A slate of new Illinois laws taking effect in 2026 will bring several changes for Park Forest residents, including how groceries are taxed and new requirements for the safe storage of firearms.
One of the most immediate changes comes Jan. 1, when the state’s 1 percent grocery tax officially expires. In response, Village officials in Park Forest have approved plans to implement a local 1 percent grocery tax to avoid a drop in municipal revenue.
Deputy Village Manager and Finance Director Mark Pries told the Village Board earlier this year that without local action, Park Forest would lose an estimated $120,000 annually once the state tax ends. Replacing that revenue through other means, he said, would likely require an increase to the Village’s property tax levy.
“Replacing this revenue would otherwise require increasing the annual property tax levy,” Pries wrote in a memorandum to the board. “The Village is opting to implement the 1-percent grocery sales tax instead.”
The local tax mirrors the structure of the former state grocery tax and applies to grocery retailers and service occupations. Revenue will continue to be collected and enforced by the Illinois Department of Revenue. Village officials emphasized that residents will not see an increase at the register, but rather a continuation of an existing tax at the local level.
Mayor Joseph A. Woods reiterated during public discussion that the ordinance does not create a new tax.
“This is simply replacing a tax that’s already in place,” Woods said.
Park Forest is among hundreds of Illinois municipalities choosing to adopt a local grocery tax after Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation eliminating the statewide tax. According to the Illinois Municipal League, more than half of the state’s municipalities have enacted similar ordinances.
In addition to tax changes, a new state law affecting firearm owners also takes effect Jan. 1. The Safe Gun Storage Act establishes requirements for how firearms must be stored when the owner knows, or reasonably should know, that a minor, an at-risk individual, or a person prohibited from possessing a firearm could access it.
Under the law, firearms must be secured in a locked container or otherwise rendered inaccessible to anyone other than the owner or an authorized user. Exceptions apply when a firearm is carried by the owner or when lawful permission has been granted by a parent or guardian.
Village officials say the new law is intended to reduce accidental shootings and unauthorized access to firearms, particularly involving children.
The grocery tax ordinance and firearm storage requirements are part of a broader package of new Illinois laws set to take effect in 2026, impacting areas ranging from housing and employment to public safety.