Peoria Standard

Regan Deering introduced HB3543 in the Illinois House on Feb. 7, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Creates the Cost of Living Task Force Act to analyze driving factors in Illinois that may increase the costs of living, including stagnant unemployment, costs of groceries, rising consumer prices, housing, health care, utilities, transportation, and taxes. Sets forth provisions concerning membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall elect a chairperson from among its membership and any other officer it deems appropriate. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide technical support and assistance to the Task Force and to implement the provisions of the Act. Provides that members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services on the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to meet at least once per quarter beginning as soon as practicable after the effective date of the Act. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than November 1, 2028 that includes legislative reforms; private sector incentives; regulatory reforms; new funding avenues; reducing taxes; and identifying current barriers and factors hurting the cost and affordability of doing business in Illinois. Dissolves the Task Force upon filing of the report."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill establishes the Cost of Living Task Force Act in Illinois, aiming to analyze factors contributing to increased living costs, such as stagnant unemployment and rises in grocery, housing, health care, utilities, transportation, and tax expenses. Comprising members appointed by state leaders and organizations, the Task Force will compare Illinois's cost of living metrics to federal and peer state data, identify actionable state program reforms, and engage with policy experts. It will utilize resources like the Bureau of Economic Analysis for comparative analysis. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will support the Task Force, which will convene quarterly, report legislative solutions, and propose reforms by Nov. 1, 2028, after which it will dissolve. Members will not receive compensation.

Regan Deering has proposed another six bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Deering graduated from Duke University in 1997 with a BS.

Regan Deering is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 88th House District. She replaced previous state representative Dan Caulkins in 2025.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB3543	02/07/2025	Creates the Cost of Living Task Force Act to analyze driving factors in Illinois that may increase the costs of living, including stagnant unemployment, costs of groceries, rising consumer prices, housing, health care, utilities, transportation, and taxes. Sets forth provisions concerning membership of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall elect a chairperson from among its membership and any other officer it deems appropriate. Requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide technical support and assistance to the Task Force and to implement the provisions of the Act. Provides that members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services on the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to meet at least once per quarter beginning as soon as practicable after the effective date of the Act. Requires the Task Force to submit a report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than November 1, 2028 that includes legislative reforms; private sector incentives; regulatory reforms; new funding avenues; reducing taxes; and identifying current barriers and factors hurting the cost and affordability of doing business in Illinois. Dissolves the Task Force upon filing of the report.
HB3792	02/07/2025	Amends the Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, beginning with budgets prepared for fiscal year 2027, revenue estimates shall be based solely on receipts from taxes, fees, and federal transfers and shall not include debt incurred, existing debt refinanced, or additional funds appropriated, assigned, or transferred from another fund. Provides that appropriations for a fiscal year shall not exceed revenue estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year. Provides that, except for deficiency or emergency appropriations, all appropriations are expendable only during the fiscal year for which they were appropriated, except that the General Assembly may provide for appropriations from the Budget Stabilization Fund in excess of revenue estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year by adoption of a resolution approved by a record vote of three-fifths of the members of each chamber. Provides that the excess appropriations may not exceed the total amount available in the Budget Stabilization Fund. Provides that no public money shall be expended except pursuant to appropriations made by law. Provides that expenditures for any fiscal year shall not exceed the State's revenues and reserves in the general funds, including proceeds of any debt obligation, for that year. Provides that no debt obligation, except as shall be repaid within the fiscal year of issuance, shall be authorized for the current operation of any service or program, nor shall the proceeds of any debt obligation be expended for a purpose other than that for which it was authorized. Provides that any law requiring the expenditure of funds shall be null and void unless, during the session in which the Act receives final passage, an appropriation is made for the estimated first year's funding. Effective immediately.
HB3236	02/06/2025	Amends the Illinois Income Tax Act. Creates an income tax credit in an amount equal to 10% of the manufacturing capital expenditures incurred by the taxpayer during the taxable year or, if the taxpayer is located in a rural or economically challenged area, 15% of the manufacturing capital expenditures. Provides that the total amount of credits awarded under those provisions may not exceed $10,000,000 for any particular taxpayer in any taxable year, except that, if the capital investment is made in a rural or economically challenged area, then the maximum amount of the credit shall be $20,000,000. Effective immediately.
HB2916	02/05/2025	Amends the Snow and Ice Removal Act. Includes within the protection of the Act a person in charge of any business who attempts to remove snow or ice from sidewalks and parking areas abutting the business. Prohibits liability unless the removal of the snow and ice was done in a willful or wanton manner. Provides that attorney's fees may be awarded to a defendant who is protected under the Act from liability if the court determines the that action against the defendant is frivolous.
HB1735	01/24/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by federal law, any person who is not a citizen of the United States and who knowingly registers to vote or knowingly votes in an election, including a municipal election, shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony. Provides that, except as otherwise provided by federal law, any person who knowingly registers a person to vote who is not a citizen of the United States shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony. Effective immediately.
HB1117	01/09/2025	Amends the Interscholastic Athletic Organization Act. Provides that any athletic team or sport that is under the jurisdiction of an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and student must be expressly designated as (i) a male athletic team or sport, (ii) a female athletic team or sport, or (iii) a coeducational athletic team or sport. Provides that an athletic team or sport designated as being female is available only to participants who are female, based on their biological sex. Requires a school district or nonpublic school to obtain a written statement signed by a student's parent or guardian or the student verifying the student's age, biological sex, and that the student has not taken performance enhancing drugs; provides for a penalty for false or misleading statements. Prohibits a governmental entity or an association or entity that provides for interscholastic athletics or athletic competition among schools and students from entertaining a complaint, opening an investigation, or taking any other adverse action against a school district or nonpublic school for maintaining athletic teams or sports in accordance with these provisions.
HB1118	01/09/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Allows a lapsed Professional Educator License to be immediately reinstated upon payment to the State Board of Education by the applicant of the lesser of a $50 penalty or a $10 penalty for each year the license has lapsed. Effective immediately.
HB1119	01/09/2025	Amends the Educator Licensure Article of the School Code. Provides that a candidate for a State educator license who is either a former or active first responder or a military service member shall receive a refund for any costs associated with completing a test of content area knowledge or a teacher performance assessment. Provides that no former or active first responder or military service member may be charged an application fee under provisions regarding a Professional Educator License, an Educator License with Stipulations, a Substitute Teaching License, and a Short-Term Substitute Teaching License. Effective July 1, 2025.