The new bill authored by State Rep. Michael Crawford in the Illinois House aims to expand access to higher education for incarcerated individuals through additional grant funding, according to the Illinois State House.
The bill, introduced as HB5771 on May 12, 2026, during the general assembly session 104, was summarized by the state legislature as follows: “Appropriates $450,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Community College Board for competitive per capita grants for prison education programs that assist incarcerated students in attaining associate degrees. Appropriates $350,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for competitive per capita grants for prison education programs that assist incarcerated students in attaining bachelor’s degrees. Effective July 1, 2026.”
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill appropriates $450,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Community College Board for competitive per capita grants to prison education programs that help incarcerated students earn associate degrees. The bill also appropriates $350,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for competitive per capita grants to prison education programs that help incarcerated students earn bachelor’s degrees. The bill appears intended to expand access to degree-granting higher education in state prisons. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.
Crawford has proposed another 26 bills since the beginning of the 104th session, with one of them being adopted.
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.
Crawford graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a BS.
Crawford, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2025 to represent the state’s 31st House District, replacing previous state representative Mary E. Flowers.
Bills Introduced by Michael Crawford in Illinois House During General Assembly Session 104
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB5771 | 05/12/2026 | Appropriates $450,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Community College Board for competitive per capita grants for prison education programs that assist incarcerated students in attaining associate degrees. Appropriates $350,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for competitive per capita grants for prison education programs that assist incarcerated students in attaining bachelor’s degrees. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB5277 | 02/05/2026 | Amends the Clerks of the Courts Act. Increases the filing fee and appearance fee in civil actions. Requires $5 of those fees to be deposited into the Guardianship and Advocacy Fund. Provides that no fee may be charged for accounts filed for guardianships established for minors under the Minors Article of the Probate Act of 1975 or for disabled adults of the Probate Act of 1975. Provides that no fee may be charged for a commitment petition or petition for discharge under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Repeals the provisions imposing the guardianship and advocacy operations fee. |
| HB5322 | 02/05/2026 | Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that the Board of Higher Education, in approving or disapproving a public institution of higher education’s proposal for a new unit of instruction, research, or public service or in approving modifications, must take into account the unique student demographics and needs of the particular institution. |
| HB5027 | 02/04/2026 | Removes references to the Department of Human Services’ Division of Mental Health and Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery in various Acts, including, but not limited to, the Substance Use Disorder Act, the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code, the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act, the Illinois Public Aid Code, the Illinois Controlled Substances Act, and the County Jail Act. Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act and other acts to reference the Department of Human Services’ Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (rather than by the Division of Mental Health). Makes other conforming changes. Repeals the Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center Task Force Act, the Advisory Council on Early Identification and Treatment of Mental Health Conditions Act, and the Strengthening and Transforming Behavioral Health Crisis Care in Illinois Act. Repeals a provision in the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code concerning the COVID-19 public health emergency. Repeals a provision in the Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act requiring the Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Health to initially implement the Act as a 2-year pilot program. Repeals provisions in the Health Inpatient Facility Access Act requiring the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a strategic plan on improving access to inpatient psychiatric beds. |
| HB5091 | 02/04/2026 | Creates the Permanent Punishment Review Task Force Act. Establishes the Permanent Punishment Review Task Force. Provides for the Task Force’s appointment and membership. Provides that the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority shall provide administrative and other support to the Task Force. Provides that the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority may collaborate with the co-chairing organization to help provide this support. Provides that the duties of the Task Force include: (1) researching and analyzing the statutory permanent punishments under Illinois law; (2) identifying factors and data relevant to determining whether a permanent punishment should be modified or eliminated based on available scholarship; (3) identifying or developing models, or both, for periodic, systematic review of Illinois’s permanent punishment laws; (4) analyzing such models, including potential funding requirements, and proposing recommendations to the General Assembly; and (5) issuing a report, on or before January 1, 2028, setting forth those recommendations and summarizing the research and findings of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force may meet in person or virtually, and shall issue a written report of its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly on or before January 1, 2028, after which the Task Force is dissolved. Repeals the Act on July 1, 2028. Effective immediately. |
