanyl deaths rose from roughly 30,000 in 2017 to more than 70,000 in 2022–2023, while methamphetamine and cocaine overdoses more than doubled over the same period — a shift toward synthetic and multi-drug use that Illinois trends mirror.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health, Semiannual Overdose Report; CDC National Vital Statistics System.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or other substances, or with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Risk is concentrated among drivers ages 21–34, and arrest trends remain steady year over year.
Source: Illinois Secretary of State, Rules of the Road / DUI data; Responsibility.org.
A Firearm Owner's Identification (FOID) Card is required to legally possess or purchase firearms and ammunition in Illinois, administered by ISP under the FOID Act (430 ILCS 65) and issued after a background check.
Illegal possession, "unlawful use of a weapon" not necessarily involving a violent act toward a victim, accounts for 72% of the state's firearm convictions. Use of a firearm in a violent crime (robbery, assault, criminal sexual assault) makes up 22%, and unlawful discharge makes up 6%. Despite an overall 38% drop in other prison admissions between 2014 and 2019, firearm possession admissions rose 27% over the same period.
In Cook County specifically, illegal firearm possession offenses grew from 12% of all prison admissions in 2014 to 27% in 2019, more than doubling their share even as overall admissions fell, indicating a system focus on possession offenses rather than violent gun use.
The Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) manages individuals convicted of felony offenses, courts determine who enters or exits the system, and behavioral health and child welfare needs run through nearly every stage.
Admissions have not returned to pre-2020 levels, with the SAFE-T Act (2023) reinforcing a structural shift toward fewer prison entries. COVID-19 caused a major decline in pretrial detention under the old cash bail system, and detention levels had not fully returned to pre-pandemic patterns before the PFA took effect. Courts remain the central decision point: circuit courts handle pretrial matters, facts, and sentencing; appellate courts review legal decisions; and the Supreme Court provides final oversight.
Source: John Howard Association of Illinois; Loyola CCJ Prison Data Dashboards.
| Court-Related Fund | Purpose | 2024 Revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Court Automation Fund | Automated system for court records | $21,817,367 |
| Court Document Storage Fund | Storage of court records | $21,229,123 |
| County Law Library Fund | Maintains law libraries for judges, attorneys, and the public | $9,093,540 |
| Circuit Court Clerk Operations | Offsets costs of collecting and disbursing funds | $7,003,758 |
| Traffic & Criminal Conviction Surcharge | Training for law enforcement and corrections officers | $6,280,172 |
| County Fund to Finance Court System | Helps finance the court system in the county | $5,294,895 |
| Violent Crime Victims Assistance | Supports victim and witness assistance centers | $4,085,712 |
| Drug Treatment Fund | Treatment programs for addiction | $3,049,166 |
| Drivers Education Fund | Supports drivers education in high schools | $1,611,807 |
| Trauma Center Fund | Supports Illinois trauma centers | $1,531,645 |
| Child Support (pass-through) | Court-ordered payments collected and disbursed by circuit clerks | $914,691,164 |
Revenue collected by circuit clerks, 2024. Child support is a pass-through disbursement, not agency operating revenue, and is shown separately for that reason. State law now allows waivers of many fines, fees, and assessments, which has reduced this revenue over the last decade. Source: Illinois Courts, State and Local Funding for the Illinois Courts.
Mental health and substance use disorders are significantly more common among justice-involved individuals than in the general population, and treatment access remains limited at nearly every stage.
About 63% of jail inmates have co-occurring substance use disorders, and roughly 89% of Illinois prisoners report experiencing traumatic events in their lifetime. An estimated 7–10% of all police-citizen interactions involve a mental health disorder, and 68% of Illinois police and sheriffs rank mental health crisis response among their top-3 community priorities. Yet only 63% of individuals with a history of mental health disorder received treatment in prison (2011–2013), and just 45% of those jailed received treatment (2011–2012). Individuals with a mental health disorder on parole are nearly twice as likely to be reincarcerated within one year of release.
