Illinois lawmakers ensure residents ring in the New Year with nearly 300 new laws. A state bean, reading and where to place U.S. flags addressed.
Illinoisans mark New Year’s Day with resolutions and hope for the future, but Illinois lawmakers will start 2026 by handing down 287 new laws that deem soybeans the official state bean, mark the end of the statewide grocery tax and boost education transparency.
Here are 18 laws going into effect on Jan. 1.
Grocery tax: Effective Jan. 1, 2026, the 1% statewide grocery tax will be eliminated. The change means savings for many families, but about half of Illinois municipalities reinstated it at the local level. There are 660 communities whose leaders voted to impose the 1% grocery tax.
AI at work: House Bill 3773, introduced by lawmakers in 2023, regulates employer use of artificial intelligence. By amending the Illinois Human Rights Act, the bill makes it a civil rights violation for employers to use AI tools that result in discrimination based on race, gender, age or disability in hiring, promotion, discipline, termination or other employment terms.
U.S. flag: House Bill 1615 permits the U.S. flag to be displayed on the grounds of a courthouse. Previous law stated the nation’s flag could only be displayed on top of a courthouse.
State bean: House Bill 4439 designates the soybean as the official state bean. Introduced by lawmakers in the 103rd Illinois General Assembly, the law is finally in effect.
Ad spends: Senate Bill 213 requires state agencies to report the amount and distribution of advertising spending to the General Assembly. As “Illinois benefits from robust local news services that provide trusted and essential information to the community,” “the public has a right to know where government is spending its advertising dollars and what portion of those dollars are going to local news outlets in this State.” No later than Oct. 1 each year, a report must be shared on an agency’s website detailing the amount and distribution of its advertising spending. This bill increases transparency for taxpayers on government advertising spending by departments and agencies across the state.
State budget: House Bill 1075 creates the fiscal year 2026 Budget Implementation Act. Introduced and signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker in 2025, some provisions of the budget are set to go into effect. It repeals the St. Jude Children’s Research Fund, which will transfer remaining funds to the Secretary of State Special License Plate Fund. It also repeals the Prescription Pill and Drug Disposal Fund.
Vehicle length: Senate Bill 899 restricts vehicle length on roadways “deemed appropriate.” Introduced by lawmakers in 2023, it tasks the Illinois Department of Transportation with restricting vehicle length. The change is so neither IDOT nor local governments are required to “design, construct, alter, widen or maintain any non-designated highway to accommodate vehicles.”
Shoots, scores: House Bill 2327 allows any minor 14 years of age or older to work as a scorer at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex during the U.S. Open and the Grand American World Trapshooting Championships. If the minor is at least 15 feet behind the firing line of the trap shooter participating in the competition, the minor can work as a scorer.
Higher fire ed: House Bill 1149 encourages institutions of higher education to award academic credit for firefighting training. Before June 1, 2027, higher education institutions “shall adopt a policy” that awards academic credit applicable to requirements of the student’s certificate or degree program.
Elementary high school: House Bill 3039 allows 7th- or 8th-grade students to enroll in high school courses. This law gives those students the opportunity to enroll in a required high school course if it is offered by the high school the student would attend.
College cost info: Senate Bill 1376 increases college cost transparency. Requiring each public or private college or university to post its cost of attendance from the past 10 academic years gives prospective students an understanding of the true cost of attending that college or university.
AI in schools: Senate Bill 1920 creates opportunity for guidance of artificial intelligence use in classrooms. This law requires the Illinois State Board of Education to develop statewide guidance for school districts and educators on the use of artificial intelligence in elementary and secondary education
Library OD: House Bill 1910 mandates opioid antagonists be available in libraries across the state. All libraries open to the public in Illinois shall maintain a supply of opioid antagonists in an accessible location in case someone is believed to be overdosing.
Sesame safe: Senate Bill 1288 deems sesame as a “major food allergen.” In the Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act, sesame is added to the “major food allergen” list. Understanding gluten is added to the list of required allergen awareness training topics.
Toxic baby food: Senate Bill 73 eliminates toxic materials from use in baby foods. Starting Jan. 1, no entity in the state shall sell, manufacture or deliver baby food that does not eliminate toxic elements such as arsenic, cadmium, lead or mercury. Notably, infant formula does not fall under the definition of baby food and will not be tested for toxic materials.
Organ donor days: House Bill 1616 gives part-time employees time off if they are an organ donor. Before 2026, the law did not specify the full- or part-time employee’s status when allowing leave for donating an organ. Now “employees or part-time employees” may use up to 10 days of leave to serve as an organ donor.
Immigrant students: House Bill 3247 prohibits excluding students from school or school programs because of their immigration status. Reaffirming a child’s access to free public education that was decided in the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Plyer v. Doe (1982), the bill also prohibits requesting a Social Security number and disclosing immigration status of the student or student’s family while requiring schools to create procedures for immigration and other law enforcement actions at schools.
Early reading screening: Senate Bill 1672 requires early literacy screening reports be submitted on or before the 30th day of school. Each school district will report early literacy screening information on or before the 30th day of the 2026-2027 school year. This law seeks to strengthen Illinois’ approach to early literacy by focusing on how schools identify students early on who are at risk for reading difficulties
Illinois lawmakers busy themselves with a lot of issues that impact very few people, but often make demands on very many people. Were they to devote all that energy to ever-increasing taxation, pension debt and their own spending habits rather than to 287 relatively minor matters, they would make Illinois a much better place to live.
