Illinois House Advances Abortion Access Fund, Junk Fee Ban and Consumer Protection Package
Illinois House Votes to Advance Multiple Consumer Protection Bills to Senate
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House voted Thursday to advance a package of consumer protection bills designed to benefit Illinois families, including a long-sought abortion access fund, a junk fee ban, and measures addressing grocery coupon access, cash payments, and in-state tuition eligibility.
The House approved 81 bills Thursday to bring the week's total to 133, with several measures aimed at improving price transparency and expanding access to essential services.
Abortion Access Fund
House Bill 5408 passed the House 69-36 along party lines to create a grant fund for abortion care for uninsured and underinsured Illinois residents. The bill would utilize an underused provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance plans covering abortions beyond federal guidelines to collect at least $1 per month from enrollees to cover abortion claims.
Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, sponsored the bill. She anticipates amendments in the Senate due to concerns from the health insurance industry.
"This is an important bill that helps support our reproductive health care providers in the state of Illinois and ensure that women who need this health care are able to access it," Moeller told lawmakers during floor debate.
The bill directs insurance companies to report how much money sits in their segregated accounts and transfer 90 percent of the remaining funds to the Department of Insurance at the end of the plan year. The fund would provide grants to the Illinois Department of Public Health to support abortion access.
Republicans oppose the measure, with Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Teutopolis, arguing the federal government should strike it down as an excessive use of funds.
"Abortion clinics are opening continually throughout this state. Now we see insurance companies have been putting money into a fund that we're going to access for grants that we're going to give to folks such as Planned Parenthood to continue abortion access here in the state of Illinois," Niemerg said.
Junk Fee Ban
The Illinois House approved House Bill 228 for the second time in three years, passing 77-18. The bill amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make it a violation for businesses to not display all mandatory fees and charges added to listed prices.
Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, sponsored the legislation. He estimated hidden fees cost an average Illinois family $3,000 annually.
"This bill delivers on a promise that's quite simple: The price that you see should be the price that you pay," Morgan told lawmakers during floor debate.
The Illinois House first approved a junk fee ban in 2024, but it never advanced to the Senate. Morgan said the new version tightened ambiguous language to make it easier for businesses to comply and for the Illinois Attorney General's office to enforce.
Nine Republicans joined the supermajority Democrats in supporting the bill, though it still faced opposition from banking and hospitality organizations. Rep. Tom Weber, R-Lake Villa, who voted against it, said the legislation went "a step too far on our already overburdened businesses."
Cash Payment Requirement
House Bill 4592 passed unanimously to require stores to accept cash for in-person transactions under $500. The bill applies to any store with a physical location that employs someone to accept in-person transactions.
The legislation would take effect in 2028 and stores would not be required to accept currency larger than $20. Stores violating the requirement could face lawsuits and fines under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act.
Grocery Coupon Access
House Bill 45 passed unanimously to require retailers to provide digital promotions or coupons to eligible customers. The bill originated from concerns that eligible customers were being denied access to benefits because paper coupons were not available.
Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, sponsored the measure. The original version required merchants to provide paper coupons, but an amendment broadened the regulation to ensure all eligible customers for a coupon are afforded access to the promotion.
There is no penalty to the merchant unless the establishment does not cure a violation within 15 days of being notified of the violation.
"It is especially problematic when it comes to those who may not have access to devices, may be visually impaired, or those who may be technologically less adept," Yang Rohr said. "That's oftentimes our older constituents."
In-State Tuition Expansion
House Bill 5093 passed 71-37 to expand eligibility for in-state tuition at Illinois universities. The bill removes a state law requirement that a student who attended an Illinois high school could only receive in-state tuition if they did not establish residency outside the state before enrolling in college.
Under the change, students who attend at least two years of high school in Illinois could receive in-state tuition regardless of whether they moved out of state before going to college.
Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, sponsored the bill.
"As a first generation, I can't imagine having to live in Illinois all my life, but then when I go to a university, be considered for out-of-state tuition because I'm an immigrant. Of course in-state tuition, it is cheaper and I want to have more students be able to access that," Hernandez said.
Republicans argued the bill would unfairly benefit non-citizens.
Narcan for Incarcerated Persons
House Bill 5302 passed 77-29 to require the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide opioid antagonists like Narcan to incarcerated persons with drug-related offenses or substance abuse disorders upon their release.
Rep. Justin Slaight, D-Plainfield, sponsored the measure. The bill now awaits consideration in the Senate.
What Comes Next
All six bills now move to the Illinois Senate for further consideration. The abortion access fund is expected to face amendments due to concerns from the health insurance industry. The junk fee ban has already faced opposition from business groups and may encounter similar hurdles.
The cash payment requirement and grocery coupon access bills passed unanimously and are less likely to face significant amendments. The in-state tuition expansion and Narcan provision bills will also require Senate action.
The Senate is expected to begin its consideration of the bills in the coming weeks, with the abortion fund and junk fee ban likely to be the most contentious measures.