Illinois lawmakers head back to Springfield next week to finish out their fall veto session.

They first convened Oct. 14-16, with final meetings going Oct. 28-30. 

While the legislative leaders focus on some of the issues most pressing to Illinois residents, the Trump administration continues its aggressive push for immigration enforcement and National Guard troops in the Chicago area.

Here’s some of the hot topics for the upcoming veto session: 

Immigration

There are currently no bills in the Illinois House related to immigration enforcement.

However, Sen. Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) is vocal about her opposition to the presence of federal immigration agents. She’s been talking with immigrant rights groups, like the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and working on legislation to keep ICE out of places like higher education institutions, hospitals and court houses.

“It’s about protocols and procedures that need to be put in place if they were to show up,” said Villa. “And the warrants that would need to be present in order for them to continue to carry out what they’re doing and not just being able to enter these different places with fear mongering.”

State Rep. Hoan Huynh (D-Chicago) said that he was stopped at gunpoint Tuesday by ICE agents in Albany Park while he was informing residents of their presence and following closely behind the agents’ vehicle. 

“The history of this country has shown that people come to the streets and they use their voice when things are happening that are not appropriate,” said Villa, who has acted with similar tactics as Huynh. 

Villa urges “everyday people” to go out and bear witness in their communities by recording ICE-civilian interactions on their phones and asking questions. 

Transit

Chicago-area transit agencies face a $280 million budget shortfall at the start of 2026, which is expected to grow to $789 million in 2026, according to the Regional Transportation Authority. Without new funding from the state, riders will see cuts to service. 

An effort to create new transit funding and reform the agencies failed to advance in the spring session. 

“We need to get through the next two years at least with a funding mechanism,” said Rep. Brad Stephens (R-Rosemont), whose top priority is the transit funding bill. “We can all work together in making sure that transit is clean, safe, on-time and reliable.”

Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) proposed revenue streams to help fund transit, which have gotten pushback. Notably, imposing a delivery fee for online orders.

“I’m super confident in the next few days that we’ll be able to find the right mix of revenue,” said Buckner. “Whether that is some delivery fee, whether that is a large ticket surcharge — to make sure we’re not being regressive and putting this on the backs of people who need this system the most.”

Energy

The big energy bill currently in committee in the House seeks to put requirements on energy efficiency, allow for new nuclear reactors in the state, tighten labor standards in the solar industry and incentivize battery storage. 

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-DeKalb), who serves as the co-chair of the Task Force for Energy Supply, has some concerns with the bill, particularly as it relates to what she calls the “AI Economy” — referring to the rise in AI and quantum computing data centers in the U.S., which require a large energy source.

“Right now, the gold rush is in energy,” said Rezin. “It takes away the possibility for us to make a decision on our energy policy and transfers it to an unelected body — the ICC — it’s made up of five people appointed by the governor.”

The Illinois Commerce Commission is a state agency that regulates public utilities like gas and electricity. They, Rezin says, also have an eco-friendly focus and are generally opposed to natural gas. 

“We need an all-above approach for energy regardless of what it is to make sure we have enough demand,” said Rezin.

She does support lifting the moratorium on building large-scale nuclear reactors.

Home Insurance Regulation 

State Farm announced in August that it would be raising Illinois homeowner rates by an average of 27%, citing inflation and the rise in severe weather in the state.

The uptick could cost customers $475 or more on average. 

The news was met with calls for Illinois to take notes from other states and give the Illinois Department of Insurance the authority to review rate hikes to determine if they’re necessary or fair.

But some insurance businesses argue that’d be government overreach. 

“They’re talking about raising the rates at a time when homeowners are struggling so much to make ends meet,” said Villa. “If there’s a way to hold these companies accountable, we need to take a serious look at it.”

Stephens is cautious against government oversight, saying it could hit taxpayers.  

Hemp Regulation

Hemp is still unregulated in Illinois.

Cannabis and hemp derive from the same plant and can cause a high if ingested. Hemp, however, has much lower levels of THC — the psychoactive compound in the cannabis plant.

Both are legal in the state.

Governor JB Pritzker is a proponent of regulation, saying it undercuts the state’s legal cannabis industry and potentially harms children and teens.

Buckner mirrors the governor’s instinct to regulate the plant, emphasizing that regulation needs to be paired with racial equity.

“A lot of minority folks who don’t feel like they have a lane in the legal cannabis space are in the hemp space,” said Bunker. “And they want to be part of commerce and economic development as well. We have to find a way to balance this so we keep young people safe but we’re also not shutting down businesses and giving people a chance to operate.”