Illinois 104th General Assembly Status: Introduced Bipartisan · 5 D · 5 R cosponsors

HB4449      — DHFS-DHS-DIRECT SUPPORT WAGE

Last action — Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been introduced in the House. Introduced January 15, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee referral and hearing.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 34% · moderate confidence

  • Introduced

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 10 sponsors

    1 primary, 9 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (5 D · 5 R) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill requires higher wages for direct support professionals serving individuals with disabilities.

This legislation aims to establish higher reimbursement rates for community-based providers serving people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, targeting a $1.20 per hour wage increase for direct support professionals. The rate increases are scheduled to take effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027, pending federal approval.

What this means for you
  • Workers: This means direct support professionals can expect a wage increase of $1.20 per hour starting in 2027.

Summary

Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish reimbursement rates that build toward livable wages for frontline personnel in residential and day programs and service coordination agencies serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Provides that for community-based providers serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, subject to federal approval of any relevant Waiver Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027 shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide a $1.20 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support professionals and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings. Prohibits community-based providers from using the rate increases for operational or administrative expenses. Requires rate increases that are sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the rates for ID/DD and MC/DD facilities for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027 shall include a $1.20 per hour wage increase for all direct support professionals and other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases. Provides that changes to the rate methodologies are subject to federal approval. Grants emergency rulemaking authority to the Departments of Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services to implement the rate increases. Effective immediately.

Bill Text

We don't have the full text on file for this bill yet.

Read HB4449 on the official Illinois source →

Action History

  1. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Jennifer Sanalitro

  2. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Amy Elik

  3. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Norine K. Hammond

  4. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicole La Ha

  5. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Christopher "C.D." Davidsmeyer

  6. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Anna Moeller

  7. Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

  8. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nabeela Syed

  9. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Janet Yang Rohr

  10. Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Nicolle Grasse

  11. Assigned to Appropriations-Health and Human Services Committee

  12. Referred to Rules Committee

  13. First Reading

  14. Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Maurice A. West, II

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 9 co-sponsors · 173 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (9)

Not signed on (173)

173 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 173 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare labor
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does HB4449      do?
Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish reimbursement rates that build toward livable wages for frontline personnel in residential and day programs and service coordination agencies serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Provides that for community-based providers serving persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, subject to federal approval of any relevant Waiver Amendment, the rates taking effect for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027 shall include an increase in the rate methodology sufficient to provide a $1.20 per hour wage rate increase for all direct support professionals and all other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases and who work in residential and community day services settings. Prohibits community-based providers from using the rate increases for operational or administrative expenses. Requires rate increases that are sufficient to provide wages for all residential non-executive direct care staff. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that the rates for ID/DD and MC/DD facilities for services delivered on or after January 1, 2027 shall include a $1.20 per hour wage increase for all direct support professionals and other frontline personnel who are not subject to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' average wage increases. Provides that changes to the rate methodologies are subject to federal approval. Grants emergency rulemaking authority to the Departments of Human Services and Healthcare and Family Services to implement the rate increases. Effective immediately.
Who sponsors HB4449     ?
HB4449      is sponsored by Maurice A. West, II (Democrat), Nicolle Grasse (Democrat), Janet Yang Rohr (Democrat), Nabeela Syed (Democrat), Anna Moeller (Democrat), Christopher "C.D." Davidsmeyer (Republican), Nicole La Ha (Republican), Norine K. Hammond (Republican), Amy Elik (Republican), and Jennifer Sanalitro (Republican).
What is the current status of HB4449     ?
This bill has been introduced in the House. Introduced January 15, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB4449     ?
Track HB4449      free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB4449     

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB4449     

Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →