Pritzker signs bills on in-state tuition, coupons, speed devices and more

Gov. JB Pritzker has signed more than 60 bills since Friday, including new laws to increase transparency around rental fees and give some drivers an alternative to having their license suspended.

Rental transparency

House Bill 3564 bans so-called “junk fees” charged by landlords and adds new layers of transparency to rental agreements.

The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, will prohibit landlords from levying fees or fines for a lease modification or renewal, an eviction notice, after-hours maintenance requests and routine maintenance, among other common scenarios.

It will also cap application and background check fees at $50 unless the actual cost of a third-party background check exceeds that.

Those in violation of the law are subject to civil liability.

Blue envelope program

House Bill 4472 requires the secretary of state to establish a statewide Blue Envelope Program. The voluntary program allows people on the autism spectrum to show a blue envelope to police officers that signals to the officer a person has a communication disorder. The envelope can house documents and includes instructions for both the officer and individual about how to handle the interaction.

Many police departments around the country and throughout the state already participate in the program. The law takes effect Jan. 1.

Coupons

House Bill 45 requires retailers to make digital coupons available to other customers through nondigital means. Coupons do not have to be provided in paper, but retailers must ensure the benefits are available to any qualifying customer.

Lawmakers said they filed the bill after hearing concerns from customers about not being able to access digital savings. The law takes effect Jan. 1.

Diaper labeling

House Bill 4702 will require manufacturers of disposable and reusable diapers to include a list of all ingredients in order of predominance on the product packaging. The updated packaging will be required no later than July 2028.

Speed control devices

Illinois drivers who have their license suspended for speeding or reckless driving violations have an alternative under House Bill 4948. Drivers who have their licenses suspended for two infractions within a 12-month period for driving 26 mph or more over the speed limit would be allowed to have a speed control device installed in their car rather than having their license suspended.

The device is programmed to know the road’s speed limit and prevents the vehicle from driving any faster than it, no matter how hard the driver presses the gas pedal. It’s similar to ignition interlock devices that people convicted of drunk driving must blow in to start their car.

“This law creates a pathway for high-risk drivers to remain connected to their communities while helping ensure our roads are safe for everyone,” said bill sponsor Rep. Marti Deuter, a Democrat from Elmhurst.

The law will take effect in 2028.

Environmental standards

House Bill 5070 bars the Illinois Pollution Control Board from adopting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules and regulations that are less stringent than existing state standards.

The board is generally required to adopt federal environmental regulations through an expedited rulemaking process when federal standards change. But the new law would prevent that in some cases amid a significant rollback of federal environmental protections initiated by President Donald Trump’s administration.

In-state tuition

More students could qualify for in-state tuition at Illinois colleges and universities under a new law.

House Bill 5093 would loosen one of the requirements for paying in-state tuition by making it available to students who attended Illinois high schools for at least three years, even if they established residency outside the state before enrolling. Noncitizens would have to begin the process of becoming a permanent U.S. resident to qualify.

Hormone therapy

House Bill 5492 will require insurance providers to cover up to a six-month prescription of hormone therapy.

The law will allow patients — especially those receiving gender-affirming care — access to needed medications. It comes as several Republican-led states and the Trump Administration are increasingly restricting access to gender-affirming care.

Swipe fees

Pritzker also signed Senate Bill 3645, a bill pushing back the effective date or end of several laws, including a controversial bill to ban swipe fees that would’ve taken effect on July 1.

The Illinois law would have prohibited financial institutions from applying an interchange fee to the tax and tip portion of bills. Banks and retailers have estimated it would affect $120 million to $200 million in revenue or more each year — to the benefit of retailers and chagrin of banks. Illinois would be the only place where such a law was implemented.

The law now won’t take effect until July 1, 2027, at the earliest.