SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce advanced a bill that would allow for more humane hunting and an expansion of the hunting industry in Illinois.

“Many hunters I know tend to pass on using centerfire rifles,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “If we can pass this legislation, we will see a significant increase in the use of this hunting rifle.”

Senate Bill 2756 would increase the max capacity of centerfire rifles from one to three rounds. This would put Illinois on par with all other states, as Illinois is the only state that institutes a single-shot limit on centerfire rifle capacity. Joyce led previous legislation that formally legalized the use of single shot centerfire rifles for deer hunting season. Since its introduction, centerfire rifle use among youth hunters has jumped to just over 50 percent. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce advanced a measure that would ensure county coroners and medical examiners are able to receive mental health counseling if needed. 

“Our local coroners and medical examiners have the responsibility of examining the scenes of death and determining the circumstances,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “These can be some disturbing scenes for anyone to witness.”

Senate Bill 2770 would add coroners, deputy coroners, county medical examiners and deputy county medical examiners to the definition of first responders for the purpose of providing them mental health counseling without any cost-sharing.

SPRINGFIELD – To give a boost to the horse racing industry and Illinois’ economy, State Senator Patrick Joyce passed a bill in the Senate that would, among multiple other items, allow for the development of new horse racing tracks in Illinois.

“Illinois used to be a powerhouse in horse racing and horse breeding,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “We are trying to advance the ball on an industry that employs thousands.”

House Bill 2724 would allow for the construction of a new harness track in Macon County. The bill would also set a deadline for the development of an additional harness race track and horse racetrack casino, or racino, in Cook County’s south suburbs.

SPRINGFIELD – Landowners and farmers will now have more flexibility when it comes to hunting on their own property after legislation from State Senator Patrick Joyce was signed into law on Friday.

“People only get so much time in a season to get out there and hunt,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “This legislation will make sure hunters maximize their time hunting deer, instead of hunting for permits.”

House Bill 2340 allows landowner deer and hunting permits to be issued without charge to Illinois landowners who own at least 20 acres in a county where there is positively identified chronic wasting disease cases in the deer herd, resident tenants of at least 20 acres of commercial agricultural land where they will hunt, or an owner, shareholder or partner of a business that owns at least 20 acres of land.

Joyce took on the legislation in response to farmers and landowners having difficulties securing permits to hunt on their own land. Residents of hunting land in the 40^th District and across Illinois have been calling for changes to landowner permits and the deer permit lottery.

“This legislation provides much-needed tools for farmers who are all too familiar with the costly impact of nuisance wildlife.” said Assistant Director of Legislation for Illinois Farm Bureau Anna McKinley. “It’s the result of grassroot efforts of County Farm Bureaus from around the state, as they engaged their community and elected officials on this pressing issue; our organization is grateful to Senator Joyce for his leadership and getting this important bill across the finish line.”

House Bill 2340 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce advanced three measures that would give landowners and farmers more flexibility when it comes to hunting deer on their own property.

“Illinois farmers, who are experiencing substantial crop damage and lower yields, need a better way to manage deer populations on their farms,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “Let’s give these farmers the tools they need to handle nuisance deer during the growing season.”

Senate Bill 710 would address multiple issues with the nuisance deer program and deer hunting tags. Currently for nuisance deer, a property owner has to prove each year that there has been damage to property, like destruction of crops, by the deer. Farmers have been requesting a better way to handle this because under the current program, they cannot manage the deer population until after a problem has occurred. The bill would allow the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to issue deer removal permits based on the percentage of permits redeemed in the previous season by the recipient. The bill would also allow for an expansion of youth hunting tags from one to two.

SPRINGFIELD — Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus welcomed park districts from across the state to the Capitol to celebrate Parks Day.

“I am grateful for what my local park districts do day in and day out,” said State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex). “Park districts take care of our beautiful parks with walking trails and playgrounds, fitness centers, sports fields and even golf courses. These are places that make a community feel alive and vibrant – a place you want to live in.”

This year's Parks Day theme was “It starts in parks.” Nearly 70 agencies set up colorful displays in the Capitol rotunda and distributed informative literature that showcased the programs, facilities, and services that start people on paths to health, wellness, social connections, affordable childcare, etc.

"It was great seeing Worth and Oak Lawn Park Districts during Parks Day at the Capitol, where we talked about the vital role local parks play in our communities,” said State Senator Bill Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “In Illinois, we’ve made real investments in green spaces that support recreation and community connection across our state."

Parks represent places of joy, recreation, and sanctuary for all Illinois residents. This day offers a unique opportunity for state legislators and the public to engage directly with park district representatives and learn about the innovative programs and services they offer.

To find a list of Illinois parks and recreation areas visit the IDNR website.

MONEE — Senate President Don Harmon and State Senator Patrick Joyce celebrated Tuesday’s groundbreaking on Voortman Steel Machinery’s new facility in Monee. Voortman’s $51.4 million investment will allow the company to purchase and develop new property in Will County, grow Illinois’ manufacturing sector and create new, good-paying jobs for the area.

“Illinois continues to attract big production companies, boosting our business and manufacturing sectors,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “I’m thrilled to welcome yet another manufacturing company to the 40th District, bringing jobs and economic growth to the area.”

Founded in the Netherlands in 1968, Voortman Steel has grown into a leading manufacturer for plate, beam and pipe steel processing machines. Bolstered by an Economic Development for a Growing Economy incentive package and the new Invest in Illinois Fund, Voortman Steel’s Monee expansion represents another step forward for Illinois’ advanced manufacturing sector.

KANKAKEE – In order to allow all Illinois residents to have access to high-speed internet, State Senator Patrick Joyce has played an essential role in ensuring federal funding from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program is being used efficiently.

“Access to high-speed internet isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity in today’s digital age,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “From education to health care to economic opportunities, reliable internet access is vital for all communities to have, even rural areas.”

The Federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 included $42.45 billion for the BEAD Program in an effort to connect all U.S. households, small businesses and community anchor institutions to high-speed internet. Around $1 billion in BEAD funding has been allocated to Illinois to provide internet access to the approximately 230,000 entities in the state that cannot get access to at least 100/20 Mbps service or 1/1 Gbps service.