Rep. Nabeela Syed (51st District)
Legislation
Since taking office in 2023, State Representative Nabeela Syed has introduced, championed, and passed legislation to lower costs for working families, expand access to healthcare, strengthen our schools, protect consumers, and safeguard our communities. Explore her legislative work by issue area below.
key wins
Survivor DNA privacy, generic drug price gouging ban, paid organ donor leave, all-in ticket pricing, expanded breast cancer screening coverage
Health Care & Public Health
Rep. Syed has led efforts to lower prescription drug costs, expand insurance coverage for life-saving screenings, and strengthen Illinois’ healthcare workforce.
signed into law
HB 4180 — Molecular Breast Imaging Coverage
Expands insurance coverage for molecular breast imaging as a breast cancer screening tool. (Chief Sponsor)
HB 3957 — Generic Drug Pricing Fairness Act
Prohibits price gouging on generic and off-patent prescription drugs, with enforcement by the Attorney General. (Chief Sponsor)
HB 3373 — Psychology Licensure Exam
Allows psychology licensure applicants to take part of the licensing exam earlier, helping grow Illinois' mental health workforce. (Chief Sponsor)
HB 3487 — Healthcare Workforce Data Collection
Requires collection of demographic workforce data from licensed healthcare professionals to improve statewide workforce planning. (Chief Sponsor)
Passed Both Chambers — Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 5001 — Mammogram & Mastectomy Coverage
Requires insurers to cover mammograms and mastectomy care regardless of age, based on evidence-based clinical guidelines. (Chief Sponsor)
SB 3496 — Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Creates a board to review high-cost prescription drugs and set upper payment limits when appropriate. (House Sponsor; on concurrence calendar)
Introduced & Championed
HB 1448 — Behavioral Health Insurance Coverage
Improves insurance coverage for behavioral and mental health services.
HB 2428 — Medicaid Autism Treatment Rates
Increases Medicaid reimbursement rates for autism treatment to expand access to care.
HB 5389 — Firefighter Lung Cancer Screening
Requires no-cost annual lung cancer screenings for active and retired Illinois firefighters.
HB 5514 — Medicaid PBM Reform
Requires a single, transparent pharmacy benefit manager for Medicaid prescription drug benefits.
HB 4986 — Telehealth Coverage
Preserves insurance reimbursement for telehealth services beyond 2028.
HB 2429 — Long-Term Care Rate Limits
Regulates long-term care reimbursement rates and payment structures.
HB 2931 — Fentanyl Awareness Campaign
Establishes a statewide public awareness campaign on the dangers of fentanyl.
HB 2347 — Healthy Illinois Survey
Funds statewide health data collection to guide public health policy.
HB 1443 — Health Care Availability
Expands healthcare access in underserved communities.
HB 4472 — Prescription Drug Affordability Board Act (2024)
Original House proposal to review high-cost medications and establish affordability limits.
SB 3340 / HB 4848 — Protective Medical Equipment
Establishes the right of individuals and healthcare workers to wear protective masks and medical equipment in public accommodations.
Education & Youth
From expanding library access to strengthening supports for students with disabilities, Rep. Syed has passed multiple laws to improve Illinois schools.
signed into law
SB 2419 — License to Read Act
Empowers the State Librarian to negotiate e-book and e-audiobook licenses on behalf of libraries and award grants to expand digital library access. (House Sponsor)
SB 2039 (2023) — Supporting Students with Disabilities
Improves how students with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families navigate long-term care resources. (House Sponsor)
SB 2337 — Gifted & Accelerated Placement Equity
Strengthens school report card data and promotes equity in accelerated placement policies. (House Sponsor)
SB 3164 — Advanced Academic Program Screening
Clarifies that diagnostic screening includes determining eligibility for gifted and advanced academic programs. (House Sponsor)
SB 2039 (2025) — Higher Education Data Dashboard
Creates a public statewide dashboard of performance and enrollment data for Illinois colleges and universities. (House Sponsor)
Passed Both Chambers — Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 5107 — School Safety Panic Alert Systems
Requires schools to incorporate mobile panic alert systems into emergency response plans, with standards developed by the Illinois State Police. (Chief Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 1891 — Computer Science Education
Expands computer science offerings and works toward a high school computer science graduation requirement.
