February 24, 2026

Good day!

The Illinois House and Senate return to the Capital City to resume the spring legislative session. Both chambers are scheduled to be in session for three legislative days this week. This is notable because both chambers will not be in the Capitol simultaneously until March 24th, after the Primary Election. The Senate will be in session for two weeks solo and then the House for a week.

RECAP OF THE LAST SESSION DAY-Both chambers were in session for three days last week. It was a busy week starting off with committee hearings and the governor’s proposed $56B proposed budget.  
  
ORDER OF THE DAY-Both chambers convene at noon today and have committees posted for the afternoon. See House committee postings. See Senate committee postings.

The committee schedules essentially choreograph the week before us. Both chambers will gavel in; most likely recess for partisan caucuses and allocate their afternoons to committee hearings. This is necessary with the number of bills pending in each chamber. The Senate bill deadline for non-appropriations bills to receive a committee hearing is March 13th.  

Of interest today, the House Revenue convenes at 11:00 a.m. for purposes of considering legislation to address the US Supreme Court’s ruling in 2023 Tyler v. Hennepin County.  This court ruling invalidates the practice of local governments seizing property for unpaid sales tax and selling the property in a tax auction and retaining the equity in the property outside of the amount of tax due. The Revenue Committee will consider legislation remedying the Cook County property tax sales system. Revenue Committee is also scheduled to meet on Thursday-on the docket is possibly the mega project bill for the Chicago Bears' move to Arlington Heights. 

Additional Information on Revenue Committee Process-During a recent G-10 quarterly breakfast meeting, House Revenue Committee Chairman Curtis Tarver joined us for a discussion on current issues before the Revenue Committee. During our discussion, he shared Revenue Committee processes for bills to be heard.  First, sponsors of legislation assigned to his committee must first complete a google document outlining that they have met with stakeholder organizations for their bill to be called before the committee. Revenue Committee holds subject matter hearings throughout the session and consolidates legislation into an omnibus bill for the committee to vote up or down and then considered by the full House.

SUPPLEMENTAL RECORD-
• ICPAS President and CEO Geof Brown hosts a virtual Town Hall Forum this morning.
• This evening President Trump delivers the State of the State Address to a Joint Session of Congress
• You can watch my recorded capitol update posted Friday.
• Additional Thoughts on the Spring Session-The next several weeks of committee hearings are about shaping issues to be considered in a final package. While there are a lot of issues of concern out there, this is a strategic time to deal with sponsors and legislative staff in amending introduced bills or putting up roadblocks.   
• ICPAS Legislative Tracking Reports-Legislative Tracking Reports have been updated to reflect the beginning of the 2nd half of the 104th GA.  Pending relevant bills of interest from the spring session remain posted as they may move.