What We’re Supporting This Legislative Session—Spring 2026
As the Illinois Legislature settles into its spring session, advocates have begun sharing legislative priorities and asking for individuals and organizations to support pending legislation. Chicago Appleseed is supporting a number of bills, listed below, focused on court transparency, family courts, and the criminal legal system this session.
You can subscribe to Chicago Appleseed’s newsletter to receive updates about these bills throughout the legislative session and hear about calls to action as opportunities arise.
Protecting Innocent Families Act (HB 3169)
Chicago Appleseed has signed on to the Protecting Innocent Families Act as part of our work to improve the family regulation system and improve outcomes for youth and families brought into the DCFS. HB 3169 amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act by requiring doctors working under contracts with DCFS to disclose their investigatory role to families. It further requires parents be informed of their right to a second opinion. Together with data collection and publication requirements, the bill works toward transparency and fairness in medical evaluations related to suspected child maltreatment without interfering with the obligations of mandated reporters or the provision of services.
Removing the Judicial FOIA Exemption (HB 4395 & SB 1826)
Sponsored by Rep. Curtis Tarver and Sen. Mike Porfirio, among others, the bills amend the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to bring the judicial branch and its agencies under the definition of “public body” in the FOIA. This change ends the exemption that shields the judiciary from public information requests. Records that pertain to the preparation of judicial opinions and orders would remain exempt, but other information about court operations and administration would become subject to FOIA requests from researchers, journalists, and the general public. Read more about the judicial exemption to Illinois’ FOIA and our work as part of the Court Transparency Coalition on our blog.
Earned Reentry (HB 2764)
Introduced by Rep. Carol Ammons and co-sponsored by a number of members, HB 2764 amends the Unified Code of Corrections to provide a path for earned reentry for people who have been incarcerated for decades. Illinois has no regular process for granting release to people in prison who have already served lengthy sentences and have demonstrated they are ready to re-enter their communities. Illinois has long needed to create a fair evaluation mechanism for release, and this bill takes a crucial step toward identifying mechanisms for rehabilitation, restoration, and full citizenship.
Judicial Discretion for First Time Weapons Offenses (HB 4422 & SB 3563)
Sponsored by Rep. Kevin Olickal and Sen. Adriane Johnson, these bills give judges discretion to sentence people to First Time Weapons Offense and Second Chance Probation programs. This allows for more individualized sentences and ensures that everyone has access to diversion programs, regardless of the county in which they are arrested and convicted.
Personal Responsibility in Firearms Sentencing Act (HB 4285 & SB 2867)
Sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, the Personal Responsibility in Firearms Sentencing Act removes the mandatory sentencing enhancement from gun possession for certain offenses when the person charged was a co-defendant not in personal possession of the gun. The fix brings this particular sentencing enhancement into line with other sentencing enhancements. Under the bill, the 15-year sentencing enhancement will no longer apply if the person being sentenced never touched the firearm, did not know about it, and it was not used during the offense.
Chicago Appleseed supports this legislation as part of our work to bring equity to sentencing gun possession charges (nonviolent offenses) and our work to align enforcement and sentencing to a truer understanding of accountability. The bill furthers our goals of reducing the long-term harms of court involvement, especially for young Black and Latine Chicagoans.
Remove Odor-Proof Container Requirement for Cannabis (HB 4782)
Sponsored by Rep. Lisa Davis and Sen. Javier Cervantes. The bill repeals the requirement that cannabis be transported in “odor-proof containers” in cars. This is an outdated legal requirement with no public safety or other benefit that is out of sync with practice in other jurisdictions with adult-use cannabis.
Chicago Appleseed supports the legislation as part of our longstanding work to reduce the harm of pretextual stops and limit the impact of collateral consequences when people encounter the police.
Keeping Families Connected with Affordable Communications (HB 4235)
Sponsored by Rep. Rita Mayfield, HB 4235 ensures that the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) will not impose additional costs, fees, or surcharges on US postal mail from, or to, persons in prisons in Illinois. It extends this prohibition to third-party vendors and provides that IDOC may not use the provision of communication services as a source of revenue. It ensures that IDOC will not allow postal mail to supplant in-person visits at institutions under the control of IDOC. Additionally, the bill supports incarcerated people in maintaining connections with their families and communities. These connections are necessary not only for stability upon release, but for preserving the humanity of people in prison. It is unconscionable to burden those connections with surcharges on postal mail.
Chicago Appleseed supports this bill as part of our equity work that focuses on the financial consequences of justice involvement, both in criminal and civil courts. We oppose the practice of funding courts and prisons through shifting the costs of those systems onto low-income and indigent persons who are prosecuted or who must access courts to protect their rights or resolve disputes.
Procedural Protections for Children Sentenced as Adults through Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile Sentencing (HB 5020 & SB 3210)
Sponsored by Rep. Dave Vella and Sen. Laura Fine, these bills amend the Juvenile Court Act of 1987 to provide a technical fix to the process of Extended Jurisdiction Juvenile (EJJ) sentencing under which prosecutors may request both juvenile and adult sentences for minors in juvenile court. The bills bring the requirements of EJJ into line with both the intent of EJJ and the public understanding of its aims and use.
Chicago Appleseed supports this legislation as part of our work to interrupt cycles of court involvement and reduce the harms of young people’s engagement with the system. The bill also promotes procedural fairness, which is critical to equitable outcomes in court.