Good Morning All;

Today’s post is exactly what it says: a very curated look at some of the more notable laws that have been passed by a very active Illinois Legislature, as well as some local, County, and Federal Court orders that affect four different access areas MoraskLaw chose to highlight. We hope you find this guide helpful or at least applicable to whatever type of law you practice. MoraskLaw can help you most with  criminal law, administrative law, Juvenile Justice and Traffic law. Our next post will list the most significant Traffic law updates both legislative and by case law. Something to look forward to!!!

We  highlight notable 2025 Illinois laws (plus select federal/Cook/Chicago actions) most relevant to these four focus areas. It is not an exhaustive list.  But a really good guide to start.

Health Care Access

Takeaway: Illinois’ 2025 session expanded access by requiring coverage for cutting-edge Alzheimer’s treatments, opening easier on-ramps into ACA coverage, strengthening the 2‑1‑1 social‑services helpline, and modernizing telehealth rules—while PFAS limits target consumer‑product exposures with public‑health impacts.

1. SB 126 (PA – signed 6/9/2025) — Alzheimer’s/Dementia coverage mandate for FDA‑approved treatments; bars step therapy for such drugs.

2. HB 3756 (PA 104‑0331, 8/15/2025) — Creates “Easy Enrollment” special enrollment period via state tax return to connect uninsured residents to ACA plans.

3. SB 2194 (PA 8/1/2025) — Strengthens 2‑1‑1 statewide helpline governance and reporting to improve access to health and human services.

4. SB 2153 (PA 104‑0411, 8/15/2025) — Updates Physical Therapy Act to permit initial PT evaluations via telehealth when clinically appropriate.

5. HB 2516 (PA 104‑0231, 8/15/2025) — Expands PFAS Reduction Act—phased bans for PFAS in cookware, cosmetics, menstrual products, food packaging, etc.

6. HB 2987 (PA 104‑0262, 8/15/2025) — Warehouse Tornado Preparedness Act; mandates safety plans—workplace and public‑health resilience dimension.

7. HB 3467 (PA 104‑0310, 8/15/2025) — Banking law updates touching consumer protections and health‑adjacent financial stability (noted here for breadth).

8. HB 3709 (PA 104‑0433, 8/22/2025) — Higher‑ed student health services enhancements and access alignment at public universities.

9. SB 2394 (PA 104‑0417, 8/15/2025) — General Revisory—clean‑up affecting multiple statutes; included due to downstream compliance for health agencies.

10. SB 2153 Guidance (8/25/2025) — Professional guidance clarifying telehealth PT changes for providers and patients.

Criminal Law

Takeaway: Lawmakers prioritized transparency and speech protections: statewide homicide reporting deadlines tighten data visibility, and a modern anti‑SLAPP law shields speech on public issues. Workplace disaster‑preparedness and other updates also intersect with public safety.

1. HB 1710 (PA – 2025) — Requires Illinois State Police to submit quarterly homicide data to ICJIA; ramps up statewide transparency.

2. SB 1181 (PA 104‑0431, 8/21/2025) — Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (modern anti‑SLAPP): faster dismissal + fee‑shifting to protect public‑interest speech.

3. HB 3144 (PA 104‑0278, 8/15/2025) — Judicial Privacy—extends protections for administrative law judges and judiciary personnel information.

4. SB 0108 / PA 104‑0021 (7/1/2025) — Criminal/court fee clean‑ups—part of broader justice system modernization (noted for systemwide effect).

5. HB 2987 (PA 104‑0262, 8/15/2025) — Warehouse Tornado Preparedness Act; adds emergency‑readiness requirements with criminal‑liability implications for neglect.

6. Public Acts Aug 1 batch — Multiple criminal‑justice‑adjacent sunsets/updates (e.g., policing, professional standards) effective or signed in August 2025.

7. — — Additional 2025 measures focus on data quality, court processes, and cross‑agency reporting improvements.

8. — — Local and federal actions (see Immigration section) affect enforcement practices and rights at or near courthouses.

Immigration & Related Policy (State + Federal/Cook/Chicago)

Takeaway: While Illinois debated state limits on federal agents, the most immediate changes came from the courts and local executives: a federal court ordered immigration agents in Chicago to wear body cameras; Cook County’s top judge barred civil ICE arrests at courthouses. At the state level, Illinois created a Climate Displacement Task Force to plan services for newcomers affected by climate‑driven migration.

1. Federal court order (N.D. Ill., 10/17/2025) — Judge orders immigration agents in Chicago to wear and activate body‑worn cameras during enforcement operations.

2. Cook County court order (10/16/2025) — County’s top judge bars ICE civil arrests at or near courthouses across Cook County.

3. City of Chicago Executive Order 2025‑6 (8/30/2025) — “Protecting Chicago” initiative—cross‑departmental coordination on safety, transparency, and community protections.

4. SB 1859 (PA 104‑0396, 8/15/2025) — Creates Climate Displacement Task Force to coordinate housing, health, education, and workforce planning for displaced people.

5. — — Ongoing proposals regarding identification/masking of ICE agents were discussed but not enacted as state law in 2025.

6. — — State and local agencies aligned reporting and services impacting mixed‑status households (see Health and Education cross‑references).

Education

Takeaway: Student safety and affordability led the agenda: the state can alert employers about serious educator‑misconduct investigations, and the Treasurer gained tools to refinance education debt. Curriculum and graduation‑path updates continue to modernize pathways.

1. SB 1329 (PA 104‑0373, 8/15/2025) — ISBE may notify an educator’s current/most‑recent employer when the license holder is under safety‑related investigation.

2. HB 1430 (PA 104‑0180, 8/15/2025) — Expands Student Investment Account—allows refinancing tools and partnerships to lower costs for students and graduates.

3. SB 1605 (PA – 2025) — Counts agriculture‑related courses toward vocational graduation requirements (career‑pathway flexibility).

4. SB 0387 / SB 1605 family (PA 104‑0387, 8/15/2025) — Updates required HS coursework/CTE alignment to reflect emerging fields; clarifies math/tech options.

5. SB 1941 (—, 2025) — School‑zone safety beacons; student pedestrian safety near crosswalks.

6. HB 3528 (PA 104‑0316, 8/15/2025) — Adjusts student‑teacher compensation policies to aid teacher pipeline.

7. HB 1430 Guidance (8/2025) — Administrative guidance on program implementation for refinancing and student support.

8. HB 3756 (PA 104‑0331, 8/15/2025) — Easy Enrollment improves coverage for students and families—education‑adjacent affordability and access.