The following are disability-related bills and/or issues pending in the Illinois General Assembly that are scheduled to be heard in committee during the week of March 2, 2026:
Senate Education Committee
March 3, 2026, 2:00 p.m.
Capitol Building, Room 212
Springfield, IL
SB 2761, Senator Doris Turner
Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning in-service training programs for teachers, administrators, and school support personnel, provides that the training regarding health conditions of students shall include the proper handling of service animals in the school setting and the instruction on the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, as it pertains to the school environment, shall include the proper handling of service animals, the rights of students who use service animals, and appropriate interactions with service animals.
SB 3255, Senator Laura M. Murphy
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Delays the implementation date for the direct support professional credential pilot program to State Fiscal Year 2028 (rather than 2025). Effective immediately.
Senate Health and Human Services Committee
March 3, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
Capitol Building, Room 400
Springfield, IL
SB 3071, Senator Graciela Guzman
Amends the Authorized Electronic Monitoring in Long-Term Care Facilities Act. Includes an establishment under the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act in the definition of “facility”. Makes a conforming change in a the definition of “resident’s representative”.
SB 3434, Senator Doris Turner
Amends the Community Services Act. Adds community day services to the list of service categories covered under the Act. Defines “community day services” to mean a Home and Community-Based Waiver day program that is certified by the Department of Human Services and provides assistance with gaining, maintaining, or improving skills and functioning to individuals with developmental disabilities. Makes conforming changes to the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act.
SB 3739, Senator Mattie Hunter
Amends the Community-Integrated Living Arrangements Licensure and Certification Act. Changes the licensing term for a community developmental services agency from 3 years to 2 years.
SB 3798, Senator Robert Peters
Amends the Community Emergency Services and Support Act. Replaces all references to the Division of Mental Health of the Department of Human Services with the Department of Human Services throughout the Act. Provides that 9-1-1 public safety answering points shall screen specific types of law enforcement calls and follow approved protocols and processes under the Act to identify callers experiencing behavioral health crises and to refer them for a behavioral health response. Provides that 9-1-1 public safety answering points shall open and follow the emergency medical dispatch protocols established under the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act at the start of all emergency calls to ensure the protocols are used and applied consistently and uniformly to ensure that information related to behavioral health emergency calls is available for data collection and can be used to determine which calls should be referred for a behavioral health response. Provides that, among other things, each Regional Advisory Committee or subregional committee must (1) review regional and subregional crisis response system capacities and resources to inform planning and implementation and to foster collaboration across all sectors of the system and (2) determine the need for and make a plan to support local communities to develop and use other resources to create additional mobile mental health relief provider services to expand the capacity to provide more immediate service coverage. Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, all public safety answering points shall use the protocols established under the Community Emergency Services and Support Act to identify behavioral and mental health-related emergencies that do not require a law enforcement response. Amends the Illinois State Police Law. Amends the Illinois Police Training Act. Provides that Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training programs shall include, among other things, community response options including, the community response options under the Community Emergency Services and Support Act. Makes other changes.
Senate Transportation Committee
March 3, 2026, 4:00 p.m.
Capitol Building, Room 212
Springfield, IL
SB 3904, Senator Meg Loughran Cappell
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Allows the Secretary of State, upon receipt of all applicable fees and applications made in the form prescribed by the Secretary, to issue special registration plates designated as autism and neurodivergent plates to residents of the State who are autistic or neurodivergent or who are parents of children who are autistic or neurodivergent. Provides that the plates shall display the Just Bee icon used for identification of autistic or neurodivergent individuals. Provides that in all other respects, the design, color, and format of the plates shall be within the discretion of the Secretary. Requires an original certificate from a licensed physician that certifies the applicant, or the applicant’s child, as autistic or neurodivergent to accompany each application.
Senate Insurance Committee
March 3, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Capitol Building, Room 400
Springfield, IL
SB 2762, Senator Julie A. Morrison
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that a group or individual plan of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 shall provide coverage for medically prescribed seizure detection devices. Requires all covered seizure detection devices to be approved for use by individuals, and for the choice of device to be made based upon the individual’s circumstances and medical needs in consultation with the individual’s medical provider. Sets forth provisions prohibiting prior authorization and cost-sharing, as specified. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to require coverage under the provisions of those Acts. Effective immediately.
SB 2899, Senator Willie Preston
SB 3295, Senator Julie A. Morrison
Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that an individual or group policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed on or after January 1, 2027 that provides coverage for durable medical equipment that is authorized or prescribed by a physician licensed to practice medicine in all its branches shall provide the same level of coverage for durable medical equipment that is authorized or prescribed by a different health care practitioner who lawfully prescribes or orders home medical equipment and services or uses home medical equipment and services to treat the health care practitioner’s patients. Amends the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Limited Health Service Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code to establish the same requirement under the provisions of those Acts. Effective immediately.
Senate State Government Committee
March 4, 2026, 1:30 p.m.
Capitol Building, Room 409
Springfield, IL
SB 3008, Senator Paul Faraci
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities Act. Required the Department of Human Services to provide informational materials about the Senator Scott Bennett ABLE Program to: persons who are placed in a facility licensed under the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013; persons with disabilities who receive services funded by or administered in conjunction with the Department, including, but not limited to, home and community based services, home-based support services, PUNS services, home care services, and services at a Center for Independent Living. Provides that the informational materials shall be provided when a person first enrolls for such services and as part of any annual process required for the person to maintain eligibility for such services. Requires the Office of the State Treasurer to prepare and deliver the informational materials in an electronic format to the Department and distribute the materials to eligible persons.
Senate Judiciary Committee
March 4, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Capitol Building, Room 400
Springfield, IL
SB 2796, Representative Michael W. Halpin
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Removes a requirement that at least one mental health examiner testify in person at an involuntary admission hearing.
SB 3750, Senator Laura Fine
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that whenever psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy is refused under a specified provision at least once that day, the psychiatrist or advanced practice psychiatric nurse (instead of the physician) shall determine and state in writing the reasons why the recipient did not meet the criteria for the administration of medication or electroconvulsive therapy and whether the recipient meets the standard for administration of psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy under a provision concerning the administration of psychotropic medication and electroconvulsive therapy upon application to a court. Provides that a petition requesting that the court authorize treatment with psychotropic medication shall specify the full names of the medications and anticipated range of dosage that comprise such treatment. Provides that no administration of psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy without the informed consent of the recipient may be authorized unless at least one psychiatrist or advanced practice psychiatric nurse who has examined the recipient testifies in person at the hearing. Makes other changes to definitions and provisions concerning administration of psychotropic medication and electroconvulsive therapy upon application to a court.
NOTE: If you wish to take any action regarding any of these bills/issues, you may wish to file an electronic witness slip and/or or submit oral or written testimony to the committee holding the hearing and/or contact the members of the committee conducting the hearing and/or the legislators in your home district. The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all legislators, both Representatives and Senators, can be found on the Illinois General Assembly website at www.ilga.gov. You may check this website to find out if any of the committee hearing dates or times have been changed, which may happen upon very short notice.
For additional information, please contact:
Cheryl R. Jansen
Public Policy Director
cherylj2@equipforequality.org
217-303-8543
