Rep. Rashid Bills to Protect Consumers from Cancer-Causing Forever Chemicals, Expand Education Opportunities, Modernize Government Pass Illinois House

Berwyn, IL – The Illinois House this week passed eight bills introduced by Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) that would ban cancer-causing chemicals from consumer products, protect drinking water, enrich education opportunities, and modernize our state’s technology.

“At a time when the Trump administration is waging war on the working class, Illinois is fighting back,” said Rep. Rashid. “Trump wants to spread cancer-causing PFAS, but we’re banning them. Trump wants to silence the voices of immigrants, but we’re expanding dual language courses in our state. Trump wants to erase the contributions that Americans of color have been making since the dawn of our nation, but we’re making sure their history is being taught in schools. I am proud of the progress we made in Springfield this week.”

HB2516 would ban the sale of products that contain PFAS including, food packaging, cookware, cosmetics, dental floss, menstrual products, intimate apparel, and products for children. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, increase cancer risks and decrease fertility. They also break down slowly, and can contaminate water and soil, making them an ongoing risk to Illinois communities.

HB2955 would create the PFAS Wastewater Citizen Protection Committee, which is tasked with developing a PFAS Action Plan to address the clean up of PFAS from Illinois waterways and drinking water.

HB1859 requires all courses taught at community college districts to be led by a human instructor. They cannot be replaced by an artificial intelligence program. Rep. Rashid introduced the bill following the release of the Illinois Generative AI and Natural Language Processing Task Force’s report on generative AI.

HB3026 expands dual language education in Illinois. The bill instructs the State Board of Education to adopt comprehensive guidance for school districts on starting dual language programs, including teacher recruitment, curriculum support, and community engagement.

HB 2997 calls for Arab American history and contributions to be taught in Illinois public schools.Illinois is home to one of the largest Arab American populations in the country.

Additionally, two bills modernizationing state government that were introduced by Rep. Rashid also passed the House, HB 1631 and HB1632, as well as HB 3646, which extends the Artificial Intelligence Task Force that Rep. Rashid co-chairs.