Illinois Legislative News: October 13, 2025
Third Reading Consulting Group
Fiscal Year 2026-31 Proposed Highway and Multimodal Improvement Program
Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation have announced a historic $50.6 billion six-year plan to modernize transportation infrastructure across all 102 counties. “Over the next six years, we’ll continue investing across the board in order to build the best infrastructure system in the nation – and create good jobs for Illinoisans in the process. From Chicago and Rockford to Springfield and Decatur, to Carbondale and Metropolis, every corner of our great state will benefit,” proclaimed Gov. JB Pritzker. The initiative covers every mode of transportation—roads, bridges, transit, rail, aviation, marine, and pedestrian systems—with the goal of strengthening economic growth and creating jobs statewide. The infrastructure plan is funded through a mix of federal, state, local, and bonded funds, with $15.8 billion from the federal government, $13.8 billion from state funds, $1.3 billion from local reimbursements, and $1.6 billion coming from bond proceeds.
Over the next six years, $32.5 billion will be dedicated to roads and bridges, including $25.7 billion for the state highway system and $6.8 billion for local roads and bridges. This funding is intended to improve 1,707 miles of state roads, 1,654 lane miles, and more than 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck. $15.8 billion comes from federal sources, $1.6 billion from bond proceeds, $1.3 billion from local reimbursements, and $13.8 billion in state funds. Notable bridge projects include I-190 at Bessie Coleman Drive to I-90 and I-294, I-80 from Ridge Road to U.S. 30, and the Quincy Memorial Bridge.
The remaining $18.1 billion will be dedicated to enhancing transit, rail, aviation, and marine infrastructure across the state. Specifically, the plan provides $13.8 billion for 90 transit projects, $2.9 billion for 29 rail projects, $1.2 billion for 244 airport improvements, and $197 million for 28 marine initiatives. Notable projects include a $388 million passenger rail line connecting Chicago to the Quad Cities, $175 million for a new Chicago Transit Authority training and control center, and targeted airport upgrades across Illinois.
This Week’s Veto Session
Lawmakers return to Springfield this week for the fall veto session. Major issues on the agenda include data center regulations, the stalled energy omnibus bill, and long-term transit funding. Data centers are expected to be a top focus. Illinois has promoted their growth through tax incentives, but critics point to their high energy use and unclear environmental impact. Lawmakers may revisit proposals requiring new facilities to use clean energy or meet stricter reporting standards, while the industry continues to push for updates to Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, which it says deters investment. Transit funding will also resurface, even though a short-term cash transfer recently gave the CTA some breathing room before its next budget crunch. Overall, this veto session is expected to focus less on new legislation and more on advancing policies that stalled earlier in the year. Overall, it’s expected that the veto session won’t spark conversations on brand-new ideas so much as it is about picking up where lawmakers left off and trying to make progress on issues that have been hanging over from earlier in the year.
National Guard Deployment in Chicago
President Trump ordered the National Guard to deploy to Chicago to help manage the city’s alleged growing crime rates as well as provide security at key sites, despite strong opposition from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Mayor Brandon Johnson, and other elected officials. That plan is now on hold after U.S. District Judge April Perry issued a 14-day restraining order temporarily blocking the deployment across Illinois. In her decision, Perry said the administration failed to show credible evidence of an immediate threat that would justify federalizing the Guard. The order also halts plans to send troops to federal facilities, including the ICE facility in Broadview, while the court reviews whether the move violates state sovereignty and due process. The ruling adds another layer of uncertainty to an already tense standoff between federal and state leaders over how best to handle the crisis.
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
October 14-16 – Veto Session Week 1
October 28-30 – Veto Session Week 2