Source: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA), Research Hub.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Work release participants see 15.5% lower rearrest, 36.9% lower reincarceration, and take 22% and 63% longer, respectively, to be rearrested or reincarcerated. Programs lasting less than one year are associated with higher recidivism, and stable employment is strongly linked to better long-term outcomes.
Source: Illinois Department of Corrections; ICJIA Research Hub.
Three-quarters of people released from Illinois prisons (75%) have no violent-crime rearrest, and fewer than 1% are arrested for murder after release. Of the violent rearrests that do occur, about 12% involve domestic violence offenses. Risk isn't evenly distributed by age: individuals ages 18–25 face roughly a 36% rearrest risk, the highest of any age group.
Source: Loyola CCJ, Recidivism Patterns Among Those Released from Prison in Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) promotes the well-being of children, youth, and families by responding to reports of abuse and neglect and connecting families to resources.
Workforce reached 3,922 employees, the highest level in over two decades, with a 2.6% vacancy rate, an all-time low. Fully staffed teams drove a 24.7% reduction in worker caseloads (to a ratio of about 7.0), bringing DCFS into compliance with federal consent decrees for the first time since 1994. DCFS is separately rolling out a new statewide case-management framework, the SAFE Model, beginning mid-2026 as part of its "Forward Together" initiative; the agency projects it will further reduce investigations and expand community-based prevention referrals over the following 3–5 years. Youth in care fell to 15,773 (down from 17,177 in FY2024), with 2,563 reunifications and a 36.2% permanency rate, the best in over a decade — and DCFS served roughly 60,000 families and licensed 7,400 day care facilities statewide along the way. For the first time in more than 10 years, more youth exited foster care than entered it.
Source: Illinois DCFS; U.S. Children's Bureau, Child Welfare Outcomes.
The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) houses youth committed to state custody through juvenile court proceedings, emphasizing rehabilitation, aftercare, and reentry rather than long-term incarceration.
Offense severity in IDJJ facilities is concentrated: 89.6% of youth held were committed for one of the top four offense classes (murder through Class 2), and a Class X offense alone accounted for 33.0% of the 2025 facility population, the largest single category. Statewide juvenile arrests fell 33% from 2018 to 2021 before rebounding sharply, up 58% from 2021 to 2022 to 5,068 arrests, above the 2018 pre-pandemic total of 4,775. Recent IDJJ recidivism is far below FY2015 exits, when 52.1% of youth returned to custody within three years; by FY2022 exits that rate had fallen to 32.1%, though roughly one in three youth still returned to custody within three years.
Source: Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice; Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA).
Illinois maintains an above-average concentration of law enforcement, a consolidating 911 network moving toward next-generation technology, a growing 988 crisis system, and statewide emergency management coordination.
Over a 10-year period (2013–2023), Illinois logged more than 883,000 arrests statewide, and a majority (53%) involved non-violent, lower-level offenses such as drug possession, minor property crimes, and public order violations, showing that law enforcement demand reflects broad community needs, not just violent crime.
Source: Police Scorecard; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Illinois ranks among the top five states nationally for police and sheriff patrol officer employment, trailing only California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
| State | Employment | Hourly Mean Wage | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 68,010 | $53.74 | $111,770 |
| Texas | 57,760 | $35.38 | $73,600 |
| Florida | 48,030 | $37.73 | $78,480 |
| New York | 37,910 | $42.98 | $89,400 |
| Illinois | 30,550 | $42.13 | $87,630 |
Police and sheriff patrol officers, May 2023. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
State-level funding reflects only a portion of total justice system investment; local agency spending is significantly higher when viewed across the full system. Source: Office of the Governor, FY2025 & FY2027 Illinois State Budget proposals.
