Chicago City Wire

Ram Villivalam introduced SB1317 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 28, 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 Issuing Licenses and Abating Nuisances Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that nothing in the Division shall prohibit the issuance or renewal of a license authorizing the sale of tobacco products or tobacco accessories at a premises that is located within a municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 inhabitants and is within 100 feet of the property line of any building or other location used primarily as a school if: (1) the school is a private elementary school; (2) the school is located within the boundaries of West Devon Avenue, West Rosemont Avenue, North Mozart Street, and North Fairfield Avenue; and (3) the sale of tobacco products or tobacco accessories at the premises occurs only after school hours until no later than 2 a.m. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective immediately."

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 Illinois Municipal Code to allow the issuance or renewal of licenses for the sale of tobacco products or accessories at premises within a municipality with a population over 1 million, specifically within 100 feet of a private elementary school, provided the school is within the boundaries of West Devon Avenue, West Rosemont Avenue, North Mozart Street, and North Fairfield Avenue. Sales are permitted only after school hours until no later than 2 a.m. The bill limits the regulatory powers of home rule municipalities by prohibiting them from adopting regulations inconsistent with these provisions. This Act takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Ram Villivalam has proposed another seven bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Villivalam graduated from George Washington University in 2009 with a BS.

Ram Villivalam is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 8th Senate District. He replaced previous state senator Ira Silverstein in 2019.

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
SB1317	01/28/2025	Amends the Issuing Licenses and Abating Nuisances Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that nothing in the Division shall prohibit the issuance or renewal of a license authorizing the sale of tobacco products or tobacco accessories at a premises that is located within a municipality with a population in excess of 1,000,000 inhabitants and is within 100 feet of the property line of any building or other location used primarily as a school if: (1) the school is a private elementary school; (2) the school is located within the boundaries of West Devon Avenue, West Rosemont Avenue, North Mozart Street, and North Fairfield Avenue; and (3) the sale of tobacco products or tobacco accessories at the premises occurs only after school hours until no later than 2 a.m. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers. Effective immediately.
SB1318	01/28/2025	Appropriates $5,000,000 to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security for grants made to small business for security improvements that assist the small business in preventing, preparing for, or responding to threats, attacks, or acts of terrorism. Effective July 1, 2025.
SB1319	01/28/2025	Amends the Motor Fuel Tax Law. Provides that, of the proceeds that are deposited into the Road Fund, $27,000,000 shall be transferred each month to the Department of Transportation to be distributed to municipalities of the State, counties of the State, and road districts of the State according to a specified formula.
SB1320	01/28/2025	Amends the Airport Authorities Act. Provides that, in airport authorities having a population of not more than 500,000, the compensation for services of any commissioner shall not exceed $300 (rather than $150) in any one month for services within the corporate limits of the authority or within a distance of 50 miles from the corporate limits of the authority. Provides that, in airport authorities having a population of more than 500,000, the compensation for services of any commissioner shall not exceed the sum of $25,000 (rather than $10,000) per annum.
SB1321	01/28/2025	Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act. Provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security may make grants to small businesses for eligible security improvements that assist the small business in preventing, preparing for, or responding to threats, attacks, or acts of terrorism. Sets forth requirements concerning eligibility, application, and Agency procedures. Defines "small business". Effective immediately.
SB1324	01/28/2025	Amends the Election Code. Provides that, upon receiving an election authority's request, if a school district demonstrates to the election authority that the use of a school as a polling place would interfere with scheduled programming or pose a threat to the safety of staff or students, the election authority and the school district shall work cooperatively to find an alternative location to serve as a polling place. Provides that, if the school district and the election authority are unable to identify a mutually agreeable alternative location, the school district and the election authority shall submit a report to the Board of County Commissioners that includes specified information. Provides that, after receiving the report, the Board of County Commissioners shall determine a location to be used as a polling place as soon as practicable to avoid further delay in determining a polling place.
SB0091	01/17/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Requires every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 79 years or older to renew in person. Requires every applicant for the renewal of a driver's license who is 87 years of age or or who is 75 years of age or older and holds a commercial driver's license to prove, by an actual demonstration, the applicant's ability to exercise reasonable care in the safe operation of a motor vehicle. Allows an immediate family member to submit information to the Secretary of State relative to the medical condition of a person if the condition interferes with the person's ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. Requires information to be submitted in writing in a manner and form approved by the Secretary and shall include the name of the person submitting the information. Prohibits the Secretary from accepting or acting on anonymous reports. Makes other changes. Effective July 1, 2026.
SB0141	01/17/2025	Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that a grant made by the Department of Transportation to municipalities and airport authorities for the renovation, construction, and development of airport facilities must include a condition that the renovation, construction, and development of airport facilities is covered by a project labor agreement entered into with the local building and construction trades council having geographic jurisdiction over the airport facilities. Amends the Airport Authorities Act. Provides that any contract entered into by an Airport Authority to construct, develop, expand, extend, or improve any airport or airport facility must include a project labor agreement entered into with the local building and construction trades council having geographic jurisdiction over the airport or airport facility. Defines "project labor agreement". Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement.
SB0005	01/13/2025	Creates the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act. Establishes the Metropolitan Mobility Authority. Provides that the Chicago Transit Authority, the Commuter Rail Division and the Suburban Bus Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Regional Transportation Authority are consolidated into the Metropolitan Mobility Authority and the Service Boards are abolished. Creates the Suburban Bus Operating Division, Commuter Rail Operating Division, and the Chicago Transit Operating Division. Reinserts, reorganizes, and changes some provisions from the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and the Regional Transportation Authority Act into the new Act. Includes provisions concerning the operation of the Metropolitan Mobility Authority. Repeals the Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and the Regional Transportation Authority Act. Amends various Acts, Laws, and Codes to make conforming changes. Creates the Equitable Transit-Supportive Development Act. Establishes the Office of Equitable Transit-Oriented Development and the Transit-Supportive Development Fund. Provides that the Office and the Fund are to aid transit-supportive development near high-quality transit by providing specified funding to municipalities that have adopted the standards in the transit support overlay district for that area or that have adopted zoning and other changes that the Office determines have benefits greater than or equal to such a District, including transit support overlay districts. Includes provisions relating to Office standards, procedures, and reports. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Amends the Department of Transportation Law of the Civil Administrative Code. Requires the Department to establish, staff, and support an Office of Public Transportation Support for the purpose of optimizing the operation of public transportation vehicles and the delivery of public transportation services on highways under the Department's jurisdiction in the Metropolitan Mobility Authority's metropolitan region. Describes the duties and operations of the Office. Amends the Toll Highway Act. Provides that the Chair of the Metropolitan Mobility Authority is a nonvoting member of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.