Illinois Senate passes Bears stadium bill hours after midnight deadline

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.”