NW Illinois News

Andrew S. Chesney introduced SB2619 in the Illinois Senate on Feb. 26, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Creates the Department of Government Efficiency Act. Provides that the Department of Government Efficiency is created to oversee, audit, and recommend improvements to all State agencies' operations, budgets, and practices. Sets forth the membership and powers and duties of the Department, including the power to conduct mandatory annual audits in all State agencies, review and recommend repealing programs or expenditures that prioritize ideology over taxpayer benefits, establish clear key performance indicators for every State agency, consolidate overlapping programs and services, and implement technological solutions to improve transparency and streamline operations. Requires all State agencies to submit initial efficiency plans to the Department of Government Efficiency within 12 months after the Department's establishment. Sets forth provisions concerning findings of the General Assembly, the mission of the Department, implementation of the Act, and reporting. Effective immediately."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill establishes the Department of Government Efficiency to oversee and enhance the operations, budgets, and practices of Illinois state agencies. It mandates annual audits to identify and eliminate waste, recommends repealing programs that prioritize ideology over taxpayer benefits, and sets clear performance indicators for agencies. The department is tasked with consolidating overlapping programs and implementing technological solutions for improved transparency and streamlined operations. All state agencies are required to submit efficiency plans within 12 months of the department's formation, which is to be operational within three months following the bill's immediate enactment. The department will report its progress to the General Assembly with quarterly updates and an initial report 60 days after its first year of operation.

Andrew S. Chesney has proposed another 28 bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Chesney graduated from Arizona State University in 2004 with a BA.

Andrew S. Chesney is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 45th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Brian Stewart in 2023.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB2619	02/26/2025	Creates the Department of Government Efficiency Act. Provides that the Department of Government Efficiency is created to oversee, audit, and recommend improvements to all State agencies' operations, budgets, and practices. Sets forth the membership and powers and duties of the Department, including the power to conduct mandatory annual audits in all State agencies, review and recommend repealing programs or expenditures that prioritize ideology over taxpayer benefits, establish clear key performance indicators for every State agency, consolidate overlapping programs and services, and implement technological solutions to improve transparency and streamline operations. Requires all State agencies to submit initial efficiency plans to the Department of Government Efficiency within 12 months after the Department's establishment. Sets forth provisions concerning findings of the General Assembly, the mission of the Department, implementation of the Act, and reporting. Effective immediately.
SB2225	02/07/2025	Amends the Election Code. Prohibits a political committee from making expenditures for payments to attorneys, expert witnesses, investigators, or others to provide a defense in a criminal case.
SB2226	02/07/2025	Amends the Election Code. Requires Voter Identification Cards for those who do not have acceptable photo identification. Sets forth requirements and exemptions. Provides that any person desiring to vote shall present to the judges of election for verification of the person's identity a government-issued photo identification card or his or her Voter Identification Card.
SB2227	02/07/2025	Creates the Universal Basic Income Prohibition Act. Defines "universal basic income" as a government program that provides a base income to persons residing in Illinois by disbursing direct, recurring cash payments to persons to be used for any purpose without qualification or restriction. Provides that the General Assembly, a state agency, or a unit of local government may not pass a law, rule, resolution, or ordinance establishing a universal basic income program or any similar program. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to (i) diminish, negate, or interfere with a State public aid or social welfare program established by law, rule, resolution, or ordinance before the effective date of the Act that does not meet the criteria of a universal basic income program, including, but not limited to, township general assistance programs, or (ii) prohibit the passage of a law, rule, resolution, or ordinance that establishes or implements a public aid or social welfare program that does not meet the criteria of a universal basic income program or any similar guaranteed income program. Limits home rule powers by providing that regulation of universal basic income is an exclusive power and function of the State. Effective immediately.
SB2228	02/07/2025	Amends the General Assembly Compensation Act. Provides that, in fiscal year 2026, and each fiscal year thereafter, if the General Assembly fails to pass a balanced budget for the fiscal year by the immediately preceding June 30, the compensation to be paid to members of the General Assembly for that fiscal year, including the additional sums payable to officers of the General Assembly, shall be withheld until a balanced budget is passed. Amends the State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Removes the salary of members of the General Assembly from continuing appropriation provisions. Effective immediately.
SB2288	02/07/2025	Amends the Departments of State Government Law. Provides that a department of the State government may not enforce any policy that favors or discriminates against a person based on the person's race, sex, or disability. Provides that all departments of the State government must, on the effective date of the amendatory Act, abolish all DEIA programs established under the Office of Equity. Abolishes the Office of Equity. Repeals the Commission on Equity and Inclusion Act.
