The 104th Illinois General Assembly adjourned Monday, having passed significant bills relating to children and technology, immigration and rent.

Its most recent legislative session began on Jan. 14. The General Assembly introduced more than 3,000 bills and passed 395, according to the Illinois Municipal League. 

HB5511 — The Children’s Social Media Safety Act

The Children’s Social Media Safety Act was passed by both the state Senate and state House Monday. By Jan. 1, 2028, operating system providers must present an interface when users create an account that requires them to indicate their birth date, age or both. The act then requires that operators use default privacy settings for minors if the operator knows the user is a minor, unless a parent of the minor chooses to override them. Violation of the act would be considered illegal under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

State Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview), who represents a part of Evanston, was the lead sponsor of the bill.

Gov. JB Pritzker expressed explicit support for the Children’s Social Media Safety Act, posting a video in March on Facebook in which he spoke about his concerns about children in Illinois who struggle with mental health issues because of social media.

“Social media companies have shown us time and again they won’t step up. So, Illinois is stepping in,” Pritzker said in the video. “I want to empower parents with more tools to help protect their kids, and our kids need to know they’re safe when they’re online.”

HB5024 —  a bill preventing detention center facilities from being located close to communities 

The bill prohibits detention center facilities from being “located, constructed, or operated within 1,500 feet” of schools, day care centers, public housing and other community locations. It was also passed Monday and is awaiting Pritzker’s approval. 

House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Westchester), the lead sponsor of the bill, said during a March legislative meeting that his district is deeply impacted by the presence of detention center facilities. Welch said the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Illinois, is located in the “heart” of the district he represents.

“This is not an abstract policy debate for me — this is personal, and it is deeply local,” Welch said in March. “This bill says something very simple and very reasonable: detention facilities do not belong in the middle of our neighborhoods. They should not be next to schools.”

The mayor of Broadview, Katrina Thompson, said in a video released by the Illinois House Democrats that some Broadview residents are 600 feet away from ICE facilities. 

“House Bill 5024 creates clear, common-sense boundaries that prioritize people over placement,” Thompson said in the video.

HB3564 — The Rental Fee Transparency and Limitations Act

Passed by both houses in April, the bill would amend the Landlord and Tenant Act to prevent landlords from imposing a move-in fee for renters and from “renaming” fees.

The bill would also amend the Illinois Human Rights Act, establishing in-state policy that “access to housing is a fundamental human right in preventing discrimination based on familial status or source of income in real estate transactions.”

More than 40% of Evanston households are renters as of 2024, according to U.S. Census survey data. Around half of these households are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs, according to a September 2025 Evanston Housing Gap Analysis.

The lead sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Nabeela Syed (D-Palatine), said the legislation would benefit both renters and landlords.

“When fees are transparent upfront, renters can budget accurately, and landlords avoid disputes down the line,” Syed said during a press conference in April. “That’s a win for the rental market as a whole.”

The Illinois General Assembly is expected to return for its next legislative session Nov. 17 to 19 and from Dec. 1 to 3 for a Fall Veto Session.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announced an extension of the state’s gas tax holiday through July 7.

The move extends the suspension of Indiana’s 7% Gasoline Usage Tax and the state’s Gasoline Excise Tax for a second time. The current suspension had been scheduled to expire June 7.

Braun said the extension is part of an effort to keep costs down for Indiana families.

“Indiana has the cheapest gas in the country because we are using every tool in the toolbox to save Hoosier families money,” Braun said in a statement. “Affordability is my number one priority.”

By the numbers:

According to AAA, Indiana currently has the nation’s lowest average gas price, with regular gasoline averaging $3.585 per gallon.

State officials said drivers will save more than 62 cents per gallon while both taxes remain suspended. For June, the Gasoline Usage Tax would otherwise total 26.5 cents per gallon, while the Gasoline Excise Tax stands at 36 cents per gallon.

Dig deeper:

The extension is being carried out under Indiana’s energy emergency statute. State officials said an energy emergency declared in April remains in effect and allows the governor to continue related relief measures for up to 120 days.

Indiana lawmakers limited a governor’s emergency powers tied to statewide disaster declarations to 60 days following the COVID-19 pandemic. However, state officials noted that energy emergencies operate under separate legal authority and retain a 120-day maximum duration.

Braun first suspended the Gasoline Usage Tax on April 8. He expanded the relief on May 6 by also suspending the Gasoline Excise Tax, more than doubling the savings available to motorists.

The latest extension means Indiana drivers will continue receiving the tax relief through at least early July.