Chicago City Wire

Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar introduced HB3321 in the Illinois House on Feb. 6, 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: "Creates the Honorable Funerals for First Responders Act. Provides that a first responder killed in the line of duty shall receive an honorable funeral. Defines "honorable funeral" as a funeral that respects the wishes of the deceased first responder and the family of the deceased first responder and includes religious observances desired by the deceased first responder and the family of the deceased first responder. Provides that an elected official may not attend the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty if the elected official knows, or has reason to know, that the family of the first responder killed in the line of duty does not wish the elected official to attend the funeral. Provides that in no case shall any elected official be required to attend the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty. Provides that the family of the first responder killed in the line of duty shall have sole discretion over which elected official may attend the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty. Provides that, before an elected official attends the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty, the elected official must make reasonable efforts to learn if the family of the first responder killed in the line of duty would like the elected official to attend the funeral. Defines other terms."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill establishes the Honorable Funerals for First Responders Act, which mandates that first responders killed in the line of duty receive funerals that honor their and their families' wishes, including specific religious observances. It defines "first responder" to include law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical service personnel as described in existing statutes. The bill also stipulates that elected officials may not attend these funerals if they know or have reason to believe the family does not want them there. Additionally, no elected official is required to attend such funerals, and the family has the sole discretion to decide which officials may attend. Before attending, elected officials are required to make reasonable efforts to ascertain the family's wishes regarding their presence.

Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar has proposed another nine bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Guerrero-Cuellar graduated from Roosevelt University in 2005 with a BA.

Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 22nd House District. She replaced previous state representative Edward Guerra Kodatt in 2021.

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
HB3321	02/06/2025	Creates the Honorable Funerals for First Responders Act. Provides that a first responder killed in the line of duty shall receive an honorable funeral. Defines "honorable funeral" as a funeral that respects the wishes of the deceased first responder and the family of the deceased first responder and includes religious observances desired by the deceased first responder and the family of the deceased first responder. Provides that an elected official may not attend the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty if the elected official knows, or has reason to know, that the family of the first responder killed in the line of duty does not wish the elected official to attend the funeral. Provides that in no case shall any elected official be required to attend the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty. Provides that the family of the first responder killed in the line of duty shall have sole discretion over which elected official may attend the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty. Provides that, before an elected official attends the funeral of a first responder killed in the line of duty, the elected official must make reasonable efforts to learn if the family of the first responder killed in the line of duty would like the elected official to attend the funeral. Defines other terms.
HB2971	02/06/2025	Amends the Charter Schools Article of the School Code. Provides that that for charter schools authorized by a local school district, administrative fees withheld from a charter school for the purpose of conducting administrative duties related to the administration of charter school contracts, oversight, and authorizing services shall be capped at 3% or less of the total annual public dollars allocated to the charter school. Provides that the 3% total administrative fee collected from a charter school shall include a 2% or less administrative fee collected by a local school district for the purpose of conducting administrative duties related to the administration of charter school contracts, oversight, and authorizing services and 1% to a statewide charter school membership association for the purpose of administering state mandated board governance training. Allows the State Board of Education to withhold up to a 3% administrative fee as the sole statewide charter school authorizer for the purpose of conducting administrative duties related to the administration of charter school contracts, oversight, and authorizing services. Requires that principal metric a district shall consider for a charter school renewal to be academic achievement. Provides that a local school district authorizer shall grant renewal terms of no fewer than 5 years upon renewal of a charter agreement if the charter's average annual summative designation over the term of the contract is in the top 3 summative designations on the State Report Card.
HB3291	02/06/2025	Amends the Juvenile Court Act of 1987. Provides that an abused minor includes a minor whose parent or immediate family member, or any person responsible for the minor's welfare, or any person who is in the same family or household as the minor, or any individual residing in the same home as the minor, or a paramour of the minor's parent who allows, encourages, or requires a minor to engage in panhandling with a person 18 years of age or older. Amends the Wrongs to Children Act. Provides that it is unlawful for a child under 18 years of age to engage in panhandling. Provides that a person 18 years of age or older who engages in panhandling with a person under 18 years of age shall be issued a citation by the peace officer who witnesses the violation. Provides that the officer's local law enforcement agency shall send a written or electronic notice to the Department of Children and Family Services that the person under 18 years of age is endangered by engaging in panhandling with a person 18 years years of age or older. Provides that any person 18 years of age or older who engages in panhandling with a person under 18 years of age is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. Defines "citation" and "panhandling".
HB3298	02/06/2025	Amends the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act. Changes the income eligibility levels for programs that use the income limits in the Act for eligibility determinations.
HB3308	02/06/2025	Amends the Wrongs to Children Act. Provides that it is unlawful for a child under 18 years of age to engage in panhandling unless the child is a representative of a nonprofit organization. Provides that any person under 18 years of age who engages in panhandling is guilty of a petty offense. Defines "panhandling".
HB2504	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Prohibits a person from purchasing or possessing a license plate flipper and makes a violation of such a Class B misdemeanor. Prohibits a person from manufacturing, selling, offering to sell, or otherwise distributing a license plate flipper and makes a violation of such a Class A misdemeanor. Provides that a person who violates either such provision shall also have the person's vehicle registration automatically suspended. Defines "license plate flipper".
HB2505	02/03/2025	Amends the Property Tax Code. Provides that property that is used as a qualified residence by a police officer or firefighter with a duty-related disability is exempt from taxation under the Code. Effective immediately.
HB1866	01/29/2025	Amends the Emergency Telephone System Act. Makes changes to the definitions of terms defined in the Act. Requires a municipality with a population over 500,000 to provide Next Generation 9-1-1 service by January 1, 2029 (rather than January 1, 2026). Provides that, until December 31, 2028 (rather than December 31, 2025), a municipality with a population over 500,000 may not impose a monthly surcharge in excess of $5.00 per network connection. Provides that, on or after January 1, 2029 (rather than January 1, 2026), a municipality with a population over 500,000 may not impose a monthly surcharge in excess of $2.50 per network connection. Provides that, until December 31, 2028 (rather than December 31, 2025), a municipality with a population in excess of 500,000 may by ordinance continue to impose and collect a monthly surcharge per commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) connection or in-service telephone number billed on a monthly basis that does not exceed $5.00. Provides that, on or after January 1, 2027 (rather than January 1, 2026), a municipality with a population in excess of 500,000 may impose and collect its wireless carrier surcharge if the monthly surcharge does not exceed $2.50 per commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) connection or in-service telephone number billed on a monthly basis. Removes references to "enhanced 9-1-1". Provides for the repeal of the Act on December 31, 2028 (rather than December 31, 2025). Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1606	01/23/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that no person shall gather in a public street, commercial parking lot, or any other area open to the public for the purpose of street racing or a street side show. Provides that a vehicle used in street racing or a street side show or used to interfere with the flow of traffic to facilitate street racing or a street side show is subject to forfeiture. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Makes corresponding changes.
HB1441	01/17/2025	Amends the Chicago Park District Act. Provides that the Chicago Park District shall not employ a person who is under the age of 19 to serve as a lifeguard at a beach on the Chicago lakefront.