New Illinois laws taking effect in 2026 you'll want to know about

ILLINOIS - As 2026 approaches, several new Illinois laws are slated to take effect on Jan. 1 that could impact your daily life more than you know. 

Here's what new laws are rolling out at the start of the year: 

Sonya Massey Law

One of the most significant laws taking effect next year will be the Sonya Massey Law, or Senate Bill 1953. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the measure in August. It requires law enforcement agencies to conduct more comprehensive reviews of a prospective officer’s past employment to ensure their physical and psychological fitness for duty, according to a previous FOX 32 report.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield, and introduced following the July 2024 death of Sonya Massey, who was fatally shot in her Springfield-area home by Sean Grayson, a former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy.

The law will go into effect on Jan. 1. 

Safe Schools for All

The Safe Schools for All Act, known as House Bill 3247, was signed into law by Pritzker on Tuesday, Dec. 9.

The measure strengthens protections for immigrant families in Illinois following months of heightened federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

Chicago and several suburban communities have seen an influx of federal agents conducting ICE operations, including "Operation Midway Blitz." The actions have drawn protests that escalated outside the ICE processing facility in Broadview and prompted concerns among residents.

According to the governor’s office, the law "ensures immigrants and others impacted by hostile federal actions in Illinois can safely attend court hearings, protect their health information, join university communities, and access child care for their families without fear of aggressive civil immigration enforcement."

The act also outlines legal avenues for individuals harmed by federal agents who "knowingly violated constitutional rights" during enforcement operations.

Pritzker’s office said the law will "hold federal immigration enforcement accountable, protect immigrants at Illinois courthouses, ensure privacy at hospitals, defend immigrants at universities and safeguard children and families at day cares."

The law will take effect immediately. You can learn more about it here. 

Safe Gun Storage Act 

The Safe Gun Storage Act, or Senate Bill 0008, was signed into law in July by Pritzker.

The measure strengthens firearm storage requirements in homes where a gun could be accessed by a minor, an at-risk individual or a person prohibited from possessing firearms.

The legislation was co-sponsored by Sen. Laura Ellman and Rep. Maura Hirschauer.

According to the governor’s office, the law "improves safe storage requirements, adds civil penalties for improper storage security, and strengthens parameters around lost or stolen firearm reporting."

Under the new law, gun owners must report a lost or stolen firearm within 48 hours of discovering it, shortening the previous 72-hour reporting window.

The law goes into effect on Jan. 1. For more information, click here. 

Other new and noteworthy laws: 

End of life 

• Senate Bill 1793 - Creates a religious exemption permitting the scattering of cremated remains in Illinois rivers. Effective on Jan. 1.

First responders 

• Senate Bill 1742 - Creates the Rooftop Safety for First Responders Act, which requires low-sloped roofs to include a parapet, extended masonry, or guarding system. The Act also establishes safety specifications for skylights and any other openings located within the plane of a low-sloped roof. Effective on Jan. 1.

Food handling

• Senate Bill 1288 - Revises required allergen training for food service sanitation managers to include gluten awareness. Effective on Jan. 1.

Health care

• House Bill 1332 - Requires hospitals to give patients the opportunity to designate an emergency contact at admission and before discharge. Effective on Jan. 1.
• Senate Bill 0212 - Requires employers to provide paid break time to nursing mothers and prohibits them from requiring the use of paid leave or reducing the employee’s compensation in any way during those breaks. Effective on Jan. 1.
• Senate Bill 0069 - Requires group and individual health insurance policies to cover therapeutic horse riding services. Effective on Jan. 1.
• House Bill 1616 - Amends the Employee Blood and Organ Donation Leave Act to allow participating and part-time employees to use up to 10 days of leave in a 12-month period to serve as organ donors. Effective on Jan. 1.

SNAP benefits 

• Senate Bill 0032 - Expands SNAP eligibility to include veterans and active-duty service members. Effective on Jan. 1.

Transportation

• Senate Bill 1883 - Bans the use of tape or any device that obstructs vehicle registration plates. Effective on Jan. 1.
• House Bill 1120 - Eliminates the requirement for the Secretary of State to include a space on driver’s licenses for indicating blood type. Effective on Jan. 1.
• Senate Bill 2285 - Updates the definition of bicycle to also include low-speed electric bikes. Effective on Jan. 1.

FOX 32 Chicago will continue adding to this list of new laws as more information becomes available. 

See below for more new laws taking effect in 2026, courtesy of the Illinois Municipal League: 

What's next:

To learn more about the new laws taking effect next year, visit the Illinois General Assembly's website here.

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