Illinois Rep. Johnson’s job applicant driver’s license requirement bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Gregg Johnson aims to prevent employers from requiring a driver’s license for jobs where it is not essential or tied to a legitimate business purpose, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 75 Democrats and seven Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 30 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 38 Democrats and three Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 15 Republicans voted against it.

Johnson introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Feb. 2, 2026 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB4758, was passed on May 29, 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 Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act. Provides that, unless driving is an essential job function or is related to a legitimate business purpose for a position, an employer or employment agency shall not: (1) refuse to hire, segregate, or act with respect to recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, selection for training or apprenticeship, discharge, discipline, tenure or terms, or privileges or conditions of employment on the basis of an applicant or employee not possessing a driver’s license; or (2) include a statement in a posting for a job opening for the position that an applicant must have a valid driver’s license. Defines “driver’s license”. Effective January 1, 2027.”

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 Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act to bar most employers and employment agencies from requiring a driver’s license when it is not essential to the job or related to a legitimate business purpose. It defines a driver’s license as a license or privilege to operate a motor vehicle issued under Illinois law. The bill prohibits refusing to hire, segregating, or taking other employment actions against applicants or employees because they do not have a driver’s license, and it bans job postings that state a valid driver’s license is required in those circumstances. The act takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Adriane Johnson (Democrat-30th District), Rep. Barbara Hernandez (Democrat-50th District), and Sen. Bill Cunningham (Democrat-18th District), along with 40 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.

Johnson, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 72nd House District, replacing previous state representative Michael Halpin.

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.