Chicago City Wire

La Shawn K. Ford introduced HB0003 in the Illinois House on Jan. 9, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Code of Civil Procedure to provide that illegal possession of land during a 7-year period may not be used for a claim of adverse possession. Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act to provide that no person has a right to occupy or remain on or in any real property, residence, or structure in which the person has no written property interest under a written lease or rental agreement with the owner of the property. Provides that all persons legally occupying the property, residence, or structure shall be listed by name and date of birth on leases, rental agreements, or the rental application associated with the lease or rental agreement. Provides that no subleasing is allowed unless it is specifically allowed in the tenant's written lease or rental agreement with the owner. Provides that any such violation of the lease or rental agreement does not establish legal standing to occupy or remain on or in any real property, residence, or structure by the sublessee who must vacate the property after receiving notice to vacate from the property owner of record or the owner's agent."

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 Code of Civil Procedure and the Landlord and Tenant Act in Illinois to address issues of adverse possession and illegal occupancy. It prevents claims of adverse possession for illegal possession of land during a seven-year period. The bill stipulates that individuals cannot legally occupy or remain in any property without a written property interest under a lease or rental agreement with the owner. All legally occupying individuals must be listed by name and date of birth on leases and agreements, and subleasing is prohibited unless explicitly allowed in the written lease. Violations by sublessees do not grant them legal standing to occupy the property, and they must vacate upon receiving notice from the property owner or agent.

La Shawn K. Ford has proposed another two bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Ford graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 1995 with a BS.

La Shawn K. Ford is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 8th House District. He replaced previous state representative Calvin Giles in 2007.

