Illinois Senate passes Bears stadium bill hours after midnight deadline

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WISH) — The Illinois Senate early Monday morning passed legislation aimed at keeping the Bears in Chicago, sending it to the House for another vote.

The stadium authority bill passed with a vote of 37-17, hours after the midnight deadline for meeting adjournment.

Lawmakers reportedly scrapped a Bears “megabill” on Sunday. It was replaced by a new outline that would allow the Bears to make a deal with Chicago and avoid paying property taxes on their new stadium.

The bill does not have a set effective date, but could become law on June 1, 2027, if it receives a majority vote.

In February, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed the state’s own Bears bill. That legislation would establish a stadium authority in Hammond, 20 miles across the stateline from the Bears’ current home at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Funding for the Hammond stadium would come from a mix of food, beverage, and hotel taxes.

Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston (R – District 37) previously said public funding would account for around $1 billion; the Bears reportedly have already put $2 billion toward a new stadium.

The Bears have not said if they support Illinois’ bill yet. In a statement Monday, the team said, “We will finalize our evaluation of both Arlington Heights and Hammond, and remain on the late spring/early summer timeline that we have previously communicated. We will provide an update when we have a decision to share.”

This is a developing story.

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