HB 3052 — Mental Health Absences
Excludes up to five mental or behavioral health absences from chronic absenteeism calculations.
HB 2932 — Student Journalist Protections
Strengthens free press and free speech protections for student journalists and their advisers.
HB 5113 — AI in Education Commission
Creates a state commission on best practices for AI use in schools.
HB 5510 — Student Online Privacy Enforcement
Gives students, parents, and schools the right to take legal action when student data privacy laws are violated.
HB 3589 — Student Athlete Medical Evaluations
Strengthens medical evaluation requirements to protect student athletes.
HB 3997 — Workforce & Education Grants
Creates grant funding for workforce development and educational opportunity.
HB 3573 — School Noninstructional Services
Updates rules for noninstructional services provided by schools.
Consumer Protection & Data Privacy
Rep. Syed has taken on hidden fees, ticket bots, price gouging, and the misuse of personal data to protect Illinois consumers.
signed into law
HB 4984 — Ticket Price Transparency
Requires ticket sellers and resellers to display the full, all-in price of tickets — including fees — and creates an Attorney General complaint system. (Chief Sponsor)
SB 0318 — Ticket Bot Ban
Bans bots that bypass ticket purchase limits, requires disclosure of withheld tickets, and prohibits resellers from falsely claiming affiliation. (House Sponsor)
Passed Both Chambers — Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 5234 — Landlord-Tenant Fee Transparency
Requires landlords to clearly disclose all non-optional fees on the first page of a lease and protects tenants from duplicate charges. (Chief Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 4985 — Ban on Surveillance-Based Pricing
Prohibits businesses from using personal data to charge consumers individualized prices.
HB 4988 — AI Fraud Warnings
Requires generative AI systems to display clear warnings about their limitations.
HB 2534 — Genetic Privacy in Life Insurance
Prohibits life insurers from using genetic testing results in coverage and pricing decisions.
HB 4897 — Genetic Privacy in Long-Term Care Insurance
Extends genetic privacy protections to long-term care insurance.
HB 5098 — Water Access at Entertainment Venues
Requires places of entertainment to provide attendees free access to potable water.
Utilities, Water & Infrastructure
Rep. Syed has fought to keep water systems in public hands, hold utilities accountable, and give ratepayers a stronger voice.
signed into law
SB 1653 — Underpass Hazard Bars
Requires hazard bars at viaducts and underpasses with less than 15 feet of clearance to warn motorists.
HB 4804 — Water Disruption Notification
Allows public water utilities to use existing customer contact information to alert residents during unplanned water supply disruptions. (House Sponsor)
HB 5459 — Utility Water Usage Data
Requires water utilities to share usage data municipalities need to calculate wastewater bills. (House Sponsor)
Passed Both Chambers — Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 4514 — Utility Rate Hearing Transparency
Expands public participation and transparency in utility rate increase proceedings. (Chief Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 2533 & HB 2712 — Voter Approval for Water Utility Sales
Require voter referendums before large investor-owned utilities can acquire public water and sewer systems.
HB 5280 — Municipal Water Infrastructure Fund
Creates a fund to help municipal water and wastewater systems make repairs and upgrades while preserving public ownership.
HB 2535 — Utility Fee Caps
Prevents arbitrary utility fee increases by capping charges at 10-year average costs.
HB 1613 — Utility Infrastructure Planning
Strengthens planning and oversight requirements for utility infrastructure projects.
HB 2901 — IDOT Bridge Restoration
Establishes a cooperative framework between IDOT and local municipalities for bridge projects.
HB 4601 — Fire Protection District Appeals
Creates an appeals process for fire protection districts in disputes with counties over station design.
Environment & Clean Water
signed into law
SB 2266 — Safe Drinking Water Enforcement
Authorizes the Illinois Department of Public Health to penalize non-community water systems (schools, restaurants, churches, factories) that violate safe drinking water standards. (House Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 3739 — Public Water Supply Oversight
Strengthens oversight of public water supplies to improve safety, reliability, and transparency.
SB 2306 — Climate Resilience Financing
Expands the Climate Bank Loan Financing Act to fund storm resilience, nature-based solutions, and water risk mitigation. (House Sponsor)
HB 4886 — Closed Landfill Protections
Prohibits activity that disturbs or compromises closed sanitary landfills.
