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HB 2998

Relating to Volunteer Fire Departments

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Dana Ferrell

Illinois HB 2998 requires local election authorities to publish on official websites the qualifications to run for local offices and petition filing deadlines.

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Bill Summary · HB 2998

Summary of HB 2998 (Illinois)

Title and Purpose

HB 2998, titled “ElectionS-Publication/Local,” would add a new provision to the Illinois Election Code (10 ILCS 5) requiring local election authorities to publish certain information on their websites. Specifically, it would require posting the requirements and qualifications to run for local office, as well as petition filing deadlines.

What the bill would do (Key Provisions)

  • Create new Section 1-26 in the Election Code: Sec. 1-26. Local elections; publication of information.
  • Local election authorities would be required to post on their official websites:
    • Requirements and qualifications for running for local offices.
    • Petition filing deadlines.
  • The publication would apply to all local offices within the jurisdiction of each local election authority (e.g., municipalities, townships, counties, school districts, etc., as defined by Illinois law).

Note: The bill text specifies publishing “requirements and qualifications for running for local offices and petition filing deadlines” but does not detail exact content of the qualifications, nor does it specify an exact format or update cadence beyond the website posting requirement.

Affected entities

  • Local election authorities in Illinois (e.g., county clerks, city/town clerks, and other entities responsible for administering local elections).
  • Potentially local candidates seeking municipal, township, school district, or other local offices, who would benefit from easier online access to candidacy criteria and petition timelines.

Legislative history and status

  • Introduced: February 6, 2025 by Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid; filed with the Clerk and assigned to Rules Committee.
  • First Reading: February 6, 2025.
  • Subsequent actions:
    • February 18, 2025: Filed and introduced (per bill ledger) and later noted in the formal synopsis.
    • March 6–21, 2025: Referred to committees; Rule 19(a) adjustments and re-referrals observed.
    • March 20, 2025: Read first time; referred to Intergovernmental Affairs.
    • April 24, 2025: Additional co-sponsors added (Rep. Theresa Mah, Rep. Aarón M. Ortíz, Rep. Kevin John Olickal); Rep. Michelle Mussman and Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock also listed as sponsors on earlier actions.
  • Current status: In early-stage committee consideration with multiple co-sponsors; no enacted date yet.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Transparency: Improves public access to candidacy requirements and filing deadlines for local offices, potentially reducing confusion for prospective candidates.
  • Administrative burden: Local election offices may need to ensure their websites are updated consistently and in a timely manner; potential minor costs for website maintenance.
  • Uniformity vs. local variation: While standardizing online postings, local offices retain discretion over the specifics of deadlines and requirements as provided by law. The bill does not specify a centralized repository or uniform format, leaving implementation to each authority.

Timeline and next steps

  • If advanced, the bill would progress through committees (Ethics & Elections, Rules, etc.) and potentially to floor votes in the House, followed by Senate action and gubernatorial signature. The exact timing depends on committee progress and votes.

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

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