SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, today advanced House Bill 3526 that would end rent gouging by manufactured home park landlords, bringing much needed relief to mobile home owners and renters.

The amended HB 3526 was passed by the House Housing Committee and will now go to the floor for a vote.

“Greed is rampant in the manufactured housing industry. Rent hikes of 50%, 60%, even 70% are happening at alarming rates, pushing families and seniors out of their homes,” said Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid. “One prominent investor openly compared his tenants to hostages who can do nothing about extreme rent increases. That mentality is driving mobile home residents to the brink. This bill takes urgent, targeted action to stop the most devastating rent increases before more residents lose everything to robber barons chasing maximum profit.”

HB 3526 established a reasonable, predictable framework for rent increases in manufactured home parks. It caps annual lot rent at 3% or inflation, providing stability for residents, while allowing owners to keep up with rising costs. The provisions of the bill would not apply to newly constructed mobile homes for 15 years or for justified expenses limited to property tax increases, major capital improvements, or utility cost increases.

Currently, predatory private equity firms have been buying up manufactured home parks, leading to skyrocketing rents for residents who have few alternative options. Residents typically own their homes, but rent the space the home sits on in manufactured home parks, meaning they are vulnerable to potentially losing their homes if they cannot afford spiking rents.

The manufactured housing industry is highly profitable and stable, and can absorb reasonable rent stabilization that keeps residents in their homes. Research shows that between 2004 and 2018, net operating income from mobile home parks rose by 87%, and notably never declined even during the Great Recession. An industry analysis found this sector was the only major real estate asset class with no year-over-year income declines in any year since 2000, outperforming apartments, offices, and other property types.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) passed House Bill 4980 out of committee Thursday to protect Illinois workers from the growing harms caused by AI systems that make high-stakes decisions about people’s lives without accountability.

HB 4980, the Meaningful Human Control of Artificial Intelligence Act, would require transparency, bias auditing, and meaningful human oversight for automated decision-making systems (ADS) used by government agencies in employment decisions.

“Without this bill, many workers could be at the mercy of artificial intelligence to evaluate performance, determine disciplinary actions, and decide who gets hired or fired–without any notice or recourse,” said Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid. “When these systems get it wrong, and they often get it wrong, workers could lose their jobs and public services would be worse for Illinois families. We can’t wait to take action; AI can’t be allowed to operate in the dark when people’s rights and livelihoods are on the line.”

“Workers deserve to know when AI is being used to make decisions about their jobs, and they deserve a seat at the table when it is. HB 4980 establishes exactly that: transparency, human oversight, and enforceable bargaining rights,” said Tim Drea, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “This is smart, responsible legislation that guarantees a human being, not a black box, is responsible for decisions that affect people’s livelihoods.”

“This is the moment for Illinois lawmakers to lead the way in creating guardrails for the careful use of AI,” said Roberta Lynch, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31, the largest union of state workers. “This bill is a strong first step toward preventing the misuse of AI in the public sector by ensuring that Automated Decision-Making Systems are fair, accurate, and always subject to human oversight.”

What HB4980 Does

HB 4980 establishes much-needed oversight and transparency to automated decision-making systems (ADS) in the public sector, protects jobs and workplace rights by:

• Requiring meaningful human control over any ADS that affects benefits, employment, civil liberties, safety, or legally protected rights of public sector workers.

• Protecting workers and collective bargaining rights by requiring negotiation before proceeding or deploying ADS, prohibiting job loss, displacement, or transfer of duties to ADS; and allowing employees and unions access to employee data collected by such systems.

• Requiring ceasing use of an AI function if an assessment finds bias or inaccuracies until remedied.

• Providing enforcement mechanisms, including oversight and penalties enforced by the Department of Labor; anti-retaliation protection for employees who refuse to follow incorrect or discriminatory AI outputs.

• Banning certain uses outright, including use of automated systems in hiring, firing, discipline, promotion, performance evaluation, or other employment conditions in the public sector.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, issued the following statement after Governor Pritzker’s annual budget address on Wednesday:

“Our state, much like our country, finds itself at a crossroads. Working families are struggling, and critical services and programs are consistently under siege from the federal government. It is paramount that we stand firm in our commitment to an Illinois that we can all afford.

