Deuter casts vote in favor of HB5021 to revise ginseng harvesting regulations
Rep. Martha Deuter (D-45th) supported HB5021, legislation designed to revise and clarify ginseng harvesting regulations, during the 104th General Assembly on May 31, 2026, according to the Illinois House; the House passed the measure by a 117-0 margin.
The official summary of the bill describes it as: "GINSENG HARVESTING-FORFEITURE."
The following is an overview based on the text of the legislation, which may include interpretation for clarity.
The bill would update the Ginseng Harvesting Act by broadening the definitions of ginseng and providing detailed distinctions between wild and cultivated plants, in addition to prohibiting not only the unlawful harvesting and trespass related to ginseng but also attempts to commit such acts. The legislation obliges individuals holding a harvest, grower or dealer license to present it upon request to conservation or law enforcement officers. It enables the Department of Natural Resources to suspend any violator from licensed ginseng activities for a period determined by regulation, and grants authority for confiscation and court-mandated forfeiture of items such as equipment or vehicles used or intended for violations, directing proceeds of sales to the Wildlife and Fish Fund. The law also brings these seizures under compliance with the Seizure and Forfeiture Reporting Act and eliminates outdated statutory language.
The record for HB5021 notes, 'Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 House Concurs.'
Deuter received a BSW from Ohio University in 1995.
Representing the 45th House District, Deuter, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2025, succeeding Jenn Ladisch Douglass.
Illinois bills advance through a multiple-stage legislative process involving introduction, committee hearings, debates, and votes in both the House and Senate before reaching the governor. The General Assembly operates on a biennial cycle and considers thousands of bills each session, though only a portion become law through full passage.