New Illinois laws for 2026 are bringing major changes to healthcare, workplace rights, immigration protections, gun safety, housing protections, and public safety across the state. As we head into the new year, Illinois residents will see hundreds of laws take effect on January 1st. Governor JB Pritzker has signed legislation that will reshape everything from prescription drug costs to AI discrimination protections, immigration enforcement procedures to firearm storage requirements, tenant rights to police accountability reforms.
At Disparti Law Group, we’ve been following these developments closely because they directly impact our clients and the Chicago community. This complete guide breaks down what’s changing and, more importantly, what these new laws mean for you and your family.
Your Prescription Costs Are About to Get More Manageable
If you’ve been watching your medication costs climb year after year, there’s finally some relief on the horizon. NBC Chicago reports that insurance policies renewed or issued in 2026 will include several new cost protections.
Inhalers for asthma and COPD patients will finally have out-of-pocket cost caps. No more choosing between your inhaler and other necessities—insurance companies have to limit what you pay.
EpiPens are getting price limits too. Twin-packs of epinephrine auto-injectors will be capped at $60. For families with kids who have severe allergies, that’s a game-changer.
And here’s a big one: when your pharmacy tells you the generic version of your medication is out of stock, your insurance can’t just shrug and leave you holding the bill for the expensive brand-name version. Senate Bill 2672 closes that loophole. Generic drugs make up about 90% of prescriptions filled in the U.S., so supply chain issues have left a lot of people in tough spots.
Birth Control Access Without the Doctor’s Visit
House Bill 3489 is changing reproductive healthcare access in a practical way. Starting in January, pharmacists can dispense contraceptives—including emergency contraceptives like Plan B—without you needing to schedule a doctor’s appointment first.
Need emergency contraception? Walk into your Chicago pharmacy and get it the same day. No appointment, no waiting.
New Health Screenings Your Insurance Will Cover
Senate Bill 773 adds coverage for yearly menopause health visits for women 45 and older. It’s about time this aspect of women’s healthcare got the attention it deserves.
There’s also a new requirement for insurance to cover peripheral artery disease screening when it’s medically necessary. ABC7 Chicago notes that cardiologists and medical experts believe catching PAD early could help prevent many unnecessary amputations each year.
Plus, Senate Bill 1238 expands coverage for non-opioid pain management options. If you’re dealing with chronic pain, you’ll have access to safer alternatives than relying solely on prescription opioids.
Hospitals Have to Tell You About Hidden Fees Now
Ever gotten a hospital bill with mysterious “facility fees” that nobody mentioned beforehand? The Health Care Facility Fee Transparency Act is putting a stop to that. Hospitals have to disclose these charges—which cover things like using the hospital’s space, equipment, and administrative services—before you get treated. At least you’ll know what you’re getting into.
Workplace Rights & Employment Laws
Illinois Is Leading on AI Discrimination (Yes, Really)
Here’s something that’s making Illinois stand out nationally: we’re becoming one of the first states to specifically regulate how employers can use artificial intelligence in hiring and employment decisions.
House Bill 3773 amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to make it a civil rights violation when employers use AI tools that discriminate based on protected characteristics—race, gender, age, disability, you name it.
The practical implications?
If you’re applying for jobs in Chicago and some AI screening tool is filtering out qualified candidates from certain neighborhoods or demographic groups, that’s now actionable discrimination. Employers have to notify you when they’re using AI for hiring, promotions, discipline, or firing decisions. They also have to explain what the AI is evaluating.
And get this—employers can’t use zip codes as a proxy for race or ethnicity. We all know certain zip codes correlate with demographics, and that loophole is now closed.
The Illinois Department of Human Rights will be enforcing these new protections. At Disparti Law Group, we’re already preparing to hold employers accountable when they hide behind algorithms.
Your Employment Agreement Just Got Fairer
Illinois is cracking down on sneaky contract clauses that employers have used to limit workers’ rights. Recent reports show that the expanded Illinois Workplace Transparency Act now voids any employment agreement clauses that:
- Try to shorten how long you have to bring a claim
- Force Illinois employees to use another state’s laws
- Make you travel out of state to resolve disputes
- Prevent you from talking with coworkers about workplace issues
There’s another change that’s important: if your employer wants you to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of a separation or settlement, they have to give you something of value beyond just your regular severance pay. No more using standard severance as leverage for your silence about workplace problems.
Nursing Moms, You’re Getting Paid for Pump Breaks
The Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act has been around, but now it’s got teeth. Starting January 1st, the time you spend expressing breast milk at work has to be paid time.
Your employer can’t make you use your lunch break or PTO, and they definitely can’t dock your pay. For working moms heading back after maternity leave, this recognizes what should have been obvious all along—nursing is a health necessity, not a personal convenience.
