Illinois Rep. Hoffman’s nuclear emergency response bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Jay Hoffman aims to clarify the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s authority to access property for environmental sampling during radiological disasters, following approval in both chambers, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 69 Democrats and one Republican voted in favor of the bill, while 35 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 39 Democrats and five Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 13 Republicans voted against it.

Hoffman introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Feb. 5, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB5316, was passed on May 14, 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 Nuclear Safety Law of 2004. Provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security has the right to enter on public and private property in order to take environmental samples in response to a disaster that causes radioactive contamination. Effective immediately.”

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 Nuclear Safety Law of 2004 to give the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security the explicit right to enter public and private property to collect environmental samples when responding to a disaster that causes radioactive contamination. It defines “disaster” by cross-reference to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act and appears intended to clarify and affirm the agency’s authority during radiological emergencies. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Carol Ammons (Democrat-103rd District) and Sen. Mike Porfirio (Democrat-11th District).

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.

Hoffman graduated from Illinois State University in 1983 with a BS and again in 1986 from Saint Louis University School of Law with a JD.

Hoffman, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2013 to represent the state’s 113th House District, replacing previous state representative Scott Penny.

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.