Illinois historically operated hundreds of independent 911 systems, duplicating equipment, staffing, and infrastructure. A decade of consolidation cut the number of 911 systems from 201 to 129 (-36%) and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) from 253 to 178 (-30%), improving interoperability, shared purchasing power, and resiliency during outages.
Funded under the Emergency Telephone Systems Act through a monthly surcharge, $1.50 per connection outside Chicago and up to $5.00 within the city, on wireless, landline, VoIP, and prepaid wireless service. FY2026 grants include $7.5M for consolidation and $9M for NG911 expenses; more than $65M has been awarded through consolidation grant programs to date. Because the surcharge is fixed and doesn't rise with inflation, the local tax share of PSAP costs will keep climbing over time.
Source: Illinois State Police, Statewide 911 Division.
Launched nationally on July 16, 2022, 988 provides free, confidential, 24/7 support for suicidal thoughts, substance use crises, and emotional distress, giving people a path to care before a crisis requires law enforcement, an emergency room, or hospitalization.
Suicide ranks as the 11th leading cause of death in Illinois overall, and the 3rd leading cause for young adults ages 15–34. The state's vision is "no wrong door": 911 routes to mobile crisis response and 988 routes to community health providers, both feeding the same crisis infrastructure.
Source: Illinois Department of Human Services.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA-OHS) leads disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery, coordinating local government, public safety, public health, schools, and 70+ partner organizations statewide.
Illinois invests more than $53.9 million annually in state and federal preparedness funding across the State Preparedness & Response Grant Program, the State Homeland Security Program, and the Urban Areas Security Initiative, supporting training, communications, and community resilience.
Source: IEMA-OHS; Illinois Homeland Security Advisory Council Annual Report.
Senator Balkema has co-sponsored 91 public-safety-related bills this session, ranging from SAFE-T Act reform and firearms policy to DUI penalties and human trafficking protections.
Co-sponsored by Sen. Balkema. Adds new offenses to the list potentially detainable under the public safety prong: aggravated DUI for a third or subsequent time, manufacture or delivery of fentanyl, LSD, and narcotic drugs, and possession of fentanyl.
Co-sponsored by Sen. Balkema. Restores pre-2021 bail and preliminary hearing language in the Code of Criminal Procedure, replacing "pretrial release" terminology with traditional "bail" language throughout Illinois law.
Co-sponsored by Sen. Balkema. Repeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes.
Co-sponsored by Sen. Balkema. Repeals Illinois' bans and penalties on assault weapons, .50 caliber firearms, large-capacity magazines, and rate-of-fire enhancement devices, along with related FOIA exemptions.
Every public-safety-related bill Senator Balkema has co-sponsored this session. Search by bill number or keyword below.
| Bill | What It Does |
|---|---|
| SB1917 | Illinois DETERRENT ActRequires colleges and universities to publicly disclose significant gifts and contracts from foreign sources, prohibits contracts with foreign entities of concern, and requires large private universities to report related investments. The Illinois Board of Higher Education must maintain a searchable public database, with fines for noncompliance. |
| HB1226 | Senior Driver License Renewal RequirementsRequires in-person renewal for drivers age 79 and older and driving ability demonstrations for drivers age 87 and older or CDL holders age 75 and older. Allows immediate family members to submit written concerns about a driver's medical fitness, prohibiting anonymous reports. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB1278 | Domestic Violence Evidence Documentation at WorkRequires employers to allow employees to use employer-issued devices to document incidents of domestic or sexual violence and provide access to related digital evidence for legal proceedings. Employers may not retaliate against employees for such use. |
