Illinois Insights: An Update from Cozen O’Connor (7/1)

July 1, 2026

ILLINOIS

AROUND THE STATE

New Illinois laws take effect Wednesday including gas tax freeze and changes for driving tests and tuition

“More than a dozen new laws take effect in Illinois on Wednesday, touching everything from transportation and education to prisons and liquor licenses,” by the Chicago Tribune.  

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Pritzker issues disaster proclamation for storm-ravaged counties, including Cook

“Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday issued a state disaster proclamation for eleven counties ravaged by severe weather this spring and early summer,” by Capitol News Illinois.  

Gov. JB Pritzker vows Illinois will protect trans athletes after Supreme Court decision

“Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker vowed the state will continue to protest transgender Illinoisans and athletes in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Tuesday,” by CBS News.  

New Department of Early Childhood launches full operations

“As Illinois enters a new fiscal year Wednesday, a new state agency is officially taking charge of a wide range of programs for infants, toddlers and their families,” by Capitol News Illinois.  

 

CHICAGO

MORE FROM CITY HALL

U.S. Supreme Court to consider constitutionality of Cook County’s assault weapons ban 

“A Supreme Court that has expanded gun rights will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles, often called assault weapons, violate the Second Amendment,” by Capitol News Illinois.  

Chicago ended 2025 with extra money, but long-term troubles linger

“Chicago ended 2025 with $219 million more than expected in its main operating fund thanks in large part to solid tax collections and many departments spending less than they were supposed to, a top official in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration said as the city unveiled its annual financial report,” by the Chicago Tribune.  

Lightfoot claims Bally’s work doesn’t violate revolving door rules 

“Former Mayor Lori Lightfoot received input from the city’s top ethics officer before her firm was retained by Bally’s as they threaten the city with legal action unless the City Council overturns its decision to legalize video gambling, according to her law firm,” by Crain’s Chicago Business. 

Mental health crisis teams will again get police terminals, Mayor Brandon Johnson says 

“Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday he’s working to get Chicago Police Department terminals back to the city’s mental health crisis teams, which have struggled to find psychiatric emergencies they can help defuse since police took the equipment away,” by the Chicago Tribune.

Chicago’s top cop Larry Snelling announces retirement 

“Chicago police Supt. Larry Snelling announced Wednesday that he’s retiring, just a day after he announced broad changes to his command staff and installed a new second-in-command,” by the Chicago Sun-Times. 

 

FEDERAL

Cozen Currents: How Far Can Progressives Progress?

Progressives are gaining electoral momentum and shifting the Democratic Party to the left, though their success may have limits on the national stage. 

From the impact of GLP-1 medications to how the Food and Drug Administration approves drugs, much of the policy debate around pharmaceuticals centers on one number: a pill’s list price. 

A growing gap between the White House’s China diplomacy and Congress’s hawkish legislative agenda is emerging, with the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act likely to be where the two approaches collide. Read the Cozen Currents here.

The Beltway & Beyond: In-Conversation: Judd Kessler on Hidden Markets, Incentives & the Systems Shaping Society

Judd Kessler—author of Lucky by Design, professor at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, and a leading voice in behavioral economics—joins Howard Schweitzer, chief executive of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, for a conversation on the “hidden markets” and incentives shaping modern life. Drawing on his research at the intersection of behavioral economics and real-world decision-making, they explore how “hidden markets” influence opportunity, power, leadership, and institutional outcomes across business, government, and society. 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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