When Your Baby Is in the NICU, Your Job Shouldn’t Be in Jeopardy
The new Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act provides unpaid leave specifically for parents whose newborns need intensive care:
If your employer has 16-50 employees, you get up to 10 days. If they have 50 or more, you get up to 20 days. You can take it intermittently—a day here, a day there—as your baby’s care requires. And this is separate from FMLA leave.
Honestly, if you have a newborn in the NICU, being at their bedside shouldn’t require you to risk your job.
Military Family Leave Gets an Update
The law formerly known as the Illinois Military Leave Act has been renamed and expanded. Employers with 50+ employees now have to give you up to 8 hours a month (40 hours a year) to participate in military family activities. This recognizes that supporting service members is a family effort.
Important Protections for Domestic Violence Survivors
This one could literally save lives. The Illinois Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act now protects employees who use work-issued phones, computers, or tablets to record domestic violence, sexual violence, or other crimes.
Your employer can’t:
- Retaliate against you for using work equipment to document abuse
- Take away your work phone or computer because you used it for this purpose
- Block you from accessing photos, videos, or recordings you’ve stored on work devices
If you’re in a dangerous situation and your work phone is the only device you have access to, you can use it to protect yourself.
How Discrimination Cases Are Investigated Is Changing
The Illinois Department of Human Rights won’t automatically hold fact-finding conferences anymore for discrimination charges. Legal analysts note that conferences can still happen if both parties request one within 90 days, or if IDHR decides it would help.
What this means in practice: written position statements and supporting documents are going to carry more weight than before. There are also new civil penalties ranging from $16,000 to $70,000 that can be imposed based on how many past violations an employer has.
Housing & Tenant Protections
Dealing with Squatters Just Got Faster
If you’re a property owner who’s dealt with squatters, you know how frustrating the process has been. ABC7 Chicago explains that the new “Squatter Bill” lets law enforcement remove squatters more quickly, bypassing what could previously drag on for months.
Under the old system, squatters got to stay in your property while the court case played out. Come back from a long trip to find someone living in your Chicago home? You could be looking at a lengthy legal battle before you could even get back in. That’s changing.
Critical Info for Domestic Violence Survivors on Every Lease
Every residential lease or renewal in Illinois now has to include specific information about housing rights for domestic violence and sexual assault survivors—right there on page one.
This legislation came out of a domestic violence law course at UIC, and it ensures that vulnerable tenants immediately see their protections under Illinois law. That includes things like early lease termination rights, protection from landlord retaliation, and the right to request lock changes.
Public Safety & Criminal Justice Reforms
No More Waiting Periods for Missing Persons Reports
Illinois just eliminated any law enforcement policy that required a waiting period before taking a missing persons report. Senate Bill 24 also requires that information gets entered into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System immediately.
The first 24-48 hours matter enormously in missing persons cases. This could literally save lives, especially for children, elderly individuals with dementia, and potential kidnapping victims.
Cracking Down on Online Child Exploitation
The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation can now pursue online child exploitation cases anywhere in the state. The new law is modeled on Alicia’s Law, which has worked well in other states, and it:
- Speeds up investigation response times
- Closes gaps between different agencies’ jurisdictions
- Improves coordination between task forces
- Funds specialized units that track online predators
Human Trafficking Victims Can Come Forward When They’re Ready
House Bill 2602 removes the statute of limitations for forced labor, trafficking, and related offenses when the victim was under 18.
Trafficking survivors often need years—sometimes decades—to process their trauma before they’re ready to come forward. This law gives them that time.
Retired Police Dogs Get the Care They’ve Earned
House Bill 3140 sets up the Police K-9 Care Program and Fund. After spending their lives protecting Illinois communities, retired police dogs will get consistent funding for their ongoing veterinary care. It’s a small thing that makes a big difference for these four-legged first responders.
Immigration Protections: Major New Safeguards
One of the most significant pieces of legislation passed in 2025 is House Bill 1312, which creates comprehensive protections for Illinois residents regardless of immigration status. Governor Pritzker signed this bill in December 2025, responding to heightened federal immigration enforcement operations across the state.
Courthouses Are Now Protected Zones
ICE agents can no longer make civil immigration arrests at Illinois courthouses or within 1,000 feet of courthouse buildings. CBS Chicago reports that anyone falsely arrested around a courthouse has a clear path to sue for $10,000 in damages for false imprisonment.
Why this matters: People need to be able to attend court hearings—whether as witnesses, victims, defendants, or jurors—without fear of immigration enforcement. This law ensures that the justice system remains accessible to everyone.
