On Tuesday, April 7th at 2:00 PM, the Illinois House Ethics and Elections committee will be holding a subject matter hearing on HB1169, a bill that would allow the Secretary of State to grant a waiver to the lobbyist registration fee for the smallest nonprofits across Illinois so they can engage in advocacy. 

Take Action Now: 

1. Contact your State Representative to cosponsor HB1169 by sending them the form on this page.
   1. File a witness slip to support HB1169 before Tuesday 4/7/26 [File a Witness Slip Here]
      • Once you click on the link above, you will be on the official witness slip creation page. Fill out all the identification information in the first box.
      • Under the Representation box, type in the name of the organization you represent for this bill, or "self" if you do not represent anyone else
      • Under the "Position" section, hover over "Add Subject Matter" and click on "HB 1169'
      • Under the "Add Position" drop down menu, select "Proponent."
      • You must click on the blue "Add Position" next in order to advance to complete the form. Once selected, your position will appear in the box.
      • Under Testimony, click on "Record of Appearance Only."
      • Agree to the terms and agreements and submit your Witness Slip!

Background:

Research shows that fewer nonprofits are engaging in advocacy. Yet, our voices are needed more than ever. Registration fees can be a key barrier to engagement. Compared to the private sector, 501c3s disproportionately struggle to access unrestricted funding for lobbyist registration fees. Many grants and contracts exclude such use. Thus, eliminating this barrier will improve compliance and engagement with the state's ethics laws among nonprofit stakeholders. The City of Chicago also waives nonprofit registration fees for nonprofit organizations. 

Illinois grants no waivers to nonprofits and has no time or exemption thresholds before registration or fees apply, making Illinois' fees the highest in the country. This is particularly hard on nonprofits, who often rely on grants, contracts, and charitable donations that cannot be used for lobby fees. Smaller nonprofits are also more likely to be led by, and serve, People of Color only amplifying the systematic financial barrier this fee has created. The Illinois General Assembly should include this bill in the BIMP or in the State Budget to address this inequity and ensure all eligible nonprofits can get involved in advocacy in their communities, and all the way to the State Capitol. 

Resources:

• HB1169 Fact Sheet
• Fees in Other States
• Read more about lobbying rules in IL