Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Legislative Committee for November 4, 2025

The Will County Legislative Committee met on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to continue developing its 2026 state and federal legislative agendas and receive updates from its lobbyists. The committee advanced several proposals focused on affordable housing, renewable energy, and public health, while postponing discussion on more controversial mental health topics. For more details on the committee’s agenda-setting process, see our full story. Lobbyists also briefed the committee on the impacts of the ongoing federal government shutdown and the outcomes of the Illinois General Assembly’s fall veto session, including a new energy law and a toll hike to fund mass transit.

South Suburban Airport Position: Will County’s 2025 State Legislative Agenda includes a formal position encouraging an alternative plan for the proposed South Suburban Airport. Citing the fact that the county would not receive tax revenue from the project, the agenda states the county prefers a plan that “preserves our natural resources, protects farmland… and restores private ownership of farmland and homesteads.”

Wilmington-Peotone Road Study: The county’s draft 2026 federal agenda includes continued focus on infrastructure projects in the county’s hyper-local coverage area. The agenda notes that the Will County Division of Transportation is performing a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) study along the 22-mile Wilmington-Peotone Road corridor to address mobility and support economic vitality in response to rapid growth and new freight clusters in the area.

Mental Health Items Tabled: The committee postponed a vote on two proposals from the Community Mental Health Board for the 2026 state agenda. One item would allow emergency responders to participate in the involuntary commitment process, and the other would support statewide student mental health screenings. Several committee members raised concerns about potential for abuse and lack of detail, prompting the committee to request a representative from the Mental Health Board attend a future meeting for clarification.

County Clerk Seeks Election Law Review: A proposal from the Will County Clerk’s office was approved for inclusion in the 2026 state legislative agenda. The measure calls for the Illinois General Assembly to conduct a thorough review and modernization of the state’s election laws to ensure they are aligned with emerging technologies like digital registration and remote voting systems.