| HB4818 | 02/03/2026 | Amends the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. Adds provisions authorizing the Department of Agriculture to issue a transfer site endorsement for licensed cannabis transporters with a social equity designation. Provides that the endorsement allows operation of secure transfer sites for short-term storage and logistical consolidation of cannabis or cannabis-infused products. Sets conditions for use, security requirements, insurance, and compliance standards. Requires coordination with local zoning authorities and rulemaking by the Department. Makes related changes to findings and definitions. |
| HB4603 | 01/26/2026 | Appropriates $50,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Housing Development Authority for the purpose of depositing into the First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Fund to provide down payments and closing costs assistance to eligible first-generation homebuyers, and other administrative expenses under the First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB4551 | 01/23/2026 | Amends the Charitable Games Act. Provides that an organization’s records shall include a sworn statement that its bona fide members, volunteers, or employees have not participated in the management or operation of more than 48 (rather than 12) charitable games events conducted by any licensee in the calendar year. Prohibits the Department of Revenue from issuing a license permitting a person, firm, or corporation to sponsor a charitable games night if the premises for the conduct of the charitable games has been previously used for 48 (rather than 12) charitable games nights during the previous 12 months. Allows a provider to provide the same premises for conducting 48 charitable games nights during a 12-month period. Allows a licensee to obtain a providers’ license to allow the licensee to rent or otherwise provide its premises to another licensee for the conducting of an additional 8 (rather than 4) charitable game events. Increases the number of charitable game events that may be held at any one premises to 48 (instead of 12) per calendar year. Allows a provider or supplier to promote or solicit a charitable games event on behalf of a charitable games licensee or qualified organization. Provides that an employee of a supplier may assist the charity in a charitable games event. Makes other and conforming changes. |
| HB4526 | 01/22/2026 | Appropriates the sum of $2,100,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority for a grant to Safer Pathways to support the Supportive Reentry Network Collaborative. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB4484 | 01/16/2026 | Appropriates $5,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a grant to Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago for costs associated with funding equitable mortgage lending and homebuyer subsidies, foreclosure prevention services, and other support. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB4426 | 01/14/2026 | Amends the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Act. Provides that, among other things, notice of the duration of eligible lists of examinations of each position in the classified service shall be given by the Director of Human Resources by publication for 2 weeks preceding the examination in a daily newspaper of general circulation published in the county in which the sanitary district is situated, and the notice shall be posted by the Director in a conspicuous place in the Director’s office for 2 weeks before the examination. Provides that, if fewer than 5 candidates are in the A, B, and C categories combined, then the Director may delay certification to fill a vacancy and hold an examination to provide a sufficient number of candidates on an updated eligible list. Provides that, among other apprentices, apprentices in a sanitary district’s apprenticeship program for plant operations or laboratory operations shall not be included in the classified civil service. Provides that graduates of a sanitary district apprenticeship program shall be given additional points on examinations for civil service journeymen positions in entry-level positions in plant operations or laboratory operations classifications, in addition to the trades, at the sanitary district. Provides that, if an eligible list for the civil service journeyman trades or entry-level plant operations or laboratory operations classification already exists at the time a district apprentice completes the district program, then a special administration of the examination may be scheduled by the Director. Makes other and conforming changes. |
| HB4427 | 01/14/2026 | Amends the State Finance Act. Creates the Prison Education Fund. Provides that moneys in the Prison Education Fund shall be used by the Illinois Community College Board and Illinois Board of Higher Education to make grants to prison education programs that award associate degrees or bachelor’s degrees to currently incarcerated students. Makes changes concerning the allocation of money from the Cannabis Regulation Fund. Provides that 0.5% of the moneys in the Cannabis Regulation Fund, after certain allocations have been made, shall be transferred from the Cannabis Regulation Fund to the Prison Education Fund. |
