In a big win for working people, Illinois has passed Senate Bill 1976 (SB 1976), a new law designed to secure crucial worker protections in the state. This legislation is a clear message from Illinois: even if federal laws get weakened or repealed, the state will maintain strong safeguards for its workers. As the federal government pursues a deregulatory agenda—which threatens federal OSHA and its existing health and safety standards—a law like this is crucial now more than ever.
Since the president took office this January, there have been significant changes to the regulatory landscape with respect to occupational safety and health. The Department of Labor (DOL) proposed to rewrite or appeal more than 60 workplace regulations, cut OSHA’s budget by eight percent, reduce penalties for workplace safety violations and effectively end NIOSH in its entirety. All of these actions impair the government’s ability to adequately protect working people.
This new law, championed by State Senator Robert Peters, takes effect January 1, 2026. Its core purpose is to prevent state agencies from adopting any new rules that are less protective than the federal laws that were in place as of April 28, 2025—before any rollbacks or reductions in force took effect. The law specifically requires the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) to restore any repealed federal occupational safety rules that aren’t already covered by state law.
This proactive measure ensures that Illinois workers won’t see their rights vanish due to changes made at the federal level. It also allows workers to take legal action against employers who violate these reinforced state rules. Essentially, the law acts as a backstop, guaranteeing the state maintains strong protections for wage standards and occupational safety and health, even in the absence of federal regulations.
As Senator Peters said, “This law sends a clear message that in Illinois, we fight for working people, and we will not back down.”
The Fund is dedicated to protecting the health and safety of workers and their families and we see SB 1976 as a critical and necessary step in safeguarding health and safety. When federal OSHA can’t effectively deliver on its mission to protect workers, the burden falls to the rest of us—unions, employers and state legislatures—to step up.
The LHSFNA commends Illinois for taking decisive action to guarantee worker safety and well-being, regardless of changes in Washington D.C. This move secures peace of mind for employees and their families, ensuring their basic rights to a safe job and fair compensation are protected by state law.
“It’s refreshing to see the state take such decisive, proactive action,” said Nate Schreiber, Industrial Hygienist with the LHSFNA. “We fully support Governor Pritzker’s leadership in establishing a regulatory backstop, because without this, our members could potentially lose their protections overnight.”
We at the LHSFNA hope to see more of this kind of proactive, worker-first legislation across the country and encourage other states to take similar action. State-level efforts like SB 1976 are vital to maintaining and strengthening a safe and healthy environment for all working people. However, even in the absence of regulation, employers can take proactive steps to protect their workforce. The LHSFNA is here to help any signatory contractor develop job-specific, evidence-based safety and health programs. Check out our website for more information.
[Hannah Sabitoni]
