Illinois Rep. Haas’s pharmacy signage bill on suicide lifeline passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Jackie Haas aims to increase public awareness of the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by mandating signage in pharmacies, following approval in both House and Senate, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 74 Democrats and 37 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 40 Democrats and 19 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Haas introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Feb. 4, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB4982, was passed on May 21, 2026 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “Amends the Pharmacy Practice Act. Provides that every licensed pharmacy directly serving patients at a physical location shall conspicuously post a sign provided by the Department of Human Services that contains the following: (i) a statement that the Department of Human Services runs a Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; (ii) the Lifeline number; and (iii) any other information the Department of Human Services deems appropriate. Provides that the sign shall be printed in color ink or displayed electronically in color, measure at least 8.5 x 11 inches in size, and be posted at either a cashier counter or a waiting area that is clearly visible to patients. Requires licensed pharmacies that do not maintain a physical location that directly serves patients to include a copy of the sign with any dispensed prescriptions. Provides that the sign shall also be available to download on the Department of Human Services’s website.”

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

In essence, this bill amends the Pharmacy Practice Act to require every licensed pharmacy that directly serves patients at a physical location to prominently display a Department of Human Services sign about the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The sign must state that the department operates the Lifeline, list the Lifeline number and any other department-approved information, be in color, measure at least 8.5 by 11 inches and be clearly visible at a cashier counter or waiting area. Pharmacies without a patient-facing location must include a copy of the sign with all dispensed prescriptions. The bill also requires the sign to be available for download on the department’s website.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Amy Elik (Republican-111th District), Rep. Brandun Schweizer (Republican-104th District), and Rep. Christopher “C.D.” Davidsmeyer (Republican-100th District), along with 10 other sponsors.

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.

Haas graduated from Valparasio University in 1988 with a BA.

Haas, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2020 to represent the state’s 79th House District, replacing previous state representative Lindsay Parkhurst.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.