Illinois Sen. Johnson’s eminent domain quick-take bill for North Chicago passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Adriane Johnson aims to allow North Chicago to expedite easement acquisition for hazard mitigation and stormwater projects through amended eminent domain procedures, following passage in both chambers, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 72 Democrats and six Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 28 Republicans opposed it.

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

Johnson introduced the bill in the Illinois Senate on Oct. 28, 2025 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as SB2735, was passed on May 27, 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 Eminent Domain Act. Provides that quick-take proceedings may be used for the acquisition of permanent and temporary easements for a period of one year after the effective date of the amendatory Act by the City of North Chicago to support the installation of hazard mitigation and stormwater conveyance measures aimed at reducing the effects of flooding in Lake County. 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 Eminent Domain Act to allow quick-take proceedings by the City of North Chicago for acquiring permanent and temporary easements. The purpose is to facilitate the installation of hazard mitigation and stormwater conveyance measures to reduce flooding in Lake County. The quick-take authority will be applicable for one year following the bill’s effective date, which is immediate. The specific areas involved include parts of Skokie Highway and sections of land described with precise geographical coordinates within Lake County, Illinois.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Bill Cunningham (Democrat-18th District), Sen. Julie A. Morrison (Democrat-29th District), and Sen. Michael E. Hastings (Democrat-19th District), along with one other sponsor.

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 graduated from Colombia College with a BA and again in 2006 from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with an MJ.

Johnson, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 2020 to represent the state’s 30th Senate District, replacing previous state senator Terry Link.

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.