| HB2435 | Automated Commercial Call RestrictionsRestricts unsolicited automated commercial phone calls unless the recipient has consented or has an existing business relationship, with consent limited to one year and revocable at any time. Consumers may sue for $500 per violation, with exemptions for nonprofit, healthcare, and utility calls. |
| HB3281 | Mandatory Arrest in Domestic Violence IncidentsRequires law enforcement to arrest alleged abusers in domestic violence incidents, with discretion to divert juvenile offenders based on a domestic violence risk assessment. Non-arrest incidents must be referred to the state's attorney. |
| HB4328 | Hardwired Smoke Detector RequirementBans the sale or gifting of smoke detectors that are not hardwired or do not meet specified battery requirements beginning December 31, 2027, with violations subject to a petty offense fine. |
| HB4382 | Teen Passenger Restriction Penalties (DJ's Law)Increases penalties for graduated driver's license holders under 18 who violate passenger restrictions, allowing a six-month license suspension if the violation results in serious injury, permanent disability, or death. Effective January 1, 2027. |
| HB4654 | Human Trafficking Notices at Rest AreasAmends the Human Trafficking Resource Center Notice Act. Requires the Department of Transportation to post required notices in all public restrooms of each roadside rest area. |
| HB5253 | Fire District Trustee CompensationAmends the Fire Protection District Act, raising the annual compensation caps for fire protection district trustees, scaled to the size of the district's full-time paid firefighting force. |
| HB5595 | Repeal of Juvenile Delinquency Recordkeeping SystemRepeals the requirement for the Illinois State Police to maintain a separate statewide statistical recordkeeping system for studying juvenile delinquency. |
| SB0048 | Foreign Countries of Concern RestrictionsCreates the Foreign Countries of Concern Act, prohibiting governmental entities from contracting with certain foreign entities that would access personal identifying information, barring economic incentives, and prohibiting ownership of agricultural land, land near military installations, or critical infrastructure by entities associated with the People's Republic of China. |
| SB0091 | Senior Driver License Renewal RequirementsRequires in-person renewal for drivers age 79 and older and driving ability demonstrations for drivers age 87 and older or CDL holders age 75 and older. Allows immediate family members to submit written concerns about a driver's medical fitness. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| SB0109 | FOID / Concealed Carry Expiration DisplayRequires FOID cards to prominently display expiration dates, and combined FOID and concealed carry licenses to show separate expiration dates for both credentials on the card's front. |
| SB0110 | Concealed Carry on Public TransportationRemoves the prohibition on concealed carry on public transportation vehicles and facilities. Effective immediately. |
| SB0111 | Pretrial Detention Hearing Deadline ExtensionExtends the pretrial detention hearing deadline from 48 to 72 hours after a defendant's first appearance when a continuance is granted for certain felony charges including first degree murder and Class X through Class 3 felonies. |
| SB0267 | Trafficking Added to Sex Offender RegistryAdds trafficking-related offenses to the definition of "sex offense" under the Sex Offender Registration Act, including involuntary servitude and trafficking in persons for commercial sexual activity. |
| SB0280 | Enhanced Fentanyl Trafficking PenaltiesIncreases penalties for fentanyl-related offenses, creating a Class X felony for selling or dispensing any drug containing fentanyl (9–40 years, up to $250,000 fine) and a Class 1 felony for using electronic communications to facilitate fentanyl trafficking. |
| SB0284 | Bars Plea Deals for Child Sex TraffickingProhibits plea bargaining for involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, trafficking a minor, or grooming offenses. Also makes it a Class 4 felony for registered child sex offenders to work or be present at entertainment facilities exclusively serving minors. |
| SB0288 | Concealed Carry License Replacement FeeRequires a $5 fee for concealed carry license replacements due to name change, address change, or lost, destroyed, or stolen licenses, deposited into the State Police Firearm Services Fund. |
| SB0297 | Repeal of Firearm Silencer BanRemoves the prohibition on possessing or using firearm silencers and makes conforming changes to the Code of Criminal Procedure. |
