HB5021 to revise Ginseng Harvesting Act passes Illinois House with Rep. Blair-Sherlock's support
On May 31, 2026, Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (D-46th) supported HB5021, legislation to revise and broaden the Ginseng Harvesting Act, during Illinois' 104th General Assembly. The Illinois House advanced the bill with unanimous 117-0 approval.
The text of HB5021 carries the summary, "GINSENG HARVESTING-FORFEITURE."
We reviewed the text to outline key elements and help clarify the bill’s content.
HB5021 modernizes the Ginseng Harvesting Act by expanding the definitions of ginseng, distinguishing cultivated from wild plants, and restricting illegal or attempted harvesting and trespassing. It requires anyone with a harvester, grower, or dealer license to present it immediately upon a request from law enforcement or conservation officers. The Department of Natural Resources would be allowed to suspend ginseng licenses for rule-determined periods, and authorities gain the power to seize and pursue forfeiture of tools, vehicles, and other items used or attempted to be used in offenses, with any proceeds going to the Wildlife and Fish Fund. These takings are addressed under the Seizure and Forfeiture Reporting Act, while some outdated sections are eliminated.
The official record notes: 'Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 House Concurs' regarding HB5021.
Blair-Sherlock received her AA from College of DuPage in 1985 and her BS from Northern Illinois University in 1987, followed by a JD from John Marshall Law School in 1993.
Elected in 2023, Blair-Sherlock succeeded Deborah Conroy as representative of the 46th District in the Illinois House of Representatives as a Democrat.
Illinois bills follow a step-by-step legislative path starting in either house, moving through committees and floor debates, and requiring approval from both chambers prior to consideration by the governor. The General Assembly, meeting on a two-year cycle, receives thousands of bills each session, with a select portion making it into law following this process.