Illinois Legislative News: April 8, 2024
Third Reading Consulting Group
House Committee Deadline Week
After a week off, the Illinois House of Representatives returned to Springfield for their committee deadline week. Many House committees met and passed a total of 194 bills out of committee. A large percentage of bills passed out of committee this week will be sent back to committee in the coming weeks with negotiated amendments. The House committee deadline was scheduled for Friday, April 5, but the House adjourned for the week on Thursday and cancelled Friday session. The Senate was not in session this week, and their committee deadline already passed on March 15. Both chambers will be in session next week, with the Senate returning on Tuesday and the House on Wednesday. Next Friday is the Senate third reading deadline.
Health Data Privacy Act Passes Out of Committee
A bill in the Illinois General Assembly aims to protect people from how companies collect, store, and use their health data. The Health Data Privacy Act, HB 4093, is a product of House Speaker Chris Welch’s (D-Hillside) reproductive health and Dobbs decision working group. Created in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the initial intent behind the bill was to protect individuals receiving reproductive health or gender-affirming care from having that sensitive information shared with outside parties. However, HB 4093 as currently written does not just impact reproductive healthcare information: it broadly requires companies to have a health data privacy policy indicating their method and reasoning for collecting and using all personal health data. Companies would also have to get an individual’s consent to collect private health data.
The bill passed out of the House Judiciary-Civil Committee on Wednesday by a vote of 10-3-0. Rep. Ann Williams (D-Chicago), the bill’s sponsor, promised to bring an amendment back to committee following negotiations with stakeholders. Opponents of the bill expressed concerns about the bill’s wide scope, which encompasses all health data, and the bill’s inclusion of a private right of action. HB 4093 is currently held on the order of second reading in the House, awaiting a forthcoming amendment.
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
April 5 – House Committee Deadline
April 12 – Senate Third Reading Deadline
April 19 – House Third Reading Deadline
May 3 – Opposite Chamber Committee Deadline
May 17 – Opposite Chamber Third Reading Deadline
May 24 – Adjournment
May 25-31 – Contingent Session Days for Budget
November 5 – 2024 General Election