| SB0298 | Repeal of the FOID Card ActRepeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective immediately. |
| SB1208 | Non-Resident Concealed Carry ReciprocityAllows non-residents age 21 and older with valid permits from qualifying states to carry handguns in Illinois under reciprocal agreements. Out-of-state permits remain valid for 90 days after establishing Illinois residency. |
| SB1209 | Removes FOID Requirement for AmmunitionRemoves the FOID card requirement for acquiring or possessing ammunition and eliminates the requirement for sellers to verify a buyer's FOID card or concealed carry license before selling ammunition. |
| SB1211 | Expands Concealed Carry LocationsExpands concealed carry locations to include IDOT rest areas, public transportation vehicles and facilities, and public parks and athletic facilities operated by municipalities or park districts. Effective immediately. |
| SB1212 | Concealed Carry at IDOT Rest AreasAllows concealed carry at IDOT rest areas and their buildings, exempting them from the prohibition on carrying firearms in government-controlled buildings. Effective immediately. |
| SB1213 | Concealed Carry on Public TransportationRemoves the prohibition on concealed carry on publicly funded transportation vehicles and facilities. Effective immediately. |
| SB1214 | On-Duty Concealed Carry for FirefightersAllows full-time firefighters with valid concealed carry licenses to carry firearms on duty in public or in a vehicle, if approved by the local governing body. |
| SB1216 | Court Hearing Required to Revoke FOID CardsRequires a court hearing before a FOID card can be revoked, with a State's Attorney petitioning and proving ineligibility by clear and convincing evidence. ISP may still suspend FOID cards in certain circumstances. |
| SB1217 | Victim Notification on Offender ReleaseRequires the Prisoner Review Board to immediately notify crime victims when an offender is released early, pardoned, granted clemency, furloughed, or receives sentence credit, including offenders found guilty but mentally ill. |
| SB1219 | Court Hearing Required to Revoke FOID CardsRequires a court hearing before a FOID card can be revoked, with a State's Attorney petitioning the circuit court and proving ineligibility by clear and convincing evidence. Establishes temporary suspension procedures while cases are pending. |
| SB1222 | Repeal of the FOID Card ActRepeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026. |
| SB1256 | Disability Parking Placard RecertificationRequires individuals with disability parking plates or placards to recertify their disability every five years with a licensed medical professional's confirmation of continued eligibility. |
| SB1313 | Removes TRUST Act Protections for Non-CitizensRemoves TRUST Act protections for non-citizens charged or convicted of a criminal offense under Illinois law, requiring law enforcement to immediately notify immigration agents when such individuals are in custody. Effective immediately. |
| SB1316 | Repeal of the Illinois TRUST ActRepeals the Illinois TRUST Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Effective immediately. |
| SB1332 | Expands Concealed Carry LocationsExpands concealed carry locations to include IDOT rest areas, public transportation vehicles and facilities, and public parks and athletic facilities operated by municipalities or park districts. Effective immediately. |
| SB1333 | Out-of-State Concealed Carry ReciprocityAllows Illinois to recognize out-of-state concealed carry permits from states with substantially similar training requirements or reciprocity agreements. Out-of-state permits remain valid for 90 days after establishing residency. |
| SB1334 | Lowers FOID Application Age to 18Lowers the age for independent FOID card applications from 21 to 18, and updates the religious photo exemption to apply to applicants 18 and older. |
| SB1335 | FOID Renewal Processing DeadlineRequires the Illinois State Police to process FOID card renewals within 60 business days, with automatic approval if the deadline is missed. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $500 per day. |
| SB1336 | Expands Concealed Carry LocationsExpands concealed carry locations to include IDOT rest areas, public transportation vehicles and facilities, and public parks and athletic facilities operated by municipalities or park districts. Effective immediately. |