SB2474	02/07/2025	Creates the Youth Health Protection Act. Provides that a medical doctor shall not prescribe, provide, administer, or deliver puberty-suppressing drugs or cross-sex hormones and shall not perform surgical orchiectomy or castration, urethroplasty, vaginoplasty, mastectomy, phalloplasty, or metoidioplasty on biologically healthy and anatomically normal persons under the age of 18 for the purpose of treating the subjective, internal psychological condition of gender dysphoria or gender discordance. Provides that any efforts to modify the anatomy, physiology, or biochemistry of a biologically healthy person under the age of 18 who experiences gender dysphoria or gender discordance shall be considered unprofessional conduct and shall be subject to discipline by the licensing entity or disciplinary review board. Provides that no medical doctor or mental health provider shall refer any person under the age of 18 to any medical doctor for chemical or surgical interventions to treat gender dysphoria or gender discordance. Contains definitions, a statement of purpose, and legislative findings. Amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987 to make related changes.
SB2078	02/06/2025	Creates the Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism Act. Requires the Secretary of State to implement changes to require all Illinois-issued identification documents to reflect the holder's sex as defined in the Act. Requires all State agencies to remove or change their forms and communications to reflect the changes in the Act. Requires the Department of Human Rights to issue guidance to ensure the freedom to express the binary nature of sex and the right to single-sex space in workplaces. Requires the Department of Human Rights to prioritize investigation and litigation to the right and freedoms identified and created under the Act. Provides that the Act takes priority over and supersedes any other State law or rule that appears to or purports to be in conflict with the Act. Makes other changes. Repeals the Equitable Restroom Act. Amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to delete "gender-related identity" from the definition of "sexual orientation."
SB2079	02/06/2025	Creates the Gender in Athletics Act. Provides that in any intercollegiate athletic activity that is subject to rules, standards, or classifications that provide for student eligibility restrictions in order to ensure, enhance, or promote fair competition, each public institution of higher education shall make all determinations based on sex and not on gender. Grants rulemaking authority to the Board of High Education to implement and enforce the Act. Amends the School Code. Provides that no school district or nonpublic school whose students or teams compete against a school district or nonpublic school may operate, sponsor, or facilitate interscholastic or intramural athletics that permit a person whose gender is male to participate in any interscholastic or intramural athletics that are designated for females. Allows a student who is aggrieved by an alleged violation or anticipated violation to have the right to file a grievance complaint with the school district or nonpublic school for an immediate determination of whether a violation or anticipated violation exists. Provides that if a violation or anticipated violation is determined to exist, the school district or nonpublic school shall issue a decision immediately and may direct that such violation be terminated or adjusted to prevent a further violation, but if the grievance is rejected, the complaining party has the right to an immediate appeal to the State Board of Education for relief.
SB2080	02/06/2025	Creates the Curriculum Transparency Act. Requires each school that is operated by a school district or as a public charter school to disclose, not more than 10 days after the first use, on a publicly accessible portion of the school website or the school district website: (1) the procedures or processes in effect for the school principal or other staff to document, review, or approve lesson plans or the learning materials and activities used for student instruction at the school; (2) a listing of the teacher and staff training materials and activities used at the school in the current school year; and (3) a listing of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction at the school in the current school year. Provides that neither the State Board of Education nor the governing board of a public school or public charter school, nor any staff employed thereby and acting in the course of his or her official duties, shall purchase or contract for copyrighted learning materials to be used for student instruction at a school, unless provision is made to allow parents and guardians of enrolled students to review the materials within 10 school days of the submission of a written request to the school. Sets forth ways a party may enforce the Act. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
SB1549	02/04/2025	Amends the Limited Liability Company Act. Reduces various filing fees payable to the Secretary of State by 50%. Effective immediately.
SB1197	01/24/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Deletes the mental state of "knowingly" from the elements of the offense of resisting or obstructing a peace officer, firefighter, or correctional institution employee.
SB1198	01/24/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits disorderly conduct when he or she knowingly transmits or causes to be transmitted in any manner to any peace officer, public officer, or public employee a report to the effect that a hate crime will be committed, is being committed, or has been committed, knowing at the time of the transmission that there is no reasonable ground for believing that the offense will be committed, is being committed, or has been committed. Establishes penalties. Effective January 1, 2026.
SB1199	01/24/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that it is a hate crime by reason of the actual or perceived employment as a peace officer or status as a retired peace officer, regardless of the existence of any other motivating factor or factors to commit assault, battery, aggravated assault, misdemeanor theft, criminal trespass to residence, misdemeanor criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to vehicle, criminal trespass to real property, mob action, disorderly conduct, harassment by telephone, or harassment through electronic communications. Effective January 1, 2026.
SB1200	01/24/2025	Creates the Capital Crimes Litigation Act of 2025. Provides that all unobligated and unexpended moneys remaining in the Death Penalty Abolition Fund on the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be transferred into the Capital Litigation Trust Fund which is re-established as a special fund in the State treasury. Amends the State Appellate Defender Act. Provides that in cases in which a death sentence is an authorized disposition, the State Appellate Defender shall provide trial counsel with legal assistance and the assistance of expert witnesses, investigators, and mitigation specialists from funds appropriated to the State Appellate Defender specifically for that purpose by the General Assembly. Provides that the Office of State Appellate Defender shall not be appointed to serve as trial counsel in capital cases. Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Eliminates a provision that abolishes the sentence of death. Amends the Unified code of Corrections relating to first degree murder. Adds and eliminates aggravating factors for which the death penalty may be imposed. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
SB1201	01/24/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a person commits a petty offense if he or she is convicted of a violation for unlawful possession of a weapon that would not be an offense if the person possessed a valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card. Effective January 1, 2026.
SB1202	01/24/2025	Creates the Immigration Enforcement Act. Provides that a State entity, local entity, or law enforcement agency may not adopt or maintain a law, ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, policy, directive, order, practice, or procedure, formal or informal, written or unwritten, that prohibits or materially restricts the State entity, local entity, or law enforcement agency from complying with or assisting in the enforcement of immigration laws. Includes mandatory duties of law enforcement agencies regarding immigration detainers. Requires a county jail, municipal jail, and the Department of Corrections to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal agency for temporarily housing persons who are the subject of immigration detainers and for the payment of the costs of housing and detaining those persons. Requires implementation of the Act in a manner consistent with federal laws and regulations governing immigration and discrimination, protecting the civil rights of all persons, and respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens. Limits home rule powers by providing that regulation of immigration enforcement is an exclusive power and function of the State. Repeals the Illinois TRUST Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Effective immediately.
SB1203	01/24/2025	Creates the Immigration Enforcement Act. Provides that a State entity, local entity, or law enforcement agency may not adopt or maintain a law, ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, policy, directive, order, practice, or procedure, formal or informal, written or unwritten, that prohibits or materially restricts the State entity, local entity, or law enforcement agency from complying with or assisting in the enforcement of immigration laws. Includes mandatory duties of law enforcement agencies regarding immigration detainers. Requires a county jail, municipal jail, and the Department of Corrections to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal agency for temporarily housing persons who are the subject of immigration detainers and for the payment of the costs of housing and detaining those persons. Requires implementation of the Act in a manner consistent with federal laws and regulations governing immigration and discrimination, protecting the civil rights of all persons, and respecting the privileges and immunities of United States citizens. Limits home rule powers by providing that regulation of immigration enforcement is an exclusive power and function of the State. Repeals the Illinois TRUST Act. Makes corresponding changes in the Illinois Identification Card Act and the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals provisions in the Illinois Public Aid Code and the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act relating to medical services for certain noncitizens. Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Creates the Asylum Travel Expense Program in the Department of Human Services to provide noncitizens seeking asylum who are residing in Illinois transportation and travel expenses for travel to another state that prohibits law enforcement or other governmental agencies from assisting the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement or other federal government agency with immigration enforcement or to the country of origin of the noncitizen seeking asylum. Requires the method of transportation selected by the Department to be by the cheapest means to transport the noncitizen seeking asylum to the noncitizen's desired destination. Provides for the transfer of $10,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund into the Asylum Travel Expense Program Fund to fund the Program. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Fund. Effective immediately.
SB1222	01/24/2025	Repeals the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Amends various Acts to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
SB1226	01/24/2025	Amends the School Code. Provides that school districts shall regulate and restrict access to public restrooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and other similar places on the basis of biological sex and shall also adopt a policy that provides for gender neutral or alternative facilities for students, staff, and members of the public, as the school district deems appropriate. Provides that school districts are not required to: (1) limit access by a minor accompanied by an adult guardian of the opposite sex into a specified facility appropriate for the adult guardian; (2) prohibit a person with disabilities from using a specified facility appropriate to the biological sex of either the person with disabilities or of an adult caretaker providing assistance; or (3) prohibit access to these facilities by custodial staff, school staff, or other persons in an emergency situation.
