The Legislative Printing Unit was established as a Legislative Support Commission by the Legislative Commission Reorganization Act of 1984. The Act empowers the Legislative Printing Unit to "provide printing services to members of the General Assembly, legislative committees and commissions and other legislative agencies in accordance with the policies established by the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services and with reasonable rules promulgated by the Legislative Printing Unit".

The Printing Unit may also provide emergency printing services to other State agencies subject to the prior approval of the Department of Central Management Services. The Legislative Printing Unit may make and collect reasonable charges for these services and shall pay any amounts so collected into the General Revenue Fund in the State Treasury (25 ILCS 130/9-2).

Among services rendered are the designing and printing of stationery, envelopes, business cards, memo pads, postal cards, news release headings, newsletters and informational brochures. The Legislative Printing Unit has the capability of accepting work from either a Macintosh or PC desktop computer.

LPU uses soybean inks, manufactured in Illinois. LPU also uses 50% recycled paper with 50% post consumer waste content, of various colors and weights for the requests of the Members and Legislative Commissions.

During the legislative session, LPU is responsible for the printing of the Senate and House Daily Calendars, Senate and House Final Journals, Publish House Journals to CD, Budget Amendment and the Legislative Digest.

For the Legislative Commissions, LPU is responsible for the printing of a wide range of materials which include newsletters, annual reports, informational books, audits, reports, stationery, envelopes, forms, business cards, etc.