Illinois House Passes 133 Bills Including Junk Fee Ban, Cash Payment Requirement and Abortion Grant Fund
Illinois Legislature Pushes Through Consumer Protection Measures and Policy Changes
The Illinois House of Representatives passed 133 bills last week, sending them to the Senate for further consideration. The legislation includes measures designed to benefit consumers through greater price transparency, expanded abortion access, and broader cash payment requirements.
Junk Fee Ban Finalizes Three-Year Legislative Battle
For the second time in three years, the Illinois House voted to ban hidden junk fees that are often added to the total cost of ticketed events, hotel rooms and other goods and services. House Bill 228 passed on a 77-18 vote and now moves to the Senate.
Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, sponsored the measure and spoke on the House floor about the importance of price transparency.
"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.
Morgan estimated that hidden fees cost an average Illinois family $3,000 annually. The bill amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make it a violation for a business not to display all mandatory fees and charges they're adding on top of a listed price.
The goal is to ensure consumers are aware of the total price before making the purchase. The legislation specifically lists a number of different services it aims to impact, including food delivery platforms and hotels. It would also apply to internet, cable and phone service providers among others.
Nine Republicans joined supermajority Democrats in supporting the amended bill. However, the changes weren't enough to remove opposition from the state's top business, banking and hospitality organizations.
Rep. Tom Weber, R-Fox Lake, who voted against the bill, acknowledged the underlying idea was good but argued the legislation went a step too far on already overburdened businesses.
"In a great idea, however, I think this bill goes just a step too far on the already overburdened businesses here in the State of Illinois," Weber said during floor debate.
Abortion Grant Fund Advances to Senate
The House voted along party lines 69-36 to pass a bill that would create a grant fund to cover abortion care for uninsured and underinsured people. House Bill 5408, another of Gov. JB Pritzker's initiatives, would utilize an under-used provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance plans that offer coverage for abortions in instances that go beyond rape, incest and the life of the mother to collect at least $1 a month from enrollees to cover the cost of abortion claims.
Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, sponsored the bill and said she anticipates an amendment in the Senate because of concerns from Illinois' health insurance industry.
"This is an important bill that helps support our reproductive health care providers in the state of Illinois and ensure women who need this health care are able to access it," Moeller said.
Cash Payment Requirement Targets Retailers
House Bill 4592 passed the House unanimously on Thursday. The bill requires any store with a physical location that employs someone to accept in-person transactions to accept cash for transactions under $500.
Stores would not be required to accept currency larger than $20. The bill would take effect in 2028 and now awaits further consideration in the Senate.
Grocery Coupon Access Expanded
House Bill 45 passed unanimously and moves on to the Senate. The bill would require retailers to provide digital promotions or coupons to eligible customers.
Bill sponsor Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, said the bill came from concerns that eligible customers were being denied access to the same benefits because paper coupons were not available.
The original version of the bill required merchants to provide paper coupons, but the 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.
In-State Tuition Rules Changed
House Bill 5093 removes a requirement in state law that a student who attended an Illinois high school could only receive in-state tuition at an Illinois university if they did not establish residency outside the state before enrolling in an Illinois university.
With 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.
"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," bill sponsor Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, told Capitol News Illinois. "Of course in-state tuition, it is cheaper and I want to have more students be able to access that."
The bill passed the House on Thursday on a partisan 71-37 vote, with Republicans arguing the bill would unfairly benefit non-citizens. It now moves on to the Senate.
Narcan Required for Incarcerated Individuals
House Bill 5302 would require the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide opioid antagonists like Narcan to any incarcerated person who was charged for a drug-related offense or has a substance abuse disorder upon their release.
Bill sponsor Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Orland Park, said overdose rates have decreased, and initiatives like this would further the initiative to decrease overdose deaths.
The bill passed 77-29 and awaits further consideration in the Senate.
Immigration Detention Center Restrictions
The Illinois House approved legislation that would prohibit the federal government from operating a new immigration detention center within 1,500 feet of any home, school, day care center, park, forest preserve, cemetery or place of worship.
House Bill 5024, sponsored by House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, passed on a largely partisan 72-35-2 roll call and now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.
Welch's district includes Broadview, the west suburban village of about 8,000 that's home to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center that became a focal point for protesters during Operation Midway Blitz last year. The facility would not be affected by the measure.
Extended Motel Stays for At-Risk Children
House Bill 4137 would allow school districts to provide for an extended motel stay for a child who is at risk of becoming or is homeless. Currently, school districts can already give rental or mortgage assistance and other financial support that could result in a child losing permanent housing.
Clarifying her bill, Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, said it could actually be a cost-saving measure for school districts alreadying supporting unhoused students, who may be displaced far from their school if staying with family.
"It will reduce the transportation costs for the school districts by allowing them to house the family closer to the district," Mussman said. "School districts are spending significant resources on Ubers and taxis, et cetera, trying to transport these kids back to the home district."
State Bee Designation Approved
House Bill 4438 would give the honor to the Black-and-Gold Bumblebee, scientifically known as bombas auricomus. The bill would designate the bee as Illinois' official state bee.
The initiative came from Lincoln Junior High School students in Naperville.
Legislative Timeline and Next Steps
The House returns to Springfield this week alongside the Senate, both facing legislative deadlines at the end of the week. All 133 bills passed by the House now move to the Senate for further deliberation.
The junk fee ban bill has already faced similar legislation in 2024 that never advanced to the Senate floor. This version includes tightened language to make it easier for businesses to comply and for the Illinois Attorney General's office to enforce.
The cash payment requirement bill takes effect in 2028, giving retailers substantial time to adjust their payment processing systems.
The abortion grant fund bill faces potential amendments in the Senate from the health insurance industry, which has expressed concerns about the $1 per month collection mechanism.
The in-state tuition bill has drawn criticism from Republicans who argue it would unfairly benefit non-citizens who move out of state before enrolling in universities, despite attending Illinois high schools for at least two years.
Economic and Social Implications
The junk fee ban could provide significant savings for Illinois families across multiple categories including ticketed events, hotel stays, food delivery and various service providers. Rep. Morgan's estimate of $3,000 in annual savings represents substantial relief for household budgets.
The cash payment requirement could impact businesses' payment processing costs and operations, particularly smaller retailers who may need to update their systems to accept cash transactions.
The abortion grant fund aims to ensure access to reproductive health care for uninsured and underinsured Illinois residents, addressing a gap in health coverage that could affect women across the state.
The in-state tuition change could benefit thousands of students who currently face higher costs for college despite having Illinois high school diplomas, though opponents argue it creates unfair advantages for non-resident students.
"The House passes 133 bills, many with potential impacts for Illinoisans," The Center Square reported. "Many of them could have an impact on how taxpayer dollars are being spent."
The legislation reflects the Illinois House' focus on consumer protection measures and policy changes that directly affect residents throughout the state. The bills now await Senate consideration as the legislative session continues.
Sources
- https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/illinois-house-approves-ban-on-junk-fees-pritzkers-abortion-fund-proposal/
- https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/illinois-house-approves-133-bills-including-ban-22199883.php
- https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_f6aba120-bc49-463d-a53e-b5400ba77939.html