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.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB0003	01/09/2025	Amends the Code of Civil Procedure to provide that illegal possession of land during a 7-year period may not be used for a claim of adverse possession. Amends the Landlord and Tenant Act to provide that no person has a right to occupy or remain on or in any real property, residence, or structure in which the person has no written property interest under a written lease or rental agreement with the owner of the property. Provides that all persons legally occupying the property, residence, or structure shall be listed by name and date of birth on leases, rental agreements, or the rental application associated with the lease or rental agreement. Provides that no subleasing is allowed unless it is specifically allowed in the tenant's written lease or rental agreement with the owner. Provides that any such violation of the lease or rental agreement does not establish legal standing to occupy or remain on or in any real property, residence, or structure by the sublessee who must vacate the property after receiving notice to vacate from the property owner of record or the owner's agent.
HB0001	01/09/2025	Creates the Prevention of Use of Hemp Cannabinoid Products Intended for Human Consumption by Ingestion or Inhalation by Persons Under 21 Years of Age Act. Permits the sale and possession of hemp cannabinoids by persons 21 years of age or over. Provides that no person shall offer or sell hemp cannabinoid products to consumers in the State unless the person applies for and holds a hemp retailer license issued by the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Provides that no person shall sell ready-to-eat hemp products to end consumers without holding a hemp food establishment license issued by the Department of Public Health. Provides that a hemp food establishment that sells ready-to-eat cannabinoid products shall be exclusively licensed and located in the State. Provides that hemp food establishments and hemp retailers shall require proof of age from a purchaser of any cannabinoid products before selling the product to that person. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation shall administer and enforce the provisions of the Act relating to licensing and oversight of hemp distributors and hemp retailers unless otherwise provided in the Act. Establishes standards for the issuance of licenses under the Act. Provides for criminal and civil penalties for violation of the Act.
HB0002	01/09/2025	Amends the Election Code. Repeals provisions that prohibit a person that is serving a sentence of confinement in any penal institution from voting until his or her release from confinement. Further amends the Election Code and amends the Unified Code of Corrections making conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB0004	01/09/2025	Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Requires the Department of Healthcare and Family Services to conduct a study on managed care pharmacy access standards. Provides that the study shall review the current access standards, with a focus on disproportionately impacted areas. Requires the Department to seek input from consumers of pharmacy services. Requires the Department to report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly by January 1, 2026 and to publish the report on the Department's website. Provides that any retail pharmacy that is enrolled as an eligible retail pharmacy provider in the medical assistance program and is not sanctioned under investigation for fraud, waste, or abuse shall provide retail pharmacy services to any medical assistance recipient who resides in the same zip code as the pharmacy, regardless of whether the retail pharmacy is contracted to provide pharmacy services for the managed care organization that the recipient is enrolled with. Requires the managed care organization to pay the retail pharmacy the managed care organization's standard contractual rate. Effective immediately.
HB0005	01/09/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that, on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act, when a person commits an offense and the person is under 21 years of age at the time of the commission of the offense, the court, at the sentencing hearing, shall consider certain additional factors in mitigation in determining the appropriate sentence. Provides, that notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the defendant is under 18 at the time of the commission of the offense and convicted of first degree murder and would otherwise be subject to sentencing under certain provisions, the court shall impose a sentence of not less than 40 years of imprisonment. Provides that, in addition, the court may, in its discretion, decline to impose the sentencing enhancements based upon the possession or use of a firearm during the commission of the offense.
HB0006	01/09/2025	Creates the Blight Mitigation Act. Provides that a property owner that lives within one-fourth of a mile of and on the same street as residential real property that has been abandoned may, after the property has been continuously abandoned for 12 months, petition the court for title to the land. Provides that the court shall order that title to the real property be transferred to the petitioner if the petitioner presents clear and convincing evidence that: (1) the property is abandoned; (2) the owner of the property has been made a party to the action in accordance with the Code of Civil Procedure and court rules; and (3) the property is not: listed for sale on a multiple listing service; being maintained in receivership status; or under contract for sale. Effective immediately.
HB0007	01/09/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections relating to certificates of expungement for Class 3 and 4 felonies. Eliminates the requirement that a certificate of expungement may only be issued to a person who has served in the United States Armed Forces or National Guard of this or any other state and had received an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces or National Guard or who at the time of filing the petition is enlisted in the United States Armed Forces or National Guard of this or any other state and served one tour of duty and who meets the requirements of this provision. Expands the offenses ineligible for a certificate of expungement to include offenses involving domestic violence as defined in the Protective Orders Article of the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963, including aggravated assault, aggravated battery, violation of an order of protection, domestic battery, or aggravated domestic battery. Amends the Criminal Identification Act. Provides that, notwithstanding the eligibility requirements of the expungement provisions, upon the issuance of a certificate of expungement by the Prisoner Review Board under the Unified Code of Corrections, the circuit court shall automatically expunge all records of arrests or charges not initiated by arrest and all court records that resulted in the conviction for the Class 3 or Class 4 felony listed in the certificate of expungement.
HB0008	01/09/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person must be 17 years of age or older (currently, 18 years of age or older) to circulate petitions for nomination.
HB0037	01/09/2025	Amends the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority Act. Provides that the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority may sell certain specified property. Provides for the disposition of moneys received from the sale. Authorizes the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to enter into any agreements and execute any documents necessary to arrange for the sale of the property.
HB0038	01/09/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Includes in the offense of mob action (1) the knowing or reckless steering of a motor vehicle so that it makes a controlled skid sideways through a turn with the front wheels pointed in a direction opposite to that of the turn if the activity results in the use of force or violence disturbing the public peace and (2) the knowing or reckless act of street racing if the activity results in the use of force or violence disturbing the public peace. Defines "street racing". Provides that the penalty for these offenses is a Class 4 felony.
HB0041	01/09/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that a person convicted of a felony or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution shall have his or her right to vote restored and shall be eligible to vote not later than 14 days following his or her conviction. Provides that a correctional institution shall make available to a person in its custody current election resource material from the State Board of Elections and current election resource material that is requested by a person in custody and received at the correctional institution from a local election authority in response to the request. Creates the Post-Conviction Task Force to strengthen and improve provisions that restore the right to vote to a person convicted of a felony or otherwise under sentence in a correctional institution. Makes other changes. Amends the Unified Code of Corrections to make conforming changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1084	01/09/2025	Amends the Revised Cities and Villages Act of 1941. Establishes a procedure for a special recall election to recall the Mayor of Chicago and the election of a successor mayor at a special successor election or special runoff election. Effective immediately.
HB1143	01/09/2025	Creates the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act. Establishes the Illinois Psilocybin Advisory Board. Provides a timeline for the Board. Provides that the Department of Public Health, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Illinois State Police, and the Department of Revenue may adopt rules and implement the Act. Provides for licensing to operate a service center, facilitate psilocybin services, manufacture psilocybin products, and test psilocybin products by certain State agencies, with certain requirements. Provides for the lawful manufacture, delivery, and possession of psilocybin products. Provides procedures for psilocybin services, including requirements for certain sessions, plans, and forms. Limits the sale of psilocybin products with certain restrictions. Provides for investigations and inspections under the Act. Provides for certain fees, fines, actions against a licensee, criminal penalties, and civil penalties for violations of the Act. Provides for administrative hearings and other requirements for disciplining an applicant or licensee. Provides requirements for psilocybin-producing fungi as a crop, food, or other commodity. Provides for labeling and packaging requirements. Imposes a tax on psilocybin. Establishes the Psilocybin Control and Regulation Fund and Illinois Psilocybin Fund as special funds in the State treasury. Limits home rule powers. Makes other provisions. Makes corresponding changes to the State Finance Act. Amends the Freedom of Information Act. Exempt certain correspondence and records under the Act. Amends the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal Act of 2012. Adds the Act to the jurisdiction of the Tax Tribunal. Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Adds psilocybin or psilocin to the list of prohibited substances for a person driving or in actual physical control of a vehicle. Amends the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. Removes psilocybin or psilocybin products from the definition of "Controlled Substance". Removes psilocybin and psilocyn from the list of Schedule I controlled substances. Effective immediately.