Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB4065

LRB104 20897 RTM 34589 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB4065

Introduced 2/24/2026, by Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

65 ILCS 5/1-1-14 new

Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, upon adoption of an enacting ordinance by a majority vote of the corporate authorities then holding office, a municipality with a population of more than 5,000 may exercise the powers and authorities provided to home rule units under Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution. Effective January 1, 2027.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning local government.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 1-1-14 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/1-1-14 new)

Sec. 1-1-14. Home rule powers for nonhome rule municipalities.

(a) Upon adoption of an enacting ordinance by a majority vote of the corporate authorities then holding office, a municipality with a population of more than 5,000 inhabitants may exercise the powers and authorities provided to home rule units under Section 6 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

(b) A municipality that has adopted an ordinance under subsection (a) may rescind the local enactment of powers and authorities under this Section by adoption of an ordinance approved by a majority vote of the corporate authorities then holding office, or by approval of a referendum submitted to the voters of the municipality, which shall include an effective date not less than 6 months after its adoption.

(c) If a municipality that has adopted an ordinance under subsection (a) suffers a loss in population so that its population determined as provided in Section 1-7-2 is 5,000 or less, then the municipality may continue to exercise the powers of a home rule unit until it holds a referendum to become a home rule unit. Unless the referendum is held sooner, the municipal clerk shall certify for submission to the voters of the municipality at the next general election following the determination of population, in the manner provided by the general election law, the proposition of whether the municipality shall elect to become a home rule unit. If the municipality does not elect to become a home rule unit, then the municipality may not continue to exercise the powers of a home rule unit.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2027.