Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor (4/13)

April 13, 2026

ILLINOIS

AROUND THE STATE

Gov. JB Pritzker’s ambitious housing plan for Illinois: More four-flats, looser rules 

“The plan, a cornerstone political and policy piece of Pritzker’s State of the State address in February, would loosen zoning restrictions that currently limit the residential density allowed on a given lot and, supporters say, open the door to new multifamily buildings across the state,” by the Chicago Tribune. 

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IL House Democrats pass rental junk fee ban, send bill to Pritzker’s desk

“Illinois House Democrats passed legislation Wednesday to ban rental junk fees and require transparency for leases. Sponsors said renters shouldn’t be surprised by charges included in their rent, such as fees for after-hours service requests, renewing a lease, or routine maintenance,” by WAND News.  

Pritzker urges power grid operator to force data centers to pay up

“Gov. JB Pritzker and seven other governors are pushing PJM Interconnection, which operates the power grid that serves Illinois and a dozen other states, to shield consumers from costs driven up by new data centers,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.  

Illinois lawmakers want to tighten police anti-quota law for stops and arrests. But they face another fight. 

“A bill that passed the House 107-0 on Wednesday would prohibit municipal police departments across the state from evaluating officers based on “any quantifiable contact” they have with individuals during their shifts, including traffic stops, arrests and written warnings. The legislation now heads to the Senate,” by the Chicago Tribune. 

 

CHICAGO

MORE FROM CITY HALL

Aldermen bristle over Mayor Brandon Johnson move on pension costs for aides 

“City Council progressives are among those expressing fresh gripes over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s move to make them cover pension costs for their part-time aides, the latest City Hall rift as fiscal woes and political divisions from the fight over this year’s budget continue to fester,” by the Chicago Tribune. 

Housing advocates sue to undo CHA leadership pick 

“Three housing advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to block or undo the Chicago Housing Authority board’s appointment of Keith Pettigrew as CEO — a move that’s escalating tensions over Mayor Brandon Johnson’s effort to reassert control over the agency,” by Crain’s Chicago Business. 

Key City Panel Advances Push to Rid CPD of Officers With Ties to Extremist Groups 

“A key City Council panel voted 6-3 on Monday to advance a proposal designed to rid the Chicago Police Department of officers with ties to hate groups and far-right extremist organizations,” by WTTW. 

Chicago Residential Loan Fund gets new chief Tim Jeffries

“The nonprofit board created to manage Chicago’s new $135 million program to spur residential development will be run by a longtime City Hall bureaucrat. Tim Jeffries, managing deputy commissioner at the Department of Planning and Development, is leaving his role overseeing the department’s economic development team to take the reins at the Chicago Residential Investment Fund, according to sources familiar with the hire,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.  

 

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents: Who’s in Control Here? 

Anthropic’s run-in with the Trump administration is just the latest in a long history of clashes between the federal government and tech firms over who should control emerging technologies. 

Expectations are that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will remain as Senate Democratic Leader through at least 2028, though that has not stopped jockeying by other Senate democrats to assume that role. 

As the Trump administration has taken a lighter touch toward antitrust and competition policy enforcement, state and local regulators have sought to fill a perceived gap in oversight. Read the Cozen Currents here.

The Beltway & Beyond: In-Conversation: Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh on Bridging Divides in a Fragmented World

Gadeer Kamal-Mreeh—the first Druze woman elected to the Israeli Knesset and the first non-Jewish anchorwoman to broadcast Israel’s main evening news in Hebrew and Arabic—joins Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, for a conversation on cross-cultural leadership and shared humanity in a divided world. Drawing on her experience across government and global platforms like the World Economic Forum and Munich Security Conference, she reflects on what it means to lead across cultural, political, and societal divides. Together, they explore geopolitics, the current conflict in the Middle East, rising global polarization, and the leadership traits required to build trust, foster dialogue, and drive progress across communities. Listen here.

Authors

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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