Illinois Legislative News: August 3, 2026
Third Reading Consulting Group
The 2026 National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit took place at McCormick Place in Chicago from July 27 through July 29 with Illinois House Assistant Majority Leader Marcus Evans serving as the NCSL President this year. The event brought together more than 7,000 lawmakers, legislative staff, and policy experts from all 50 states and U.S. territories for three days of policy discussions, networking, and professional development.
The agenda covered a broad range of topics, such as AI, election administration ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, data centers and energy demand, prediction markets, and state budget forecasting. This year’s Summit coincided with the nation’s 250th anniversary which served as the basis for the event’s core theme of national unity. NCSL CEO Tim Storey even described the event as an opportunity to “hear new points [and] challenge our own assumptions.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker participated in the Summit’s opening general session on Monday, July 27, titled How to Disagree Better: Leading in Polarized Times. He was joined by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois House Assistant Majority Leader Marcus Evans, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton, and Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, iO Theater’s Director of Education Gretchen Eng for a discussion on leadership and navigating partisan disagreement.
The Summit also featured several nationally recognized speakers. On Tuesday, July 28 Nobel laureate and AI researcher Geoffrey Hinton spoke about the opportunities and challenges presented by AI technology. On Wednesday, July 29 former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg delivered remarks during the Democratic Legislator’s Luncheon, discussing America’s Promise at 250: Building Bridges. Wednesday also featured the Republican Legislator’s Luncheon with remarks from TV host and author Rachel Campos-Duffy.
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
November 3 – Illinois General Election
November 17-19 – Veto Session Week 1
December 1-3 – Veto Session Week 2