Hospital Privacy and Safety Protections
The Health Care Sanctity & Privacy Law creates new requirements for Illinois hospitals:
- General acute care hospitals must adopt policies for law enforcement interactions by January 1, 2026
- All other hospitals have until March 1, 2026
- Hospitals must protect patients’ immigration status information
- Patients can request deletion or redaction of immigration-related information from medical records
- Health information can only be released to law enforcement with valid federal judicial warrants
No one should avoid seeking medical care because they’re afraid of immigration enforcement. This law makes hospitals safer spaces for everyone who needs care.
Safe Schools for All Act
Block Club Chicago explains that Illinois schools—including public universities and community colleges—must develop procedures by January 1, 2026 for handling law enforcement requests to enter campus. Schools are prohibited from:
- Sharing immigration status of students or employees unless required by law
- Creating policies that would discourage kids from attending school
- Blocking students or employees from offering constitutional rights information
The law also requires parental consent if law enforcement asks for a student for immigration purposes. Education should be accessible to every child, regardless of where they were born.
Day Care Center Protections
Licensed day care centers must adopt immigration-related policies by January 1, 2026. According to state officials, centers cannot share children’s or families’ immigration status unless required by law, and they must have action plans for when immigration agents show up.
If a parent faces immigration enforcement action, centers must use emergency contact procedures and honor properly executed short-term guardian appointment Illinois Whistleblower Act Expansion
The law also protects employees who report violations related to immigration enforcement. Employers can’t retaliate by contacting immigration authorities or threatening to report an employee’s suspected immigration status.
Bottom line: HB 1312 is comprehensive legislation aimed at protecting Illinois residents’ access to justice, healthcare, education, and childcare regardless of immigration status. These are human rights issues that affect entire communities.forms to ensure child safety.
Gun Safety and Police Accountability
Safe Gun Storage Act
If you’re a gun owner in Illinois, you need to know about the Safe Gun Storage Act (Senate Bill 8), which Governor Pritzker signed in July 2025.
Starting January 1, 2026, gun owners must store firearms in locked containers that are inaccessible to:
- Minors
- People at risk of harming themselves or others
- Anyone prohibited from possessing firearms
The stakes are high: Violators could face fines up to $10,000.
Gun owners must also report lost or stolen firearms to police within 48 hours of discovering a gun missing. That’s down from the previous 72-hour requirement.
This law is about keeping kids safe. Too many tragedies have happened because unsecured firearms were accessible to children or at-risk individuals. If you own guns in Illinois, invest in a quality gun safe or lock box.
Sonya Massey Law: Deeper Police Background Checks
In response to the tragic killing of Sonya Massey by a Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy, Illinois passed Senate Bill 1953, which requires much more thorough background checks for police hires.
What’s changing: When a police department or sheriff’s office makes a hire, they must request employment personnel files from all previous employers, including other law enforcement agencies. Previous employers have 14 days to provide this information.
Law enforcement applicants must authorize release of:
- Military service records
- Police discipline databases
- Employment and criminal history
- Driving records
- Academic credentials
- Credit checks
Capitol News Illinois reporting revealed that the deputy who killed Massey had a history of reprimands and disobeying superiors at previous departments. This law is designed to prevent officers with troubling histories from simply moving to new departments.
Protecting Students from Cyberbullying and AI Deepfakes
Starting with the 2026-27 school year, Illinois is expanding its definition of cyberbullying to include sharing or posting someone’s “digital replica”—which includes AI-generated images or deepfakes of someone’s likeness—without their consent.
With AI technology making it easier than ever to create fake images or videos of people, this protection is critical. If these AI-generated materials cause effects similar to traditional bullying, it’s now covered under school bullying policies.
The definition also expands to include sharing or posting sexually explicit images of others, recognizing that digital harassment can be just as harmful as in-person bullying.
Tax Changes That Affect Your Wallet
The State Grocery Tax Is Gone (But Maybe Not Really)
The 1% state grocery tax is officially repealed under the FY2026 Budget Bill. Sounds great, right?
Well, here’s the catch: municipalities and counties can now impose their own 1% local grocery tax. The Illinois Municipal League says 656 municipalities—more than half—have already adopted it.
So check with your local government to see if you’ll actually save money on groceries or if your municipality just replaced the state tax with a local one.
Chicago-Specific Laws Taking Effect
CPS Principals Get Better Labor Protections
House Bill 297 gives Chicago Public Schools principals and assistant principals access to arbitration when collective bargaining hits an impasse. They can’t strike, and their existing employment terms stay in place during arbitration.
With 330,000+ CPS students and their families depending on school stability, avoiding labor disruptions matters.
Studying How to Make Lake Shore Drive Safer
New legislation is commissioning the Urban Transportation Center at UIC to dig into crash data and driving behavior on DuSable Lake Shore Drive. They’ll also look at whether traffic enforcement technology could help.
For one of Chicago’s busiest and most scenic roads, a data-driven approach to reducing crashes makes sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
When exactly do these laws take effect?
Most of them go live on January 1, 2026. Some provisions—particularly those involving the Illinois Department of Human Rights—have implementation timelines that extend further into 2026.
How does the AI discrimination law actually get enforced?
The Illinois Department of Human Rights handles it. If you believe you experienced AI-based discrimination, you file a charge with IDHR. Remedies can include back pay, lost benefits, hiring, promotion, reinstatement, emotional damages, and attorney’s fees.
Will my insurance definitely cover brand-name drugs during shortages?
It applies to policies renewed or issued in 2026. If you run into issues with coverage being denied, that’s when you need to push back—or get an attorney involved if necessary.
Who can take NICU leave?
Parents whose newborns are admitted to neonatal intensive care units. How much leave you get depends on your employer’s size: 10 days for 16-50 employees, 20 days for 50+ employees.
What if my employer won’t pay me for nursing mother break time?
That’s a violation of the amended Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act. Document everything and talk to an employment attorney. We handle these kinds of workplace violations at Disparti Law Group.
How does the new squatter law actually work?
Law enforcement can now remove squatters without going through the lengthy eviction process that used to keep squatters in the property during court proceedings. It’s designed to give legitimate property owners faster access to their homes.
Can employers still use AI for hiring?
Yes, but they have to notify applicants when AI is being used and make sure it doesn’t discriminate based on protected characteristics. If you think an AI tool screened you out unfairly, you have legal options under House Bill 3773.
What are facility fees and why should I care about transparency?
Facility fees are charges for using a hospital’s space, equipment, and administrative services—separate from the actual medical treatment. People have been hit with surprise bills for years because they didn’t know these fees existed. Now hospitals have to tell you
What protections do immigrants have under HB 1312?
The law prohibits ICE from making arrests at courthouses or within 1,000 feet of them, requires hospitals and schools to adopt policies protecting immigration status information, and prevents day care centers from sharing families’ immigration status. Anyone falsely arrested around a courthouse can sue for $10,000 in damages.
Do the immigration protections apply to schools and universities?
Yes. All Illinois schools—from K-12 to universities—must develop procedures by January 1, 2026 for handling law enforcement requests to enter campus. Schools can’t share immigration status information unless legally required and can’t discourage students from attending based on immigration concerns.
What are the new gun storage requirements?
Gun owners must store firearms in locked containers when they could be accessed by minors, at-risk individuals, or people prohibited from owning guns. Violations can result in fines up to $10,000. Lost or stolen guns must be reported to police within 48 hours.
How do the new police background checks work?
Police departments hiring new officers must request employment files from all previous law enforcement employers. This includes discipline records, military service history, criminal background, and more. The law was passed in response to the Sonya Massey tragedy.
How These Laws Connect to Personal Injury and Workers’ Rights
At Disparti Law Group, we represent Chicago residents dealing with personal injury and employment cases. These new laws strengthen several areas that matter to our practice:
If you’re dealing with workplace issues: The AI discrimination protections and expanded Workplace Transparency Act give us more tools to hold employers accountable. Whether it’s AI tools unfairly impacting your job prospects or employers using contract tricks to limit your rights, we can help.
For injury victims managing recovery: The new prescription drug coverage requirements matter when you’re trying to manage pain and recovery after an injury. If your insurance company denies coverage for necessary medications, these laws provide stronger grounds for challenging those denials.
Domestic violence survivors: The enhanced workplace protections intersect with personal injury law when victims are injured by abusers. Being able to document violence with work equipment could provide critical evidence.
Missing persons and trafficking cases: The elimination of waiting periods and extended statutes of limitations help ensure justice for victims and families dealing with these crimes.
Immigration-related cases: The new protections at courthouses ensure that witnesses and victims can participate in the justice system without fear. If you’ve been falsely arrested or detained in violation of HB 1312, you may have grounds for legal action.
Police misconduct cases: The Sonya Massey Law represents an important step in police accountability. While it focuses on hiring, it reflects growing recognition that police departments must be held to higher standards.
Disparti Law Group Can Help
These new Illinois laws represent real progress in protecting workers, tenants, healthcare consumers, and vulnerable populations. But here’s the thing—knowing your rights only matters if you can actually enforce them.
Whether you’re dealing with a personal injury claim, workplace discrimination, an insurance company stonewalling you on coverage, or questions about how these protections apply to your specific situation, having experienced legal counsel makes all the difference.
The law keeps evolving, and 2026 brings changes that will reshape daily life for many Illinois residents. At Disparti Law Group, we stay on top of these changes so we can better serve our clients and community.
If you believe your rights have been violated under any of these new laws, or if you’ve been injured because of someone else’s negligence, don’t wait. Legal claims have time limits, and acting quickly often means a stronger case.
Contact Disparti Law Group today for a free consultation with an experienced Chicago attorney who understands both the law and what you’re going through.
