Sen. Holmes supports extension of Illinois radiation protection authority with yes vote on SB3645

During the 104th General Assembly on May 31, 2026, Sen. Linda Holmes (D-42nd) cast a Yes vote for SB3645, which would continue Illinois' authority over radiation protection efforts, according to the Illinois Senate. The bill passed by a 51-3 margin in the Senate.

As described in its official summary, the bill is titled: "REGULATORY SUNSET-RADIATION."

The following explanation reflects our review of the actual bill language and may interpret certain provisions for clarity.

The bill updates the Illinois Regulatory Sunset Act by removing the Radiation Protection Act of 1990 from the list of laws set to expire on Jan. 1, 2027, and creating a new section assigning it a repeal date of Jan. 1, 2037. All other listed professional licensing, insurance, and regulatory statutes retain the original 2027 expiration. This change is intended to allow the state to maintain oversight of radiation protection activities for another 10 years. Once enacted, the bill takes immediate effect.

The official record shows the action on SB3645 was 'House Floor Amendment No. 1 Senate Concurs'.

Holmes obtained a BA from National College of Education in 1984.

The senator, a Democrat, first entered the Illinois State Senate in 2007, taking over representation of the state's 42nd Senate District from her predecessor, Phyllis Petka.

Legislation in Illinois goes through a multi-step process that starts with introduction in either the House or Senate, continues with committee consideration, floor debate, and votes in both chambers, before proceeding to the governor for either approval or veto. The General Assembly meets on a biennial cycle, during which thousands of bills are typically introduced, but only a portion eventually become law.