| HB4397 | 01/13/2026 | Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that “school psychologist” means a psychologist who, along with other qualifications, has graduated with a specialist degree, an equivalent degree with the completion of a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours, or a higher degree in school psychology (rather than a master’s degree or higher degree in psychology or educational psychology) from an institution of higher learning and has had at least 1,200 clock hours of supervised experience (rather than one school year of full-time supervised experience) in the delivery of school psychological services. Makes changes to provide that school psychological services provided by qualified specialists who hold a Professional Educator License endorsed for school psychology may include, but are not limited to: (1) providing assessments; (2) creating and implementing prevention and intervention services that support student learning; (3) providing mental and behavioral health services; (4) acting as liaisons between public schools and community agencies; (5) evaluating program effectiveness; (6) providing crisis prevention, response, and intervention within the school setting; (7) providing consultation and collaboration; (8) supervising school psychologist interns enrolled in school psychology programs; (9) screening school enrollments to identify children who should be referred for individual study; and (10) developing any other necessary programs and services. Provides that a school psychologist may not provide school psychological services outside of his or her employment to any student in any school district that employs the school psychologist. Makes other changes. |
| HB4345 | 01/08/2026 | Appropriates the sum of $2,100,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services for a grant to Safer Pathways to support the Supportive Reentry Network Collaborative. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB4272 | 01/05/2026 | Amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Provides that no person shall sell, attempt to sell, or offer to sell to a consumer in the State a non-externally vented natural gas appliance that is manufactured on or after January 1, 2027 unless a label on the gas appliance bears a specified warning message. Provides that the Attorney General may adopt rules setting forth additional requirements for the placement and formatting of the label. Provides that a person who violates the provision commits an unlawful practice within the meaning of the Act. |
| HB4283 | 01/05/2026 | Amends the Illinois Housing Development Act. Requires the Illinois Housing Development Authority (Authority) to establish and administer a First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Program to provide targeted assistance to eligible first-generation homebuyers throughout the State for the purchase of a single-family or non-commercial multi-family residence. Sets forth eligibility requirements. Permits the Authority to prioritize assistance to applicants purchasing homes in designated community priority areas, applicants with household income below 80%, and applicants purchasing homes in areas with low homeownership rates, high housing costs burdens, or limited access to affordable mortgage credit. Provides that assistance under the program shall be provided as a forgivable loan to be forgiven pro rata on a monthly basis over a 5-year period of continuous owner-occupancy. Sets forth the available loan amounts and provides that assistance funds may be used for down payments, closing costs, mortgage insurance, interest rate buydowns, or principal reduction. Permits the Authority to waive repayment in cases of documented financial hardship that is beyond the control of the homebuyer. Permits the Authority to adopt rules to implement and administer the program. Effective July 1, 2026. |
| HB4079 | 07/01/2025 | Amends the Election Code. Requires the State Board of Elections to redact from statements of organization the addresses of all current and past officers of campaign committees upon the written request of the supported candidate or the current chair of the campaign committee, using the standardized form developed for that purpose by the Board. Effective immediately. |
| HB4068 | 05/28/2025 | Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that within 14 school days after receiving a written request for a federal Section 504 plan from a child’s parent or guardian, a school district shall determine whether the clinical information provided by the parent or guardian is sufficient to support the need for a Section 504 plan, whether further evaluation is warranted to make that determination, or whether there is no basis for an evaluation or plan based on available information. Provides that if the district decides not to confer eligibility based on existing information or to conduct an evaluation, the district shall provide written notice to the parent or guardian explaining the rationale for the decision. Provides that if the district agrees to an evaluation, a meeting with the parent or guardian shall be held no later than 14 school days after receiving the written request. Requires the district to convene a team that shall identify the assessments necessary to complete the evaluation. Provides that for a student with documentation from a licensed health care provider indicating the need for an individualized health care plan to address a likely medical threat to the student’s health or safety, the school’s Section 504 plan team shall meet with the parent or guardian to consider creation of an interim Section 504 plan consistent with the health care provider’s recommendations within 5 school days after receipt of the documentation, and if the Section 504 plan team agrees with the health care provider’s recommendation, implementation of the requisite accommodations shall commence no later than 5 school days after the planning meeting. Effective immediately. |
| HB3460 | 02/07/2025 | Amends the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding, and Nail Technology Act of 1985. Provides that all apprentices shall be employed under an apprenticeship agreement between the sponsoring salon or shop and the apprentice that is approved by the Department of Labor. Provides requirements for the completion of an apprenticeship program, including training hours and supplemental instruction. Provides that an apprentice shall only provide licensed services under the supervision of a cosmetologist, barber, esthetician, or nail technician with an active license and for the scope of services for which the supervising licensed professional is licensed to practice. Requires apprentices to be trained in all branches of practical work and related supplemental instruction for the scope of practice for the license the apprentice seeks to obtain. Defines “apprentice”. Provides that a person is qualified for a license as a barber if the person has graduated from a school of barbering or school of cosmetology approved by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation or completed an apprenticeship under the Act (rather than only if the person has graduated from a school). Provides that the Department shall prescribe reasonable rules for the registration of apprentices. |
| HB3551 | 02/07/2025 | Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that the Illinois Student Assistance Commission shall establish the Adult Learner Flexible Education Grant Program to facilitate access to online postsecondary education provided by a qualified institution of higher learning, including a not-for-profit postsecondary institution that offers classes exclusively online and meets other criteria, for adults over the age of 25 pursuing careers in fields facing workforce shortages, as determined by the Commission. Provides that, beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall receive and consider applications for grant assistance. Provides that an applicant is eligible for a grant if the Commission finds that the applicant meets specified criteria. Provides that all grants are applicable only to tuition and mandatory fees. Provides that the Commission shall determine the grant amount for each student, which amount must not exceed $5,000. Sets forth provisions concerning conditions on the grant amount, grant applications, the distribution of grant funds, and rulemaking. Effective July 1, 2025. |
| HB3815 | 02/07/2025 | Amends the Personnel Code. Requires the Director of Central Management Services to consult with the Department of Employment Security, the Department of Human Services, and other disability experts for the purpose of establishing, reviewing, and modifying the qualifying procedures under the Code for applicants whose disabilities are of such a significant nature that the applicants are unable to demonstrate their abilities in the ordinary selection process. Provides that all permanent executive branch classified positions are eligible for a 700-hour on-the-job demonstration experience, and all permanent classified job postings must provide information regarding the on-the-job demonstration overview and certification process. Provides that the Director of Central Management Services is responsible for the administration and oversight of the 700-hour on-the-job demonstration experience, including the establishment of policies and procedures, data collection and reporting requirements, and compliance. Provides that the Director of Central Management Services shall design and implement a training curriculum for the 700-hour on-the-job demonstration experience. Provides that all executive leaders, managers, supervisors, human resources professionals, affirmative action officers, and ADA coordinators must receive annual training on the program. Provides that the Director of Central Management Services shall develop, administer, and make public a formal grievance process for individuals in the 700-hour on-the-job demonstration experience. Effective immediately. |
| HB3817 | 02/07/2025 | Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that a petition for a certificate of innocence shall state facts in sufficient detail to permit the court to find that the petitioner is likely to succeed at trial in proving that the petitioner is innocent of the alleged offenses for which the person was convicted (rather than innocent of the offenses charged in the indictment or information) or that his or her acts or omissions for which he or she was convicted (instead of for those charged in the indictment or information) did not constitute a felony or misdemeanor against the State of Illinois. Provides that in order to obtain a certificate of innocence, the petitioner must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the petitioner is innocent of the alleged offenses for which he or she was convicted (rather than offenses charged in the indictment or information) or that his or her acts or omissions for which he or she was convicted (instead of those charged in the indictment or information) did not constitute a felony or misdemeanor against the State of Illinois. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to petitions filed on and after September 22, 2008. |
| HB3818 | 02/07/2025 | Amends the Court of Claims Act. Provides that the Court of Claims has exclusive jurisdiction to hear all claims against the State for time unjustly served in State prisons, in county jails, on parole, on intensive supervised probation, or registered as a sex offender if the person was unjustly convicted and received a pardon from the Governor on the ground of innocence of the crime for which the person was convicted or the person received a certificate of innocence. Removes language providing the amount of the award the court may give for a successful claim. Provides instead that the court shall make an award of $50,000 per year during which the person was wrongfully incarcerated and $25,000 for each year during which the person was wrongfully on parole, wrongfully on intensive supervised probation, or wrongfully required to register as a sex offender. Provides that the changes made by the amendatory Act apply to claims pending or filed on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act. Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Allows any person who is convicted or adjudicated a delinquent and then serves any part of a sentence of incarceration in a State prison, in a county jail, on parole, on intensive supervised probation, or registered as a sex offender (rather than convicted and subsequently imprisoned) for one or more felonies by the State that the person did not commit may file a petition for certificate of innocence. Requires the court to make an award of reasonable attorney’s fees, costs, and expenses after awarding a certificate of innocence. Provides that any person seeking a certificate of innocence based on the dismissal of a juvenile delinquency petition or an acquittal that occurred before the effective date of the amendatory Act shall file a petition within 4 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act, and any person seeking a certificate of innocence based on the dismissal of a juvenile delinquency petition or an acquittal that occurred on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall file a petition within 2 years after the dismissal or acquittal. Effective immediately. |
| HB3846 | 02/07/2025 | Amends the Department of Human Services Act. Creates the Underserved Populations Autism Task Force within the Department of Human Services. Requires the Task Force to develop an Autism Spectrum Disorder Strategic Plan for underserved populations that focuses on: (1) improving awareness, early diagnosis, and intervention; and (2) ensuring delivery of treatment and services for individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, including the coordination and accessibility of cost-effective treatments and services throughout the individual’s lifetime. Requires the Task Force to submit its strategic plan to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Department of Human Services by no later December 31, 2030. Requires the Task Force to submit annual reports each July 1 for calendar years 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. Requires the annual reports to detail Task Force meetings and activities, summarize Task Force hearings and findings, and give an account of any progress the Task Force has made towards developing the Autism Spectrum Disorder Strategic Plan. Contains provisions on Task Force membership and meetings. Provides that the Task Force is dissolved on July 1, 2031. Effective July 1, 2025. |
| HB2958 | 02/05/2025 | Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Requires the Board of Higher Education, in consultation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Employment Security, to develop a career and education guide for postsecondary students with disabilities. Sets forth the included information in the career and education guide. Requires the guide to be publicly available on the websites of the Board, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Department of Employment Security. Allows the Board to publish physical copies and charge a reasonable fee for such copies. Requires the first guide to be published by August 1, 2026, and every August 1 thereafter. Effective January 1, 2026. |
| HB2435 | 02/03/2025 | Amends the Telephone Solicitations Act. Provides that no person shall solicit the sale of goods or services in the State through automatic dialing, the use of an auto dialer, or the use of a computer program designed to mimic a human operator, unless the person being contacted has expressly consented to be contacted in this manner. Provides that, if a person has previously consented to be contacted in the manner otherwise prohibited, the consent shall only be valid for a period of one year and the person shall be allowed to withdraw that consent at any time in the same manner that the consent was given. Provides that a person to whom consent has been given shall not sell, give, transfer, or assign that consent to another person. Provides for exemptions to the provision. Provides that any customer who is subject to a violation of the provision may bring an action for damages of $500 per violation, plus costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. Makes a change to the definition of “emergency telephone number”. |
| HB1366 | 01/14/2025 | Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Provides that a school shall provide written notice to the parents or guardian of a child with disabilities that the parents or guardian have the right to have an individualized education program (IEP) advocate present at any meeting regarding the child’s current or prospective individualized education program and that the parents or guardian have the right to ask for an IEP facilitator for the child’s IEP. Provides that the school may provide the written notification as a part of other provided documentation, including, but not limited to, admission and enrollment documents. |
