Illinois House Passes Junk Fee Ban After Three Years, Sends Bill to Senate

The Price You See Should Be the Price You Pay

For the second time in three years, Illinois lawmakers voted to ban hidden "junk fees" that quietly nickel-and-dime families out of thousands of dollars per year. The Illinois House passed House Bill 228 on a 77-18 vote Thursday, sending the legislation to the Senate where it now awaits consideration.

Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, the bill sponsor, told lawmakers the hidden fees cost an average Illinois family $3,000 annually. Whether it is unexpected add-on charges when booking a hotel room, purchasing tickets online, or ordering food delivery, consumers have already paid these deceptive fees without knowing it until after the transaction.

"This bill delivers on a promise that is quite simple: the price that you see should be the price that you pay," Morgan told lawmakers during floor debate.

House Bill 228 amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to make it a violation for a business to not display all mandatory fees and charges it is adding on top of a listed price. The goal is to ensure consumers are aware of the total price before making a purchase.

A Long Fight for Consumer Protection

Junk fees have long been a target for consumer advocates and progressive lawmakers. The Illinois House approved a ban in 2024 but it was never voted on in the Senate. In his State of the State address this year, Gov. JB Pritzker explicitly called for lawmakers to get the issue across the finish line, arguing such fees were "quietly nickel-and-diming Illinois families out of thousands of dollars per year."

Morgan said the bill was like the one that passed a couple years ago, but ambiguous language was tightened to make it easier for businesses to comply and the Illinois Attorney General's office to enforce. Nine Republicans joined the supermajority Democrats in supporting the amended bill.

However, the changes were not enough to remove opposition from the state's top business, banking and hospitality organizations. Rep. Tom Weber, R-Lake Villa, who voted against the bill, said the underlying idea was good but the legislation went "a step too far on our already overburdened businesses."

"I understand Leader Morgan's intent. I think it is a great idea," Weber said. "However, I think this legislation goes just a step too far on our already overburdened businesses here in the state of Illinois."

The bill now moves to the Illinois Senate.

Part of a Larger Legislative Push

The junk fee ban was one of more than 80 bills the House approved Thursday afternoon, bringing the week's total to 133. Alongside consumer protection measures, lawmakers passed bills on a range of issues from abortion funding to college tuition to cash payment requirements.

The House voted 69-36 along party lines to pass House Bill 5408, which would create a grant fund to cover abortion care for uninsured and underinsured people. The bill would utilize an under-used provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires insurance plans that offer coverage for abortions in instances 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, the bill sponsor, 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 that women who need this health care are able to access it," Moeller said.

Other notable bills included:

• House Bill 4592, which passed unanimously and would require many Illinois stores to accept cash in most circumstances for transactions under $500
• House Bill 45, which would require retailers to provide digital promotions or coupons to eligible customers
• House Bill 5093, which removes a requirement that students 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
• House Bill 5302, which would require the Illinois Department of Corrections to provide opioid antagonists like Narcan to any incarcerated person charged for a drug-related offense or who has a substance abuse disorder upon release

Business Pushback

Despite the bipartisan support for the junk fee ban in the House, business groups have been vocal in their opposition. The state's banking and hospitality industries argue the legislation imposes unnecessary burdens on small businesses that operate on thin margins.

The Senate will face a similar debate as it considers whether to advance the bill to Gov. Pritzker's desk. The governor has signaled support for consumer protection measures but will need to weigh competing interests from business communities.

The House also passed a bill prohibiting 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 Chris Welch, D-Hillside, passed on a 72-35-2 roll call. Welch's district includes Broadview, home to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center that became a focal point for protesters during Operation Midway Blitz last year.

The House session marked a return from spring break with floor action on dozens of bills. Lawmakers advanced more than 50 bills out of the chamber on Wednesday alone as the House began several days of floor action.

The junk fee ban represents another chapter in the ongoing fight to protect Illinois consumers from deceptive pricing practices. With the bill now in the Senate, the question remains whether lawmakers can reach a deal that satisfies both consumer advocates and business interests.