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HB 3508

LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Will Davis and 2 co-sponsors

HB 3508 shifts Illinois LLRW registration to IEMA-OHS, requires 60-day registration after a generator/broker starts, and exempts short-lived wastes and water treatment residuals.

Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading October 15, 2025
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Bill Summary · HB 3508

HB 3508 — Low-Level Radioactive Waste (Illinois) — Bill Summary

Status: Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading (Oct 15, 2025)
Introduced: February 2025 (filed Feb 7; first reading Feb 18)
Primary Sponsors: Sen. Don Harmon; Rep. Jawaharial Williams; Rep. William “Will” Davis (co-sponsor)
Companion: SB 1151

Purpose / Intent

HB 3508 updates the Illinois Low‑Level Radioactive Waste Management Act to (1) add and clarify definitions (notably “water treatment residuals”), (2) change how generators and brokers of low‑level radioactive waste (LLRW) register with State authorities, and (3) create limited exemptions from the registration requirement. The bill aims to modernize regulatory language and improve State oversight by shifting registration responsibilities to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA‑OHS).

Key provisions

  • Definitions
    • Adds/clarifies definitions including “water treatment residuals” (examples in the bill include biosolids, sludge, filter media — text truncated in source) and confirms terms such as “broker”, “generator”, “storage”, “treatment”, and “small modular reactor (SMR)”.
  • Registration requirements
    • Removes certain older provisions on generator and broker registration and replaces them with a new requirement that generators and brokers must register with IEMA‑OHS.
    • Timing: registration must occur within 60 days after the entity commences generating or takes possession of LLRW.
  • Exemptions
    • Exempts a generator that only stores waste composed of, or containing, radioactive material with a physical half‑life less than 120 days.
    • Exempts generators of “water treatment residuals” from the registration requirement (i.e., certain municipal or utility residuals).
  • Technical and conforming changes
    • Various editorial and technical edits to align statutory language with current agency names and regulatory practice.
  • Senate Amendment No. 1
    • Replaces the act’s Section 1 language (technical/caption change) and was adopted in committee.

Who is affected

  • Required to register within 60 days: entities that generate, possess, consolidate, or broker LLRW in Illinois — includes hospitals, medical and research institutions, universities, industrial manufacturers, nuclear facilities (subject to other definitions), transporters, and waste brokers.
  • Exempted: (1) generators storing short‑lived radionuclides (half‑life < 120 days) and (2) generators of water treatment residuals as defined in the bill (e.g., biosolids, sludge, filter media).
  • State agencies: IEMA‑OHS (as the registration and oversight point) and other agencies engaged in implementation.

Legislative timeline & status highlights

  • Filed/First read: Feb 2025 (filed Feb 7; first reading Feb 18)
  • Passed House (3rd reading, short debate): April 11, 2025 (vote 77–38)
  • Referred in Senate to Assignments/Executive committees; Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 filed and adopted May 13–14, 2025
  • Multiple committee reports and calendar placements in spring 2025; placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading Oct 15, 2025
  • Current status: awaiting final Senate third‑reading consideration per calendar entry.

Potential impact / considerations

  • Centralizes registration and oversight at IEMA‑OHS, which could streamline State records and emergency planning but may increase administrative duties for IEMA‑OHS.
  • The 60‑day registration window creates a clear compliance deadline for new generators/brokers; enforcement and fee details would depend on implementing regulations.
  • Exemptions for short‑lived radionuclides and water treatment residuals reduce compliance burdens for certain municipal utilities and entities that rely on decay storage; regulators will need to define and verify eligibility, and transport/disposal pathways remain governed by other state and federal rules.
  • The bill is largely regulatory/administrative; it does not create large new program costs or disposal facilities in the text provided.

If you want, I can extract the exact statutory text changes (Sections 3 and 4) or prepare a compliance checklist for entities that would need to register under the revised law.

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

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