SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WRTV) — 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.
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 state line 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.”
