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HB 2522

Establishes provisions relating to the issuance of professional and occupational licenses to certain individuals with federal employment authorizations

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stephanie Boykin and 4 co-sponsors

Requires 30 minutes of paid breastfeeding/pumping break per pumping episode for up to one year after birth; cannot reduce pay or require using unpaid leave.

Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
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Bill Summary · HB 2522

Summary — HB 2522: Nursing Mothers in the Workplace

Status: Enacted (signed by Governor 6/20/2025); Effective 9/1/2025
Statutory citation amended: 820 ILCS 260/10 (Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act)
Introduced: 2/4/2025 (Rep. Katie Stuart). Companion: SB 1104.

Note on bill text: The bill file includes an initial, unrelated Arizona tax provision. A House Floor Amendment replaced that text with changes to Illinois’ Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act. The enacted changes apply to Illinois law (820 ILCS 260/10).

Purpose

To clarify and require paid break time for employees who need to express breast milk, replacing the prior “reasonable break time” standard with a specified paid break duration and related protections for nursing employees.

Key provisions

  • Employers must provide 30 minutes of paid break time each time an employee needs to express breast milk for up to one year after the child’s birth. (The bill replaces language referencing “reasonable break time” with a 30‑minute paid break requirement.)
  • The 30‑minute break may run concurrently with other break time already provided by the employer.
  • An employee may use other paid break time or meal time for any additional time needed beyond the 30 minutes.
  • Employers may not reduce an employee’s compensation for time used to express milk or to nurse.
  • Employers may not require the use of paid leave during break time for expressing milk.
  • Paid break time must be provided unless doing so would create an undue hardship as defined in item (J) of Section 2‑102 of the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Who is affected

  • Employers doing business in Illinois and their employees who are nursing mothers (coverage applies each time the employee needs to express milk for the first year after childbirth).
  • Employers may need to adjust scheduling, staffing, or payroll practices to ensure breaks are paid as required.
  • Small employers may invoke the “undue hardship” exception as defined under Illinois Human Rights Act.

Procedural and timeline highlights

  • Passed both chambers (House and Senate) in May 2025, enrolled and sent to the Governor.
  • Signed by Governor: June 20, 2025.
  • Effective date: September 1, 2025.

Practical impact

  • Establishes a clear minimum (30 minutes paid) per pumping episode and strengthens pay protection for nursing employees.
  • May impose modest compliance costs (paid time, scheduling adjustments) on employers; the undue hardship exception provides a legal safety valve for employers who can demonstrate significant difficulty.
  • Enforcement mechanisms are those already associated with the Nursing Mothers Act and Illinois Human Rights law (not restated in the amendment text).

If you want, I can produce a side‑by‑side comparison of prior vs. new statutory language or draft employer compliance guidance (posting language, scheduling templates, FAQ for HR).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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