SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Working to cut costs for Illinois families and educators statewide, state Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, is highlighting $11.4 million in savings returned to Illinoisans as part of this year’s budget-enacted Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which reduced sales tax on items like school supplies, clothing and footwear this August.

“Families across our state have been struggling with the rising costs of everyday items,” said Johnson. “Going into session last spring, we knew that we would have to prioritize cutting costs for working families. The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday was meant to do just that by providing families with financial relief, as they prepare their children for the upcoming school year.”

The Johnson-supported Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday ran from Aug. 7 to Aug. 16, 2026, waiving the state sales tax online and in-store for Illinoisans buying classroom essentials including clothing, gym shoes and school supplies. 2,284 retailers participated. The 10-day tax holiday was initially projected to deliver $10 million in consumer savings—however, new figures from the governor’s office show that Illinoisans ultimately saved $11.4 million. 

“While the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday did help Illinoisans save millions of dollars, we know that we need to continue finding ways to cut costs for working families,” said Johnson. “As we prepare for Veto Session, my peers and I will continue fighting for affordable prices and a lower cost of living.”

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – State Representative Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, releases a statement in support of Governor Pritzker’s emergency proclamation to lower diesel prices for farmers during transport:

“For the past year, we’ve watched diesel and gas prices skyrocket, harming millions of families across the country. One community that has been hit especially hard is our local farmers, and as they work through the harvest season it’s paramount we provide real financial relief. That’s why Governor Pritzker’s announcement that he’s using emergency powers to allow farmers to use ‘red-dye diesel’ to drive on highways for transport is so important because it’s going to lower prices. 

“Our farmers are the backbone of everyday society, and it’s essential we provide them with aid and services, so they can succeed and uplift our communities. This is especially important now since the federal government has repeatedly made poor decisions that harm farmers like illegal tariffs, environmental rollbacks and stripping everyday assistance for farm families who simply need a leg up.  

“As they move through their harvest season, I hope every farmer knows that my peers and I in the Illinois General Assembly proudly support them. Gov. Pritzker’s initiative to lower diesel prices is a significant first step to supporting our farmers and definitely not the last. As we move closer toward session, we will continuously look for more ways to support them, ensure that they are able to succeed, and most importantly, have the tools required to feed the millions of families that count on their farms.”

GRAYSLAKE, Ill.  – With the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) applications opening for select groups on Oct. 1, state Rep. Laura Faver Dias, D-Grayslake, highlights legislation signed into law that increases access to the program for eligible groups. 

“We all know how expensive life has gotten across the country, including here in Illinois,” said Faver Dias. “This legislation makes a tangible difference when it comes to lowering utility costs for working families and those in need.”

Faver Dias’s House Bill 4456 expands eligibility for LIHEAP to 300% of the federal poverty level, allowing individuals with an annual income of up to $47,880, or a family of four with a household income of up to $99,000 to qualify for relief.  

The measure also tackles utility surcharge rates that have been rising and becoming a growing concern for working families throughout Illinois. The legislation would permanently prevent an expected surcharge rate increase – providing long-term financial relief for all ratepayers. 

“With high gas prices, increasing inflation, and rising everyday costs, families and individuals shouldn’t have to worry about high utility bills,” said Faver Dias. “As registration for LIHEAP opens up this October and November, I hope families across the state will be able to use it to help pay their utility bills and keep costs down.”

Eligible groups for early application to LIHEAP include adults 60 and older, individuals with a disability, families with children five years old or younger, and households that are disconnected from their utilities, have a disconnection notice or have less than 25% in their propane tank. Applications for all other eligible households will open on November 1. 

House Bill 4456 was signed into law, and it went into effect July 9, 2026.

MOLINE, Ill. – State Representative Gregg Johnson, D-Rock Island, releases a statement about the reopening of passenger rail service to the Quad Cities for the first time in almost half a century:

“Earlier this month, it was announced that we finally have the funds to restart passenger rail services between the Quad Cities and Chicago, nearly half a century since they ended in 1979. With this new rail service, the Quad Cities will receive a fresh wave of economic opportunity and growth, as we’ll now be connected to one of the largest passenger rail hubs in the country. 

“The Quad Cities have a ton to offer, from the Figgee Art Museum to the John Deere Pavilion to Augustana College, and it’s time that we were once again connected to the rest of the state through passenger rail services. Not only that, but we’re constantly growing and developing, from recent development opportunities in downtown Moline to overall infrastructure improvements across the region, and rail services are the clear next step. 

