Revised Senior Driving Law Among 14 New Laws Taking Effect on July 1
When the legislature passes laws, most have effective dates of January 1. However, a few bills are passed with effective dates that align with the start of the state’s fiscal year, which begins on July 1. When Fiscal Year 2027 begins in a few weeks, 14 new laws will hit the books in this state; 13 of them passed in the current 104th General Assembly, and one from the 103rd General Assembly.
Included in the new laws for July 1 is one bill of which I am extremely proud. House Bill 1226, a measure initially pushed through legislation I worked on with State Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) a few years ago, ends a discriminatory practice against senior citizen drivers. After our original bill, which had over 50 bipartisan sponsors in the House, stalled for political reasons, it was later filed as HB 1226 in partnership with the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. It raises the age for mandatory road tests for older drivers renewing a driver’s license. The bill was signed into law on August 15, 2025, and will go into effect on July 1, 2026.
Rep. Keicher and I have always maintained that age alone should not dictate when additional behind-the-wheel tests are required for older drivers.
Specifically, HB 1226 raises the age for mandatory driving tests for older drivers renewing their license to age 87 (from the current age of 79) and creates a system for immediate family members to submit a request to the Secretary of State’s Office to review drivers if they have seen cognitive or medical declines that could prevent them from safely operating a vehicle, regardless of age. Reports deemed credible could require the driver to take written, vision and behind-the-wheel tests to keep their license.
This new law was a long time coming, and we are extremely pleased to know it is finally taking effect.
DeWitte Shares Property Tax Exemption Information
As I mentioned last week, we had a great turnout for my June 2 Property Tax Exemptions Seminar held in St. Charles. Following the event, my office receive several requests for the information that was shared with attendees.
You can click here to view the presentation slides, and click here to watch a recording of the full event. My deepest thanks go out to Kane County Supervisor of Assessments, Mark Armstrong, for serving as the expert speaker for the event. He is one of the best in his field, and did an excellent job of taking a difficult-to-understand issue and presenting it in a way that lay people could follow and understand.
Plenty of Successes Reflected in FY 2027 Budget
When working from the position of the super-minority, much of our work as Republicans involves trying to stop damaging legislation that is filed. My Republican colleagues and I had great success with that this year.
When the Governor presents his recommended budget in February, we get a glimpse of the proposals that could find their way into the final budget that is presented in late May. The Governor’s recommended budget included some very problematic priorities, including another reduction in the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) and the passage of a BUILD proposal that would remove local control on zoning and housing density issues and eliminate the very successful Blue Collar Jobs Act.
I am very happy to report that our caucus’ advocacy on behalf of local units of government and working families stopped some damaging legislation, and improved several elements of the budget.
BUILD Act
The single issue that was at the top of the list of priorities for our municipal and other community partners was the devastation that would be caused if Governor Pritzker’s BUILD proposal was passed. A great deal of time was spent fighting back against the misguided proposals. I am thrilled to report that the BUILD bills did not advance during the spring legislative session. I applaud all of the community leaders who made their voices heard on this issue; with me, with other legislators, and with the Pritzker administration. Stopping these bills is one of the greatest accomplishments of this legislative year.
Stripping of Local Control on Zoning Issues
One of the most disturbing elements of the BUILD proposal was a measure that would take local decision-making authority out of the hands of local elected officials and place those decisions in the hands of state bureaucrats. I have always maintained that those on the ground at the local level are in the best positions to make decisions that affect housing density and community planning.
Blue Collar Jobs Act
The Blue Collar Jobs Act, passed in 2019, was the product of a thoughtful, bipartisan agreement. Democrats and Republicans came together to modernize how Illinois supports job creation and capital investment. It has helped businesses expand facilities, modernize operations, and create good-paying jobs. These kinds of investments support contractors, suppliers, and local economies. Thousands of Illinoisans have benefited from good-paying jobs tied to the Blue Collar Jobs Act.
Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF)
The Governor’s recommended budget called for another reduction in the amount of money that is sent to municipalities. These cuts directly lead to property tax hikes at the local level. The final budget has the LGDF percentage remaining the same as in the FY 2026 enacted budget (6.47%). While the LGDG is remaining flat this year, it still is, and has been since 2011, a broken promise by the state by not providing the full 10% of income tax received to local governments. I will continue to push for this promise to be made whole.
Education Funding
The portion of the education budget that provides funds to a Property Tax Relief Fund was initially scheduled to see a $45 million reduction. Again, because of pushback by Republicans, the $45 million was restored in the approved budget.