| SB1337 | Repeal of Firearm Dealer License Certification ActRepeals the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act. Amends the Gun Trafficking Information Act and related statutes to make conforming changes. Effective immediately. |
| SB1360 | Statewide Public Safety Radio InteroperabilityStrengthens statewide public safety radio interoperability standards for police, fire, EMS, and emergency management agencies, and directs development of a long-term radio infrastructure funding plan. Effective July 1, 2025. |
| SB1400 | Restricts Adverse Possession ClaimsLimits adverse possession claims by prohibiting illegal occupancy from establishing ownership rights, and allows property owners to remove unauthorized subtenants when subleasing is prohibited by the original lease. |
| SB1563 | Clarifies Criminal Trespass EnforcementClarifies that eviction law does not prevent law enforcement from enforcing criminal trespass laws or removing persons and property from premises in cases of criminal trespass. |
| SB1569 | Increases Fentanyl Offense PenaltiesIncreases criminal penalties for fentanyl offenses, raising the sentencing enhancement for manufacturing or delivering fentanyl from 3 to 5 years and adding a 3-year enhancement for certain possession offenses. |
| SB1570 | Bans Kratom in IllinoisBans kratom in Illinois, prohibiting purchase, possession, sale, and distribution of kratom products. Violations are a Class B misdemeanor, with an additional minimum $500 fine for knowingly selling kratom. |
| SB1572 | Increases Human Trafficking PenaltiesIncreases penalties by one class for trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude, and involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, with Class X felony offenses carrying 9 to 45 years imprisonment. |
| SB1760 | Police Chaplain Training ProgramAmends the Illinois Police Training Act to require the Law Enforcement Training Standards Board to develop a training program for unpaid volunteers serving as police chaplains. |
| SB1773 | Adds Xylazine as Controlled SubstanceAdds xylazine to Illinois' Schedule III controlled substances beginning January 1, 2026, with exceptions for licensed veterinarians, certified euthanasia technicians, and approved animal medications. |
| SB1781 | Domestic Violence Death Investigation StandardsStrengthens domestic violence-related death investigations by requiring specialized law enforcement training and enhanced coroner investigations, helping prevent misclassification of homicides as suicides. |
| SB1866 | Environmental Protection Act Technical ChangeAmends the Environmental Protection Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning the short title. |
| SB1985 | Stop Squatters ActCreates the Stop Squatters Act, allowing property owners to request law enforcement removal of unlawful occupants via sworn complaint, and makes false claims of property ownership a Class 4 felony. |
| SB2075 | Restructures Motorcycle Safety TrainingRequires IDOT to contract with qualified nonprofit and college providers for motorcycle safety training, excluding motorcycle dealers from eligibility, and establishing statewide quality standards. |
| SB2134 | Restores Pre-2021 Cash Bail LanguageRestores pre-2021 bail and preliminary hearing language in the Code of Criminal Procedure, replacing "pretrial release" terminology with traditional "bail" language throughout Illinois law. Effective immediately. |
| SB2137 | Denies Release for Felons with Firearm ChargesAmends the Code of Criminal Procedure. Requires denial of pretrial release, notwithstanding any other provision of the Code, if the person is a felon charged with a firearm offense. |
| SB2136 | Repeals Assault Weapons BanRepeals Illinois' bans and penalties on assault weapons, .50 caliber firearms, large-capacity magazines, and rate-of-fire enhancement devices, along with related FOIA exemptions. Effective immediately. |
| SB2165 | Expands Bribery & Legislative Misconduct LawsExpands bribery and legislative misconduct laws to include receipt of property or personal advantage after an improper act has been performed, while exempting permissible campaign contributions. |
| SB2207 | Human Trafficking Training for Health ProfessionalsRequires licensed health care professionals to complete at least one hour of continuing education on identifying and reporting human trafficking beginning January 1, 2026. |