“I’m excited for the opportunities that lay ahead of us, and I cannot wait to see the years of hard work and dedication come to fruition when passenger rail services officially restart in the Quad Cities.”

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – State Representative Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville releases a statement supporting the federal Combating Illicit Xylazine Act and calls on the Illinois House to pass Senate Bill 1773:

“Earlier this month, we watched the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act unanimously pass the federal House of Representatives. Their bill would list xylazine as a Class III controlled substance while still allowing professionals, like veterinarians and biologists, access explicitly for work needs. 

“Xylazine is being used as a low-cost cutting agent, leading to the fentanyl crisis becoming increasingly more deadly. This drug has harmful side effects, like lowering a person’s heart rate and blood pressure to dangerously low levels. It does not respond to opioid reversal medications used when treating fentanyl overdoses, making it difficult to treat. 

“If their act passes the Senate and is signed into law, it will be a clear signal that the drug crisis cannot continue, and it’s time to hold those who profit from these drugs accountable. It’s a clear step in the right direction, and I hope that Illinois will follow the same path.   

“Over the most recent session period, the Illinois Senate passed my legislation, Senate Bill 1773, which would classify xylazine as a Class III controlled substance, while still allowing professionals access. It’s time that the Illinois House of Representatives also passed this bill, so we can send it to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. With this classification, we would be taking an important step towards saving lives, strengthening public safety, and providing law enforcement with the tools they need to protect our communities.”

WAUKEGAN — Rep. Rita Mayfield, chair of the Illinois House Appropriations Public Safety Committee, said dozens of law enforcement agencies have contacted her to express support for House Bills 5750 and 5751, legislation that would provide $4 million for a critical state program to analyze cartridge casings recovered at crime scenes and casings recovered from crime guns. 

The NIBIN/ballistics grant program has provided $10 million in grants to local government public safety agencies in Illinois. The funding provides equipment and software that allow departments to access the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN stores and compares images of crime–related cartridge casings, allowing investigators to obtain critical information and advance their cases faster. Mayfield said, “Simply put, NIBIN is a program that quickly generates actionable leads linking shooting incidents.” 

House Bills 5750 and 5751 would renew the program by providing $4 million in fiscal year 2027 grants to the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies for the purchase of NIBIN- related equipment and software. 

“There have been two mass shootings in Illinois in the last two weeks: one in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood last weekend and another two weeks ago in Chicago’s Washington Park,” Mayfield said. “On July 12, a targeted mass shooting in East St. Louis resulted in five fatalities among members of a single family. NIBIN is critical to these investigations, and police agencies are calling and writing to ask for immediate funding to purchase NIBIN technology and software services.” 

Among the agencies reaching out to Mayfield were the North Chicago Police Department and its Police Chief Laz Perez. 

“In 2025, North Chicago Police won a grant from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) for $25,000 to buy ballistics detection equipment. However, with no funding guaranteed yet for this fiscal year, our ballistics imaging efforts might not be able to continue because the North Chicago Police Department needs to buy supplies and continue technology contracts for our NIBIN equipment,” Perez wrote. 

Champaign Police Chief Timothy Tyler said his department worked to address unlawfully possessed firearms in 2024, with officers seizing or recovering 193 firearms through proactive enforcement activity. 

“Each weapon was processed as evidence and entered into NIBIN, a shared system that helps law enforcement agencies across the nation to analyze ballistic information to determine whether a firearm was used in incidents across multiple jurisdictions,” Tyler said. “This technology has helped reduce gun violence in Champaign, and funding should be available every year, and the program should be made permanent.” 

In South Suburban Harvey, Police Chief Dale Mitchell said, “We will need additional software and equipment soon to support our NIBIN ballistics efforts. In the cash strapped South Suburbs, lives depend on your legislation, and we hope it passes immediately.” 

The Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Laboratory in Mundelein provides forensic services, including ballistic detection and imaging, to member law enforcement agencies in Lake County and across the region, which includes more than 1.6 million citizens. 

“Our laboratory urges you to revive the program,” Lab Director Peter St. Andre said. “This technology can help local departments solve gun crimes and reduce repeat shootings and should be more widely available to police departments throughout Lake County and across the state.” 

In 2025, the City of Peoria and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office received more than $300,000 in state grants through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to purchase NIBIN equipment. The grant program enabled Peoria County to become the first county in Illinois to operate NIBIN equipment machines thanks to this grant program. 

However, Peoria Assistant Police Chief Erin Barisch said the City of Peoria “urgently needs funding to purchase new equipment and supplies, and to upgrade existing software. We strongly support your legislation to provide $4 million in funding this fiscal year.”