“Over the coming months I will be unapologetic in my push for a more equitable, progressive budget that strengthens access to housing, healthcare, food and public education. We owe it to the working families of this state.”

CHICAGO – Rep. Abdelnsasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) released the following statement:

“I was greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in the civil rights movement and an inspirational leader in Chicago. From his work alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the founding of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Jackson dedicated his life to expanding the promise of democracy to those long denied it.

“For decades, Rev. Jackson championed a free Palestine, calling for dignity, self-determination, and justice in the Middle East. He approached the issue as a question of moral consistency – insisting that the same principles of equality and human rights must apply universally.

“Throughout his life, Rev. Jackson challenged America to live up to its highest ideals. He advocated for voting rights, economic justice, labor protections, and international human rights, with a message rooted in faith and the unwavering belief in the power of multiracial democracy.

“Rev. Jackson’s legacy is one of speaking hard truths before they were widely embraced, and standing firm when silence would have been easier. His example reminds us that moral leadership often begins where political comfort ends.”

CHICAGO – Rep. Abdelnsasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) released the following statement today, after Gov. Pritzker signed the Clean Slate Act into law:

“The Clean State Act is a powerful step forward for Illinois and for our shared commitment to justice, opportunity, and public safety. People are more than their past mistakes and true public safety is built through second chances. By automatically sealing eligible records, Clean Slate strengthens our workforce, supports families, and makes our communities safer.

“I am proud that Illinois is leading the nation by showing that accountability and compassion go hand in hand,” Rashid said. 

Rep. Rashid was a co-sponsor of the Clean Slate Act (House Bill 1836) which will automatically seal certain criminal records, simplifying a process that has long been complicated and time-consuming.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, is working to bring costs down for working families by demanding the reinstatement of Affordable Care Act subsidies, condemning the White House’s illegal tariff policy and rejecting unconstitutional efforts to freeze funding for childcare.

“Good governing means supporting working families and expanding economic opportunity, not ill-advised policies that punish blue states at the expense of everyday people,” Rashid said. “Programs that uplift the middle class should be supported, not subject to constant political barrage.”

Illinoisans are facing skyrocketing medical expenses due to Republican leaders allowing the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire on Jan. 1 of this year, resulting in families now facing nearly $1,000 in annual premium increases–with rural and downstate communities facing average increases as high as $2,000.

Additionally, the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional tariffs, and decision to freeze $10 billion in funding for affordable childcare, have dramatically increased costs for families across the country.

Rashid is fighting for solutions and supported House resolutions that formally condemn the Trump administration’s recent actions:

• House Resolution 620 calls on Congress and the Trump Administration to immediately reinstate 2022’s enhanced ACA subsidies. 
• House Resolution 621 condemns Donald Trump’s effort to freeze funds for affordable child care and calls for the immediate release of all congressionally approved child care funds.
• House Resolution 623 calls on Donald Trump to stop his unconstitutional tariffs. The resolution demands the United States Treasury issue $2,000 payments to every middle-class and modest-income household as a way of refunding families’ lost wages and savings.

While the Republican-led federal government slashes social services in order to provide major tax cuts to large corporations and billionaires, Rashid has continued to push for a fair budget that ensures the wealthy pay their fair share and uplifts the working class. 

“No one should ever have to choose between healthcare and groceries or childcare and utility bills, especially in the United States,” Rashid said. “The current administration’s economic agenda has harmed working families the hardest, and it’s time they own their actions and start working for average families.”

CHICAGO – Under new mass transit guidelines introduced by a reform law passed by state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, local buses and trains will run more reliably, and with enhancements to public safety aboard.

“Our community deserves access to a public transit system that works — free of worrying about ghost buses, infrequent service or other issues that too often create a subpar experience for riders,” said Rashid. “Strong support for public transit continues to power our world-class communities and connect our residents with opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible.”

