Share Your Story: Showcase Your Work at IHA’s 2026 Leadership Summit
Healthcare is evolving rapidly, and leadership across Illinois hospitals and health systems is adapting just as quickly. Every day, you and your teams are navigating complex challenges—rethinking care delivery, strengthening your workforce, improving operations, and positioning your organizations for the future.
At the 2026 IHA Leadership Summit, taking place Oct. 1-2 in Oak Brook, we invite you to bring those experiences forward and share how your organization is leading through change. On Oct. 1, IHA will feature a select number of member-led breakout sessions highlighting practical approaches, real-world insights, and lessons learned from hospitals and health systems across the state.
If your team has implemented a strategy that is driving results, overcoming challenges, or offering meaningful takeaways for peers, we encourage you to submit a proposal by May 29. Submit your proposal here. Selected presenters will be notified by July 1.
Staff contact: Bridget McCarte
State Legislative Update
The Illinois Senate has adjourned for the week, having convened Tuesday through Thursday. The Senate spent the week considering legislation at the committee level, acting on gubernatorial appointments, and passing nine Senate Bills, sending them to the House for consideration. House lawmakers remained in district this week.
The Senate did not act this week on HB 910 (Welch/Harmon), which creates a statewide economic development package designed to attract and benefit large-scale developments, including efforts to move the Chicago Bears to Arlington Heights. The measure passed the House last week. Senator Bill Cunningham, the lead negotiator of the legislation in the Senate, told reporters this week that the upper chamber is not in a hurry to pass the bill, saying, “We’re going to take our time with this.” Cunningham indicated he is optimistic that a bill could pass before the Legislature adjourns on May 31. The Governor prefers a quick resolution on the bill, saying the state has to be “competitive.”
Likewise, the Senate did not consider a constitutional amendment passed by the House last week, HJRCA 28 (Welch/Harmon), which rewrites Illinois’ constitutional standard for drawing legislative maps to protect majority-minority districts. In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision Wednesday in Louisiana v. Callais, Senate President Don Harmon noted he wanted to give legal experts some time to “review the ruling.” He elaborated, saying, “We will dissect this decision, find a path forward, and continue to protect the rights of all Illinoisans.” He went on to offer, “I would ask for patience and time for our state’s top legal experts to work through this. The last thing we want is to act in haste and risk unintended consequences down the road. Too much is at stake for too many.”
Any amendments to change the constitution must receive approval from at least a three-fifths majority in both chambers at least six months before the General Election, which is Nov. 3, 2026. This establishes May 3 as the deadline for passing any constitutional amendments this year. However, given that no action has been taken, this constitutional amendment is effectively dead for the year.
Both chambers reconvene Tuesday, May 5, through Friday, May 8. May 8 is the committee deadline to pass opposite chamber legislation out of committee. Scheduled adjournment of the 2026 Spring Session is Sunday, May 31.
A list of Senate committee hearings for next week is here and House hearings can be found here. Last Friday, the Senate extended the committee and 3rd Reading deadlines for 631 Senate Bills, granting the chamber extra time to consider the measures.
U.S. House Adopts Senate Budget Resolution as Part of Reconciliation Process
Yesterday, the U.S. House passed a Senate-approved budget resolution by a 215-211 vote—marking the next step toward a narrow reconciliation bill. With both the House and Senate having passed identical resolutions, legislators will begin drafting a bill to address additional funding for immigration enforcement that was not included in the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security appropriations bill. The budget resolution charges the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees with drafting legislation by May 15 to provide up to $70 billion in funding.
Cybersecurity Resource: Joint Guide on Zero Trust Adoption in Operational Technology
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and other federal agencies released a joint guide yesterday for organizations “Adapting Zero Trust Principles to Operational Technology.” Zero trust is a cybersecurity strategy founded in the principle that no users or devices are safe and must always be verified. The guide includes insights on overcoming unique constraints, addressing potential challenges and prioritizing key areas for integrating zero trust principles. Operational technology in healthcare includes tools that manage energy control, HVAC, life-safety systems, door access controls, physical security systems and alarms.
“Zero Trust architecture is critical to preventing cyber incidents that could cause operators to lose visibility or control of essential systems,” said CISA Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Chris Butera. “This guide equips organizations to methodically navigate the complexities of adopting Zero Trust principles in OT environments. Together with our partners, CISA urges OT owners, operators, and integrators to use this resource to make informed decisions that reduce exposure and strengthen resilience—without jeopardizing mission-critical operations.”