| SB2208 | Extended DUI Restriction for High-BAC OffendersRestricts individuals convicted of DUI with a blood alcohol concentration of .15 or more from driving with a BAC of .04 or more for one year after a first conviction or five years after a subsequent conviction. |
| SB2209 | Restoration of Pontiac Warden's Home SiteRequires the Department of Corrections to restore the site of dilapidated warden's homes at Pontiac Correctional Center to their pre-construction condition within 18 months. |
| SB2210 | Restoration of Decommissioned Pontiac ISP SiteRequires the Illinois State Police to restore the site of the decommissioned State Police building in Pontiac to its pre-facility condition within 18 months. |
| SB2211 | Restoration of Decommissioned Dwight Correctional CenterRequires the Department of Corrections to restore the site of the decommissioned Dwight Correctional Center, including the warden's home, to its pre-facility condition within 18 months. |
| SB2303 | Unlicensed Fire Sprinkler Work PenaltiesStrengthens penalties for unlicensed fire sprinkler contractor and inspection work, increasing fines for repeat violations and directing penalty revenues to the Fire Prevention Fund. |
| SB2323 | Statewide Trauma-Informed Human Trafficking ResponseCreates the Illinois Statewide Trauma-Informed Response to Human Trafficking Act, establishing a coordinated statewide system for trafficking prevention and victim services, including a DCFS trafficking unit for youth in care. |
| SB2341 | Expands Pretrial Detention for DUI & Drug OffensesExpands the list of offenses for which courts may deny pretrial release, adding third or subsequent aggravated DUI and serious controlled substance offenses involving fentanyl, LSD, and amphetamines. |
| SB2361 | Strengthens Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking ProtectionsStrengthens Illinois' legal framework for domestic minor sex trafficking by expanding police training, allowing immediate expungement of juvenile prostitution records, and removing mistake-of-age defenses. |
| SB2381 | Adds Unauthorized Recording to Sex Offender RegistryAdds unauthorized video recording or live transmission to registrable sex offenses under the Sex Offender Registration Act when the victim is under 18 and the offense was sexually motivated. |
| SB2738 | Increases Nitrous Oxide Offense PenaltiesIncreases by one class the penalties for unlawful possession of nitrous oxide and for manufacturing, delivering, or possessing with intent to deliver nitrous oxide for prohibited purposes. |
| SB3020 | Expands Definition of Harassment for Protective OrdersBroadens the definition of "harassment" in Illinois protective order laws to include stalking, electronic tracking, doxing, and non-consensual distribution of digitally altered or sexual images. |
| SB3040 | Foreign Countries of Concern RestrictionsCreates the Foreign Countries of Concern Act, prohibiting governmental entities from contracting with certain foreign entities and barring ownership of agricultural land, land near military installations, or critical infrastructure. |
| SB3089 | Pretrial Detention Hearing Deadline ExtensionExtends the pretrial detention hearing deadline from 48 to 72 hours after a defendant's first appearance when a continuance is granted for first degree murder and Class X through Class 3 felonies. Refiled version of SB111 (104th GA). |
| SB3091 | Shifts Burden of Proof for Fentanyl Trafficking DetentionShifts the burden of proof to defendants charged with manufacturing, delivering, or possessing with intent to deliver 15+ grams of fentanyl, requiring them to prove pretrial release poses no threat. Refiled version of SB113 (104th GA). |
| SB3095 | Non-Resident Concealed Carry ReciprocityAllows nonresidents age 21 and older with valid permits from states with substantially similar standards to carry concealed firearms in Illinois. Out-of-state permits remain valid for 90 days after establishing residency. |
| SB3096 | Lowers FOID Application Age to 18Lowers the minimum age for independent FOID card applications from 21 to 18, and updates the religious photo exemption to apply to applicants 18 and older. |
| SB3097 | FOID Renewal Processing DeadlineRequires the Illinois State Police to process FOID card renewals within 60 business days, with automatic approval if the deadline is missed. Violations carry civil penalties of up to $500 per day. |
