POW MIA RECOGNITION DAY
Summary
Amends the State Commemorative Dates Act. Provides that the Governor shall annually designate by official proclamation the third Friday of September in each year as POW/MIA Recognition Day (rather than the third Friday of September in each year is designated as POW/MIA Recognition Day) to be observed in honor and remembrance of the men and women who, as POWs, have suffered captivity in foreign countries while in active service with the United States armed forces or who, as MIAs, have been recognized as missing in action in a time of war or during a period of hostilities (rather than who were recognized as POWs or MIAs in a time of war or during a period of hostilities). Provides that the Governor shall request, in the Governor's annual designation by official proclamation, that some portion of the third Friday of September be used for solemn contemplation on the plight of members of the United States armed forces who have been held prisoners of war and members of the United States armed forces who have been missing in action and the resolve of families and friends who continue to seek the fullest possible accounting for missing loved ones. Effective immediately.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Apr 2025
Committee Review
Oct 2025
House Passage
Oct 2025
Senate Passage
Oct 2025
Signed into Law
Dec 2025
Introduced Apr 8, 2025
Signed Dec 9, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Engrossed
→
Enrolled
·
4 edits
·
Dec 9, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was finalized as an Enrolled version, incorporating substantive new content into the Illinois Bivens Act. The changes add specific definitions for crowd control equipment and facial coverings, establish liability for constitutional rights violations during immigration enforcement, and introduce new factors for calculating punitive damages, such as whether an officer wore a mask or failed to use a body camera.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded significantly from a simple commemorative act to include a new civil rights provision (the Illinois Bivens Act) that allows lawsuits against individuals violating constitutional rights during immigration enforcement.
DEFINITION
Added specific definitions for 'crowd control equipment' and 'facial covering' to clarify what items are included in the new civil rights protections.
ELIGIBILITY
Created a new cause of action allowing individuals to sue for constitutional rights violations committed during civil immigration enforcement.
REQUIREMENT
Established new factors for determining punitive damages, including whether the violator wore a facial covering, failed to identify themselves as law enforcement, or failed to use a body camera.
TECHNICAL
Removed the previous text regarding POW/MIA Recognition Day, which was replaced by the new civil rights content in the Enrolled version.
Floor votes · Senate Oct 30, 2025 · House Oct 31, 2025
How they voted
39–18
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 58
Oct 30, 2025
D
Democratic39
100% Yea
R
Republican19
94% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
101
Key actions
8
Committee
8
Amendments
5
Dec 9, 2025
Signed into law
Governor Approved
lower
Oct 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed Both Houses
lower
Oct 31, 2025
Introduced
Motion Filed to Reconsider Vote Rep. Ann M. Williams
lower
Oct 31, 2025
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 House Concurs 075-032-000
lower
Oct 31, 2025
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 House Concurs 075-032-000
lower
Oct 31, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 House Concurs 075-032-000
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Introduced
Motion Filed to Suspend House Rule(s) for Immediate Consideration Rep. Ann M. Williams
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 003-002-000
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 003-002-000
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Recommends Be Adopted Rules Committee; 003-002-000
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Committee
Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Committee
Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Committee
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion to Concur Referred to Rules Committee
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 5 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Introduced
Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Motion Filed Concur Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Introduced
Placed on Calendar Order of Concurrence Senate Amendment(s) 1, 2, 5
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Introduced
Arrived in House
lower
Oct 30, 2025
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (39-18-1)
senate
2 primary · 80 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Chris Welch
DDemocratic
P
Don Harmon
DDemocratic
Co
Abdelnasser Rashid
DDemocratic
Co
Angie Guerrero-Cuellar
DDemocratic
Co
Ann Williams
DDemocratic
Co
Anna Moeller
DDemocratic
Co
Anne Stava
DDemocratic
Co
Barbara Hernandez
DDemocratic
Co
Bill Cunningham
DDemocratic
Co
Bob Morgan
DDemocratic
Co
Camille Lilly
DDemocratic
Co
Carol Ammons
DDemocratic
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