Hello,
It was another busy week at the Capitol as legislation continues moving through committees and we head further into session. Thank you for staying engaged and taking the time to stay informed about what’s happening in Springfield.
Topics below include:
- Senate Republicans Advance Adoption Records Access Measure
- Legislative Package Introduced to Provide Relief to Struggling Homeowners
- Applications Now Open for Illinois K-9 Memorial License Plate Supporting Retired Police Dogs
- $31.5 Million Available in Round 2 of Illinois Regional Site Readiness Grants
- Proposed Reduction in Municipal Revenue Share Could Force Cuts or Higher Local Taxes
- Illinois Flash Index Declined for the Second Time
- Balkema’s Second Amendment Legislation
Senate Republicans Advance Adoption Records Access Measure
Our caucus is advancing bipartisan legislation to close a gap in Illinois law that can prevent adoptive families from accessing important parts of a child’s foster care history.
I co-sponsored Senate Bill 2895, known as the Healing Through History Act, which would ensure that children and parents in the adoption process receive access to a child’s foster care records. Supporters say the information is often needed to answer basic but meaningful questions about a child’s early years.
While detailed case information documenting placements and life events is maintained in the state’s case management system, access to certain foster care records can be limited. This can leave families unable to learn where their child lived, who cared for them, or what their early experiences looked like.
The legislation was introduced after lawmakers heard from an adoptive parent who experienced these barriers firsthand.
Under SB 2895, adoptive families would be provided a copy of the child’s official case record, with appropriate redactions to protect the identities of foster families and other children, at least 30 days before an adoption is finalized. Supporters note the bill does not create new records and remains in compliance with state and federal privacy laws, providing access only to information already maintained by caseworkers.
Senate Bill 2895 passed out of the Senate Child Welfare Committee on March 4 and now awaits further action.
Legislative Package Introduced to Provide Relief to Struggling Homeowners
My colleagues and I came together this last week to unveil a legislative package aimed at providing relief to struggling homeowners and making it more affordable to buy and stay in a home in Illinois.
Lawmakers pointed to growing affordability challenges across the state, including fewer first-time homebuyers entering the market. According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, first-time homebuyers fell to a record low of 21 percent of total purchases, while the average age of first-time buyers rose to an all-time high of 40 years.
They also noted that Illinois’ property tax burden continues to drive residents to nearby states. Recent Census Bureau migration estimates show nearly 7,500 Illinoisans moved from Illinois to Missouri, where the average property tax bill is less than half of the average bill in Illinois.
The proposed package of solutions is designed to help first-time buyers, reduce the strain of property taxes and insurance costs, and protect homeowners from losing the equity they have built over a lifetime.
The legislation that I am co-sponsoring includes:
- Senate Bill 3959, the Welcome Home Illinois Tax Credit, would provide a $500 non-refundable tax credit for first-time homebuyers, carried forward for up to five years.
- Senate Bill 3781 would make the Illinois Property Tax Credit refundable when Illinoisans file their state income taxes.
- Senate Bill 3782, the Fairness in Property Tax Foreclosure Task Force, would develop reforms to Illinois’ property tax foreclosure system after a United States Supreme Court ruling found the system unconstitutional. Under current law, delinquent property taxes can be sold to investors, and families can lose not only their home, but also the equity they spent years building.
- Senate Bill 3849 would add annual Consumer Price Index adjustments to Illinois’ General Homestead Exemption to better reflect rising home values and costs.
- Senate Bill 3848 would create an income tax deduction tied to the year-over-year increase in a taxpayer’s homeowners insurance costs.
These proposals take direct aim at the major cost drivers squeezing homeowners, with a focus on affordability, fairness, and keeping families in their homes.
Applications Now Open for Illinois K-9 Memorial License Plate Supporting Retired Police Dogs
Illinois residents can now apply for the new Illinois Police K9 Memorial License Plate, which will fund a new program to help cover veterinary expenses for retired police dogs across the state.
Created under House Bill 3140, the Care for Retired Police Dogs Grant Program will provide up to $1,500 per year to reimburse handlers or adoptive families for eligible veterinary costs. To qualify, a K9 must have served at least five years, or at least three years if injured in the line of duty.
The program will be supported entirely through license plate sales, at no cost to taxpayers. To guarantee long-term sustainability, it will only be launched once a minimum of 2,000 license plate applications are received by January 2028.
Illinois drivers interested in supporting retired police K9s can apply for the new plate here. Under “Name of Specialty Plate Being Requested type,” select “Illinois Police K9 Memorial License Plate.” There is a $25 fee to be placed into the fund.
For more information, contact the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office.
$31.5 Million Available in Round 2 of Illinois Regional Site Readiness Grants
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity recently announced that $31.5 million in grant funding is available through round 2 of the Regional Site Readiness Program.
The infrastructure grants are aimed at helping communities attract businesses, create jobs, and support community renewal by preparing unused or unsuitable sites, like abandoned factories, for development.
The program offers two funding categories: Planning and Capital Ready. Qualified entities may apply for Planning grants up to $150,000, and Capital Ready grants up to $5 million.
Eligible applicants include local governments, economic development organizations, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through March 31 or until funds are exhausted. To learn more, visit dceo.illinois.gov.
Proposed Reduction in Municipal Revenue Share Could Force Cuts or Higher Local Taxes
Local governments are raising concerns after JB Pritzker proposed reducing the share of state income tax revenue distributed to municipalities beginning in 2027.
These funds come from the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF), which helps communities pay for essential services such as police and fire protection, road maintenance, and other public works. Many municipalities also rely on the funding to help cover public safety pension costs.
Under the governor’s proposal, the municipal share of state income tax revenue would drop from 6.47% to 6.28%, a change local officials say would remove roughly $60 million from city and county budgets statewide.
When Illinois adopted its state income tax in 1969, municipalities received 8.33% of the revenue in exchange for not imposing their own local income tax. That share was increased to 10% in the 1990s but has steadily declined over time. It was reduced to 6% during the recession in 2011 under former governor Pat Quinn.
Municipal leaders warn the latest reduction would further strain local budgets and could force communities to cut services or increase property taxes and local fees to make up the difference.
Read more on the Daily Herald.
Illinois Flash Index Declined for the Second Time
The Illinois Flash Index declined for the second consecutive month in February, falling to 101.3 from 101.5 in January. While the index remains above 100, indicating continued economic growth, it marks the lowest level since the early stages of the post-2020 pandemic recovery.
According to Fred Giertz of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the decline reflects a slowing pace of economic growth.
Recent data shows Illinois’ unemployment rate has risen above the national average after briefly falling below it last year. February also saw a sharp drop in corporate tax receipts compared to the same month in 2025, while individual income tax revenue rose slightly and sales tax receipts dipped modestly.
The Illinois Flash Index measures economic growth using tax data tied to corporate earnings, consumer spending, and personal income.
Balkema’s Second Amendment Legislation
This session, I have filed several pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening and protecting Second Amendment rights in Illinois. My proposals focus on reducing unnecessary fees and delays, expanding lawful concealed carry opportunities, improving firearm safety education, and rolling back burdensome regulations on law-abiding gun owners. Below is a list of legislation I have introduced this session to support responsible gun ownership and defend the constitutional rights of Illinois residents. View all 2A legislation that I am working on here.
Have a great rest of your week! If you ever need anything, please reach out to my office! We are happy to help! See locations and contacts below.
Senator Chris Balkema