Across our state, public transit takes people to work, takes people home, and connects people, businesses, and communities more than 400 million times every year. But that system has faced major challenges; fragmented governance, uneven investment, and post-COVID ridership losses have left transit struggling with unreliable service, delayed trains, canceled routes, and a looming fiscal cliff that’s threatening to derail it all.

Rashid worked to save and improve transit by passing House Bill 2111, a transformational package of reforms that brings Pace, CTA, and Metra together into one modern, efficient system. The new Northern Illinois Transit Authority(NITA) is a major step toward a transit system that gets people where they need to go affordably, protects taxpayers, and offers a better experience for riders and workers.

Rashid’s reforms mean:

• More efficient administration: NITA will operate with new internal and independent auditors to crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse in transit. It will be required to maintain a reserve fund to prevent future bailouts.
• Reliable, modern service: NITA will bring uniformity to fares and schedules to better meet the needs of riders—whether on buses or trains, whether in the city or the suburbs.
• A safer experience for riders and workers: A multijurisdictional law enforcement team will step up enforcement right away. NITA will deploy ambassadors across the system to assist people experiencing mental health crises. And a permanent office of safety will lead long-term planning to keep riders and workers safe.

House Bill 2111 was signed into law Tuesday.

BERWYN, Ill. – In response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that attempts to block states from issuing their own regulations around artificial intelligence (AI), state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, issued the following statement: 

“Once again, Donald Trump is trampling on our Constitutional separation of powers, while writing a blank check to corporations. This order prioritizes the interests of Big Tech over protecting consumers, ignoring broad bipartisan concerns about the social and ethical impacts of unfettered AI.

“I have been part of bipartisan efforts urging Congress not to preempt state regulation of AI. We have been successful, because it’s undeniable that AI can cause real harm to our residents through privacy invasions, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, and job losses.

“Genuine leadership on AI requires robust safeguards, democratic input, and accountability — not a federal fiat that effectively deregulates one of the most transformative and potentially harmful technologies of our time. We in Illinois will not be cowed into submission. We will continue to provide leadership on necessary AI regulation to protect consumers.”

CHICAGO – Rep. Abdelnsasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview) released the following statement today:

“Once again, Donald Trump is trampling on our Constitutional separation of powers, while writing a blank check to corporations. This order prioritizes the interests of Big Tech over protecting consumers, ignoring broad bipartisan concerns about the social and ethical impacts of unfettered AI.

“I have been part of bipartisan efforts urging Congress not to preempt state regulation of AI. We have been successful, because it’s undeniable that AI can cause real harm to our residents through privacy invasions, algorithmic discrimination, deepfakes, and job losses.

“Genuine leadership on AI requires robust safeguards, democratic input, and accountability — not a federal fiat that effectively deregulates one of the most transformative and potentially harmful technologies of our time. We in Illinois will not be cowed into submission. We will continue to provide leadership on necessary AI regulation to protect consumers.”

BERWYN, Ill. – State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, announced today that the Illinois House Progressive Caucus has endorsed the Illinois Human Rights Advocacy and Protection Act (HB 2723). HB 2723 would repeal the requirement that Illinois pension funds divest from companies that stop doing business in or with Israel. Two-thirds of members were required to support the bill in order to receive Caucus support. On this milestone, Rashid issued the following statement:

“The Illinois House Progressive Caucus is on the right side of history with its endorsement of the Illinois Human Rights Advocacy Protection Act, which reaffirms the foundational democratic principle that peaceful protest should be protected, not punished. I thank my colleagues for their leadership on this critical issue.

Our bill has already garnered the support of nearly 30 co-sponsors in the House and Senate from across the state and organizations like the ACLU of Illinois, reflecting the broad and diverse coalition behind it. An overwhelming majority of Illinoisans support the right to peaceful protest and believe our state and nation must not be complicit in grave injustices, including those currently being perpetrated against the Palestinian people.

At a time when foundational liberties are under attack and with state repression on the rise, it’s more important than ever that Illinois clearly and unambiguously stand on the side of freedom and democracy.”