State Sen. Arellano hosts town hall Tuesday recapping spring legislative session

DIXON – About 25 people attended state Sen. Li Arellano’s legislative session recap town hall Tuesday, June 24, at The Dixon: Historic Theatre.

During the event, the former Dixon mayor talked about highlights of the spring session, which concluded June 1, and answered questions from the audience ranging from the use of taxpayer dollars and regulating chemtrails to an assault weapons ban and a potential service tax.

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State Sen. Li Arellano covered a wide range of topics Tuesday, June 24, 2025, during a town hall meeting in Dixon. Arellano also answered questions from the audience that varied from tax use to chemtrails. (Alex T. Paschal)

Arellano, a Dixon Republican, represents the 37th District, which includes all or parts of Lee, Bureau, Henry, DeKalb, Ogle, Rock Island, Whiteside, Stark, Peoria, Woodford and Marshall counties.

“We’re out of session now, [which means] I get to go out and talk to my constituents and get bill ideas,” Arellano said.

Arellano sponsored seven bills that passed during the spring session. They are:

• SB 104, known as the Adoption Act amendment, which addresses confidential intermediaries in adoption cases, specifically allowing for a request to have a go-between share information with a related child’s adoptive family with parties’ consent.
• SB 246, which allows the state treasurer to administer a nonprofit investment pool that eligible nonprofits can invest in for better returns.
• SB 324, related to the care of minors who are abused, neglected or dependent. It limits removing children with serious mental health needs from parents unless abuse is alleged and supports returning them home with services.
• SB 710, which focuses on nuisance hunting permits for landowners by expanding deer-removal permits and youth hunting tags to support landowners and young hunters.
• SB 1173, which eliminates the notary fee requirement for unhoused people applying for a state identification card.
• SB 1238, which requires insurers to cover non-opioid pain treatments as alternatives to opioid and narcotic drugs and lets the Illinois Department of Public Health provide educational materials.
• SB 1249, which allows out-of-state firefighters with proper licenses to drive emergency vehicles in Illinois without extra training.

For the upcoming session, Arellano said he “would not pass any bills to increase taxes” and overall is focusing on advocating for the rural, Republican minority.