| SB3132 | Removes FOID Requirement for AmmunitionRemoves the FOID card requirement for acquiring or possessing ammunition and eliminates the requirement for sellers to verify a buyer's FOID card before selling ammunition. Effective immediately. |
| SB3134 | Concealed Carry at IDOT Rest AreasAllows concealed carry at IDOT rest areas and their buildings, exempting them from the prohibition on carrying firearms in government-controlled buildings. Effective immediately. |
| SB3135 | Concealed Carry on Public TransportationRemoves the prohibition on concealed carry on publicly funded transportation vehicles and facilities. Effective immediately. |
| SB3137 | Restores Pre-2021 SAFE-T Act ProvisionsRestores various Illinois statutes to their pre-2021 form by repealing and reenacting provisions amended by the public acts that created the SAFE-T Act. Effective immediately. |
| SB3139 | Shifts Burden of Proof for Domestic Battery DetentionShifts the burden of proof to defendants charged with domestic battery, aggravated domestic battery, or violating an order of protection, requiring them to prove pretrial release poses no threat. Sponsored by Sen. Curran. |
| SB3140 | Increases Order of Protection Violation PenaltiesAmends the Criminal Code of 2012 to increase the penalties for violation of an order of protection by one class. Effective immediately. Sponsored by Sen. McClure. |
| SB3141 | Doubles Minimum Sentences for Protective Order ViolationsIncreases recommended minimum penalties for protective order violations to 48 hours imprisonment for a first violation and 96 hours for subsequent violations, doubling current minimums. Sponsored by Sen. Hills. |
| SB3142 | Felony Charges for Repeat Protective Order ViolationsElevates repeat protective order violations to a Class 4 felony when a defendant has any prior conviction for violating a protective, no-contact, or stalking no-contact order. Sponsored by Sen. Hills. |
| SB3281 | Creates Drone Privacy Invasion OffenseCreates a new offense for using drones to invade personal privacy by recording or transmitting video or audio over occupied residences without consent. Violations are a Class A misdemeanor. |
| SB3303 | FOID Card REAL ID Verification LanguageUpdates the required statement on FOID cards with photograph exemptions to specify validity for firearm purchases when presented with a REAL ID-compliant license, state ID, or passport. |
| SB3304 | Expands Detainable Offenses for Fentanyl & DUIAdds new offenses to the list of potentially detainable offenses under the public safety prong: third or subsequent aggravated DUI, manufacture/delivery of fentanyl, LSD, and narcotic drugs, and possession of fentanyl. Sponsored by Sen. Balkema. |
| SB3346 | Court Hearing Required to Revoke FOID CardsRequires a court hearing before a FOID card can be revoked, with a State's Attorney petitioning the circuit court and proving ineligibility by clear and convincing evidence within 45 days. |
| SB3510 | Strengthens Child Maltreatment Investigation CoordinationRequires Children's Advocacy Centers to operate under a multidisciplinary approach with structured information-sharing, and classifies repeat child endangerment violations as a Class 3 felony. |
| SB3995 | Military Installation & Critical Infrastructure ProtectionCreates the Military Installation and Critical Infrastructure Protection Act, prohibiting foreign principals from adversary countries from owning agricultural land or acquiring land within 25 miles of military installations. |
| SB4195 | Mandatory Pretrial Release Revocation for New FeloniesRequires mandatory revocation of pretrial release for defendants on electronic monitoring found to have committed a new felony while on release for a prior felony or Class A misdemeanor. |
| SB4196 | Amends TRUST Act for Federal Immigration EnforcementAmends the Illinois TRUST Act to allow state law enforcement to enforce federal immigration warrants and communicate with federal authorities on immigration matters. Repeals the Court Access, Safety, and Participation Act. |
| SR0816 | Urges Action on Reckless & Impaired DrivingAdopted. Urges IDOT, the Secretary of State, Illinois State Police, and local law enforcement to strengthen policies, enforcement, and sentencing guidelines around impaired driving, extreme reckless driving, and social media-driven dangerous driving. |
Bill numbers link to each bill's official status page on the Illinois General Assembly website (104th General Assembly).