New laws: Illinois’ grocery tax to end, aquifer protection begins
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by Ben Szalinski and Brenden Moore
Capitol News Illinois
Illinois’ statewide 1% grocery tax will go away on Jan. 1, though many people will continue to pay it at the local level.
Data compiled by the Illinois Municipal League shows that 656 municipalities — a little more than half of the state’s municipalities — have passed an ordinance establishing their own grocery tax. Those communities are home to 7.2 million people, or 56.5% of the state’s population. Three counties — Washington, Wabash and Moultrie — have also approved countywide grocery taxes.
Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill in 2024 eliminating the 1% statewide grocery tax, which he touted as a measure to ease residents’ tax burden. But because the revenue from the state grocery tax went to municipal governments, rather than state coffers, the measure allowed local governments to levy their own 1% tax via ordinance, rather than a referendum to voters.
Hotel soaps phased out
The phase-out of small, single-use plastic bottles in Illinois hotel rooms continues.
Senate Bill 2960, passed and signed into law in 2024, bars hotels from providing toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner and bath soap in less than six-ounce plastic containers unless specifically requested by the hotel guest.
The ban took effect in hotels with 50 or more rooms on July 1 and takes effect for all hotels starting in 2026. Hotels in violation will receive a written warning for the first offense and be subject to fines of up to $1,500 for each subsequent violation.
The legislation is intended to spur the state’s hospitality industry to reduce its plastic footprint by shifting to either refillable toiletry containers or larger plastic bottles.
Similar laws have been enacted in states like California, New York and Washington.
Squatter removal
Senate Bill 1563 will make it easier for authorities to remove squatters who are illegally staying at someone else’s residence.
The law clarifies that a court-ordered eviction is not required for police to remove squatters from a person’s home, and police can enforce criminal trespassing charges against a squatter.
Pritzker signed the bill in July after squatters moved into a home next door to Rep. Marcus Evans in Chicago. According to ABC-7, Chicago Police told homeowners they couldn’t remove the squatters from the home and the homeowners would have to go through the eviction process in Cook County court, which can take months.
Drinking water protections
Senate Bill 1723 bans carbon sequestration — the process of capturing and storing carbon by injecting it underground — within an area that “overlies, underlies, or passes through” a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-designated sole-source aquifer.
The new law applies to the footprint of the Mahomet Aquifer, which is the main source of drinking water for more than 500,000 people across a 15-county area in central Illinois.
It comes as Illinois, especially downstate, is targeted for carbon sequestration projects due to the state’s favorable geology and the availability of federal tax credits.
Studies, including those conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois, have found minimal risk to water sources from sequestration activity.
But the legislation was a priority for central Illinois community activists, environmental advocates and a bipartisan cadre of local lawmakers with zero risk tolerance due to the lack of a clear alternative water source if the aquifer were tainted.
Safer gear for firefighters
Illinois will take first steps towards requiring safer gear for firefighters.
Under House Bill 2409, manufacturers of firefighter turnout gear starting in 2026 must provide written notice if their products contain PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
Numerous scientific studies have linked exposure to PFAS to an increased risk of developing various forms of cancer.
Manufacturers will be banned from selling turnout gear and personal protective equipment containing PFAS altogether starting on Jan. 1, 2027.
Lift-assist fees
House Bill 2336 allows municipalities or fire districts to charge assisted living facilities or nursing homes for calls to fire departments requesting help lifting a resident when it is not an emergency.
The bill was an initiative of the Illinois Municipal League, which argued the calls to fire departments for the nonemergency service are a burden on local governments and shift liabilities for injuries that happen during the process to fire departments rather than the facility.
Stadium funding
Senate Bill 2772 adds women’s professional sports to the types of facilities the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority can oversee. Current law only allows the ISFA to oversee sports facilities for baseball, football and auto racing.
The bill is not designed to move any team’s stadium proposals forward, though the Chicago Stars women’s soccer team has previously been reported to be interested in building a new stadium with help from state funding.
The bill was the only one related to sports stadium funding that advanced in Springfield in 2025. The Chicago Bears committed earlier this year to building a stadium in Arlington Heights but are still waiting for approval from the village and struggling to find support in Springfield for funding.
Public official privacy
House Bill 576 allows state lawmakers, constitutional officers and state’s attorneys, among others, to request that their personal information be redacted on public websites.
Public officials would be able to use their campaign funds to pay for personal security services and security upgrades to their home, including security systems, cameras, walls, fences and other physical improvements.
Rewilding
House Bill 2726 allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to implement rewilding as a conservation strategy for the state.
This could entail the restoration of land to its natural state and the reintroduction of native species, especially apex predators and keystone species like bison and beavers.
Illinois is believed to be the first state to codify the strategy into law.
Reservation app regulations
State lawmakers voted this year to crackdown on third-party restaurant reservation apps.
House Bill 2456 prohibits third-party reservation services from selling reservations without a restaurant’s permission. Restaurants are still allowed to partner with the services.
Paid time off to pump breast milk
Senate Bill 212 mandates employers to compensate mothers who take breaks at work to pump breast milk for up to a year after their child is born. The bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to use paid leave time for pumping.
Naloxone in libraries
House Bill 1910 requires that libraries maintain a supply of opioid overdose medication, like naloxone. This drug is often administered through a nasal spray like Narcan. The law also requires that at least one staff member be trained to identify overdoses and administer the drug.
Police training on sexual assault
Senate Bill 1195, also known as Anna’s Law, requires police officers in training to participate in trauma-informed programs, procedures and practices that are designed to reduce trauma for victims. The bill is named after Anna Williams, a suburban resident who brought the initiative to lawmakers following her own experience with a sexual assault investigation. The bill takes effect in January.
Predatory towing
Senate Bill 2040 gives the Illinois Commerce Commission new powers to punish predatory towing companies which sometimes tow cars under false pretenses only to charge drivers afterwards. The ICC-backed law allows the agency to revoke towing licenses, impound tow trucks and more.