SPRINGFIELD, ILL – State Representative Yolonda Morris, D-Chicago, is celebrating the enactment of House Bill 5284, the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act, which is now law in Illinois.

House Bill 5284 passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and became Public Act 104-0793 on August 7, 2026. The new law advances menopause education, expands access to menopause-related care and strengthens workplace protections for individuals experiencing menopause and related conditions.

“For too long, menopause has been overlooked in conversations about health care and the workplace,” said State Representative Yolonda Morris. “This law ensures that people experiencing menopause have greater access to information and care and are treated with dignity and respect. I am proud to have championed this legislation and to see it become law for people across Illinois.”

The Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act represents an important step toward greater awareness, access and support for people experiencing menopause throughout the state.

SPRINGFIELD, ILL – Illinois rideshare drivers now have new rights to organize, bargain collectively and advocate for fair treatment under legislation sponsored by State Rep. Yolonda
Morris, D- Chicago, and recently signed into law. 

“Every day, rideshare drivers work hard to get people to work, school, appointments and wherever they need to go. They deserve a voice in the decisions that affect their ability to earn a living,” Morris said. “As a former union organizer, I know firsthand how important it is for workers to come together and advocate for themselves. This legislation gives rideshare drivers that voice and holds companies accountable when drivers are deactivated.” 

Under House Bill 5090, now Public Act 104-0788, transportation network drivers have the right to organize, form or join driver organizations and bargain collectively. The law establishes a process through the Illinois Labor Relations Board for certifying a transportation network driver organization as the exclusive bargaining representative for a bargaining unit.

The law also requires covered transportation network companies to bargain with the certified representative on mandatory subjects of bargaining and establishes protections against unfair labor practices. Beginning 90 days after the law takes effect, covered transportation network companies will also be required to pay a fee for each trip originating in Illinois, with the funds deposited into the Rideshare Workers Support Fund.

House Bill 5090 also establishes procedures for bargaining, resolving disputes and addressing unfair work practices, while making conforming changes to the Freedom of Information Act and Labor Dispute Act.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.— State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, released the following statement supporting a coalition of teachers unions and their lawsuit against the Department of Education for a controversial ‘professional degree’ rule change, which excludes a range of graduate programs from federal student loan opportunities:

“Despite the invaluable role that learning plays in our children’s lives, schools are facing federal funding cuts, public education infrastructure is being dismantled, and now, Department of Education policy changes threaten to saddle future teachers with greater student debt. This disastrous and insulting reversal will undoubtedly discourage many talented people from going into education, even as communities across Illinois and this country deal with teacher shortages.

“If that’s not enough, the same rejection of financial aid applies to nurses, social workers, public health experts and many other undervalued professionals, further undermining opportunities for working- and middle-class students to excel.

“I’ve fought to pass legislation supporting education in Illinois for the same reason I’m putting my full support behind this legal action. Education builds a better future, not just for students learning new skills, but for every person in our community who benefits from the expertise of another generation of talented professionals.”

OTTAWA, Ill. – Working towards fairer accommodations for Illinoisans with disabilities, state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, is highlighting her work expanding Sami’s Law this spring legislative session, which was successfully signed into law by the governor Aug. 7.

“I’m excited we made it to the finish line—getting Sami’s Law signed into our books means more Illinoisans with disabilities and severe mobility obstacles can comfortably use handicap stalls in more restrooms around the state,” said Briel. “This is an example of real change for real people. So many families have expressed the need for more accessible accommodations in our ADA-compliant restrooms so caregivers and loved ones are not forced to change in the back of the car or on a dirty bathroom floor. This expansion of Sami’s Law grants these families and their loved ones the independence and inclusion they rightfully deserve. Everyone should have access to a restroom that fits their mobility needs.”

Sami’s Law was originally signed in 2024, requiring any interstate highway rest stop to include an adult-sized changing table within a handicap stall. Briel’s House Bill 4379 serves as an extension ensuring more ADA-compliant restroom stalls include a changing station for individuals with disabilities weighing over 50 pounds.

Specifically, the measure will require large, public building developments constructed after Jan. 1, 2029, and which exceed 40,000 square feet or more with a capacity of over 1,500, to include an adult changing station in a bathroom stall. By expanding requirements to include most large public buildings, more Illinois children and adults with severe mobility issues or other disabilities can comfortably and privately use these facilities, while also giving caregivers assurance their loved one has adequate accommodations.

House Bill 4379 was signed into law Aug. 7 and goes into effect immediately. For more information, please email contact@staterepbriel.com.