SB1227	01/24/2025	Amends the School Code. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, requires school boards to publicly report, on their school district's website, a list of the curriculum to be used for student instruction during the school year. Requires that the report also include any procedures that are in effect at each school for the documentation, review, or approval of the curriculum used for student instruction. Allows a school district to update the report on an ongoing basis, but requires the report to be updated at least one month prior to the start of each school semester. Requires the State Board of Education to impose a civil penalty of $1,000 per day for each day a school board fails to post the required update after one week of notice. Requires each school district to notify the parents or guardians of students when the report is posted and when any subsequent updates are made to the report. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
SB1228	01/24/2025	Amends the School Boards Article of the School Code. In provisions concerning the daily pupil attendance calculation, removes provisions specifying that days of attendance by pupils through verified participation in an e-learning program adopted by a school board and verified by the regional office of education or intermediate service center for the school district shall be considered as full days of attendance. Effective July 1, 2025.
SB1243	01/24/2025	Amends the General Assembly Organization Act. Provides that neither house of the General Assembly shall consider or take a vote on any legislation between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., on any day of the week during any regular or special session of the General Assembly, unless approved by the leaders of each of the caucuses of that house. Effective immediately.
SB1252	01/24/2025	Amends the Illinois Identification Card Act. Changes the definition of "limited term REAL ID compliant identification card". In a provision regarding applications, removes language providing that the Secretary of State may accept, as proof of date of birth and written signature for any applicant for a standard identification card who does not have a social security number or documentation issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security authorizing the applicant's presence in the country, any passport validly issued to the applicant from the applicant's country of citizenship or a consular identification document validly issued to the applicant by a consulate of that country. In a provisions regarding records, removes language providing that the Secretary: (1) may not release highly restricted personal information or personally identifying information or disclose specified documents to any immigration agent, unless necessary to comply with specified situations; and (2) shall not enter into or maintain any agreement regarding the sharing of any highly restricted personal information or personally identifying information or specified documents unless all other parties to such agreement certify that the information obtained will not be used for civil immigration purposes or knowingly disseminated to any third party for any purpose related to civil immigration enforcement. Makes other and conforming changes. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Changes the definition of "limited term Real ID compliant driver's license". In a provision regarding the application for license or instruction permit, removes language providing that if an applicant is applying for a standard driver's license and, on the date of application, is ineligible for a social security number, then if the applicant does not have specified documentation the applicant may provide other specified documentation. Repeals a provision regarding the restrictions on the use of information for certain purposes. Makes other and conforming changes.
SB1253	01/24/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Repeals a provision that disallows any persons, as a driver, who is 69 years of age or older, from obtaining a driver's license or permit. Removes language providing that examination of an applicant 75 years of age or older for a driver's license or permit shall include an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control of the operation of a motor vehicle. Repeals a provision that requires the Secretary of State to provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee 81 years of age through age 86 shall expire 2 years from the date of issuance, or at such later date as the Secretary may by rule and regulation designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months. Repeals a provision that requires the Secretary to provide that each original or renewal driver's license issued to a licensee 87 years of age or older shall expire 12 months from the date of issuance, or at such later date as the Secretary may by rule and regulation designate, not to exceed an additional 12 calendar months. Amends the Secretary of State Act. Repeals a Section requiring the study on age-related changes that affect driving abilities. Effective immediately.
SB1254	01/24/2025	Amends the Recreational Trails of Illinois Act. Repeals provisions relating to the off-highway vehicle trails public access sticker and the Off-Highway Vehicle Usage Stamp. Amends the Counties Code, Township Code, and Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, except as provided by specified provisions of the Illinois Vehicle Code, a county, township, and municipality may enact any regulation as it relates to the operation of an all-terrain vehicle, off-highway motorcycle, and recreational off-highway vehicle within its jurisdiction. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes registration fees for and some regulations of all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles, and recreational off-highway vehicles.
SB1255	01/24/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Restricts a tow truck operator from allowing passengers to occupy the trailer, semitrailer, farm wagon, or any other vehicle being carried by a flatbed tow truck upon a public highway, unless: (i) the number of people that need to be transported exceeds the seating capacity of the tow truck or a person needing to be transported has a disability that limits that person's ability to enter the tow truck;(ii) there is a way for the passenger in the carried vehicle to immediately communicate, either verbally, audibly, or visually, with the tow truck operator in case of an emergency; and (iii) if the passenger is under 16 years of age, the passenger is accompanied by an adult riding in the same vehicle. Requires that no passenger of a carried vehicle may exit the carried vehicle, ride outside of the passenger compartment of the carried vehicle, or exhibit dangerous or distracting behaviors while the carried vehicle is upon a public highway.
SB0214	01/22/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Removes a provision providing that the aggregate amount of credits awarded under a provision granting a credit to volunteer emergency workers may not exceed $5,000,000 in any calendar year. Effective immediately.
SB0215	01/22/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. In provisions concerning notices of increased assessments, provides that the chief county assessment officer shall continue to accept appeals from the taxpayer for a period of not less than 30 business days from the later of the date the assessment notice is mailed or is published on the assessor's website. Effective immediately.