Confusing Credit Card Swiping Issue
You have undoubtedly seen the television commercials about the confusion that would be caused by the credit card swiping fee law that was approved last year and was set to take effect on July 1, 2026. Due to significant pushback from lawmakers, consumers, and businesses, the effective date for the bill has been pushed back by another year. This should provide time to fix the issues within the bill that are causing confusion.
Full Calendar of Events Planned for 33rd District This Summer/Fall
I want to thank everyone who came out to the IPASS on Demand event I co-hosted with Senator Dave Syverson last week. Over 160 people made quick work out of switching from the plastic IPASS transponders to the new sticker technology. Our summer and fall events calendar is full of free outreach events for residents of all ages. Please mark your calendar for these additional upcoming events:
- June 17: ICASH/Unclaimed Property Event in Carpentersville
- July 13: IPASS on Demand in South Elgin
- August 4: ICASH/Unclaimed Property Event in South Elgin
- August 19: Senior Fair in Carpentersville
- September 12: Document Shredding Event in Elgin
- September 15: Senior Fair in St. Charles
- October 14: Senior Fair in Crystal Lake
All of these events are listed on the Events page of my website with full details. Additional events are added regularly, so please visit my Events page regularly to learn about new events as they are added to the schedule.
Democrats Push Tuition Breaks for Out-of-State Residents and Noncitizens
In the final hours of spring session, Democratic lawmakers pushed through controversial legislation that expands taxpayer-subsidized tuition benefits to individuals who may no longer live in Illinois, including some noncitizens.
House Bill 5093 would allow additional students to qualify for in-state tuition at Illinois public universities and community colleges even if they have established residency outside of Illinois, as long as they previously attended and graduated from an Illinois high school or attended an Illinois community college.
The proposal comes at a time when Illinois’ higher education system is already facing serious challenges. Recent media coverage has reported declining enrollment across Illinois’ public university system, with nine of the state’s 12 public universities losing students since 2006. Illinois has also been cited as having among the highest in-state tuition costs in the nation.
I believe that HB 5093 will only add to those challenges by driving up costs for Illinois students and families while extending taxpayer-subsidized benefits to individuals who may no longer call Illinois home. Rather than prioritizing families who live, work, and pay taxes in Illinois, this legislation broadens eligibility for discounted tuition to students who may come to Illinois for an education and then leave or who have already established residency elsewhere.
Lawmakers Pass Ticket Sale Consumer Protection Bills
As the Illinois General Assembly wrapped up the spring 2026 legislative session, lawmakers approved two measures aimed at strengthening consumer protections in the online ticket sales and resale market. I was pleased to support both bills.
Senate Bill 318 creates the Prohibition on Bots Purchasing Tickets Act, which targets the use of automated software, commonly known as “bots,” to purchase event tickets online. The legislation prohibits the use of bots or other automated programs that replicate human activity to buy more tickets than the posted purchase limits allow.
House Bill 4984 updates the state’s ticket resale laws by addressing a growing concern in the online ticket marketplace known as “ghost ticketing.” Under this bill, a seller would be prohibited from offering or selling a ticket they do not actually own or have in their possession.
The aim of both bills was to reduce fraud, prevent misleading resale practices, improve transparency in ticket availability, and give Illinois consumers greater confidence when purchasing tickets online.
SB 318 and HB 4984 should be signed into law this summer.
Children’s Online Safety Legislation Passes
In the early hours of June 1, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation designed to strengthen online protections for children and provide parents with additional tools to help keep their families safe in the digital age.
House Bill 5511, known as the Children’s Online Safety Act, establishes new safeguards for minors on social media platforms, including enhanced privacy protections, expanded parental controls, and restrictions on certain interactions between minors and adults.
The legislation aimed to address growing concerns about online safety and the impact social media and technology can have on young people. Senate Republicans say the measure is intended to give families additional resources to navigate an increasingly digital world while helping protect children from harmful online interactions.
County Fairs Kick Off Across Illinois
Across Illinois, communities are gearing up for one of the state’s favorite summer traditions as county fairs prepare to showcase local agriculture, small businesses, entertainment, and the people who help drive Illinois’ rural economy.
With more than 100 county fairs held across the state each year, fairgrounds are set to come alive with livestock shows, carnival rides, food vendors, grandstand events, and opportunities for families to celebrate the best of Illinois agriculture.
For more information on your local 2026 County Fair Schedule visit Illinois Department of Agriculture 2026 County Fair Schedule.