HB 2430 — Wildlife Code Update
Updates regulations on the handling and management of skunks and raccoons.
Public Safety
Rep. Syed’s first-term law protecting sexual assault survivors’ DNA privacy set the tone for her continued work on community safety.
signed into law
HB 1168 — Sexual Assault Evidence Protection Act
Prevents DNA collected from sexual assault evidence kits from being used against survivors in unrelated investigations, protecting victim privacy. (Chief Sponsor)
Passed Both Chambers — Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 5107 — School Safety Panic Alert Systems
Requires schools to incorporate mobile panic alert systems into emergency and crisis response plans. (Chief Sponsor)
SB 2709 — Firefighter Death Reporting
Requires all fire departments to report firefighter deaths to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. (House Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 2526 — Firearms Restraining Order Expansion
Expands who can petition a court to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.
HB 3570 — Firearm Restraining Order Procedures
Clarifies and strengthens enforcement standards for firearm restraining orders.
HB 1890 — Sexual Assault Prevention Training for Alcohol Servers
Requires alcohol server training to include sexual assault prevention instruction.
HB 4543 — Rail Crossing Safety Near Schools
Addresses safety at railroad crossings near schools and areas frequented by children.
Voting Rights & Elections
Introduced & Championed
HB 2446 — Youth Voter Pre-Registration
Allows 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote and be automatically registered when eligible.
HB 1442 — Curbside Voting Expansion
Expands curbside voting access for voters with disabilities and mobility limitations.
HB 2763 & HB 1444 — Vote-by-Mail Modernization
Streamline vote-by-mail applications, including integrating permanent vote-by-mail sign-up into standard state forms.
HB 1445 — University Voting Hours
Expands voting access at university polling locations to encourage student participation.
HB 2431 — Ranked-Choice Voting
Establishes ranked-choice voting for certain Illinois elections.
Housing, Civil Rights & Accessibility
signed into law
HB 4141 — LIHEAP Eligibility Protection
Ensures residents receiving rent subsidies remain eligible for home energy assistance. (Chief Sponsor)
HB 2624 — Court Document Accessibility
Requires key court documents to be available in both English and Spanish. (Chief Sponsor)
Passed Both Chambers — Awaiting Governor's Signature
HB 3564 — Fair Housing Protections
Strengthens anti-discrimination protections in housing and real estate transactions. (Chief Sponsor)
HB 5234 — Landlord-Tenant Fee Transparency
Requires clear, upfront disclosure of all non-optional lease fees. (Chief Sponsor)
Property Tax Relief
Introduced & Championed
HB 2629 & HB 1701 — Senior Property Tax Freeze Expansion
Raise the income eligibility threshold for the Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption (from $65,000 to $85,000).
HB 5297 — Protecting Seniors' Medical Withdrawals
Allows seniors to exclude retirement account withdrawals used for medical expenses when qualifying for the property tax freeze.
HB 1614 — Relief for Homeowners with Disabilities
Eliminates repeated medical reexaminations for permanently disabled homeowners renewing their homestead exemption.
HB 4563 — Assessment Transparency
Improves transparency and consistency in property tax assessment procedures.
Workers' Rights & Labor
signed into law
HB 3516 — Organ & Bone Marrow Donor Leave
Provides employees up to 10 days of paid leave to donate organs or bone marrow. (Chief Sponsor)
HB 1616 — Donor Leave for Part-Time Employees
Extends paid organ and blood donation leave to eligible part-time employees. (Chief Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 4987 — Ban on Surveillance-Based Wages
Prohibits employers from using surveillance data, like keystroke and productivity monitoring, to set individualized wages.
HB 5279 — Digital Library Protection Act
Prohibits publishers from imposing unfair restrictions on libraries' ability to lend e-books and digital materials.
Good Government & Transparency
signed into law
HB 0814 — State Government Modernization
Modernizes state government administrative processes. (Chief Sponsor)
SB 3452 — Administrative Hearing Efficiency
Eliminates unnecessary administrative hearings where forfeiture has already been waived and consented to. (House Sponsor)
Introduced & Championed
HB 3040 — Higher Education Data Dashboard
Requires a comprehensive, publicly available data dashboard on Illinois higher education.