Two bills introduced at the Statehouse this month would require Big Tech companies to pay Illinois news organizations for their content, provide tax incentives to employers who hire journalists and companies who advertise in local media, and financially encourage new journalists to work for local media organizations in the state.

“It is the most ambitious package of local journalism policy that I’ve seen,” Anna Brugmann, policy director for the nonprofit Rebuild Local News, said in an article published by Northwestern University's Local News Initiative.

Senate Bill 3591 and Senate Bill 3592 were introduced by state Sen. Steve Stadelman, a Democrat who chaired the bipartisan Illinois Local Journalism Task Force.

The legislation grew out of discussions the task force had throughout 2023. The group, which issued the Illinois Local Journalism Task Force report last month, included representatives of journalism organizations and journalism educators, including Jason Piscia, director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois Springfield.

The bills were assigned this week to the Senate's Executive Committee.

Read more about the legislation from the Local News Initiative.