Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateIllinoisIntroduced
HB 5788: ELEC CD-SOS VERIFICATION
C.D. Davidsmeyer
HB 5788 status: Introduced — Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Tony M. McCombie (updated Sep 1, 2026).
Source
LegiScan
Confidence
High
Analysis basis
LegiScan full bill text
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
47OUT OF 100
Score:47/100 civic fit
Risk:Moderate Risk
Impact:High Impact 75/100
Constitutionality50%
Bipartisan30%
Public opinion50%
Bill summary
What changes
Requires the Secretary of State to create a citizenship verification database by 2027 and mandates that election officials use this to verify the citizenship status of every voter registration applicant.
Who is affected
All new voter registration applicants in Illinois, local election officials, and the Secretary of State's office.
Requirements and enforcement
Registration officers must query the database; if a negative hit occurs, the application is marked 'incomplete' and the applicant must appear in person before a county clerk with proof of citizenship.
Costs and funding
Requires state funding for building and maintaining a secure cross-agency database, plus local agency labor costs.
When it takes effect
Infrastructure to be ready by January 1, 2027; verification requirements effective on and after January 1, 2027.
Potential benefits
Potentially increases trust in the voter registration process by utilizing automated data checks to confirm citizenship eligibility.
Risks and tradeoffs
Risk of data inaccuracy preventing legitimate citizens from registering and the requirement for in-person appearances creates accessibility challenges.
What is still unknown
The frequency of database 'false negatives' and the exact nature of the 'secure database' protocols are not defined.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Mixed / Neutral
40%
Benefits
- Enhanced security in election administration
- Clearer verification protocols for local clerks
- Standardized data usage across state agencies
Risks
- Significant state fiscal costs for database creation
- Maintenance costs for ongoing database security
- Increased labor hours for election officials
Society
Mixed / Neutral
40%
Benefits
- Strengthens perception of election integrity
- Clear guidance on how to contest registration flags
- Reduces accidental non-citizen registration errors
Risks
- Creates barriers for naturalized citizens with record lags
- Risk of wrongful exclusion of eligible voters
- Burdensome requirement for in-person appearance
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
60%
Benefits
- Codifies a specific check-and-balance in voter intake
- Increases transparency in the registration process
- Requires secure, state-maintained data systems
Risks
- Database accuracy depends on Secretary of State data
- Potential for lack of transparency in error resolution
- Limited public oversight of database maintenance
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
LegiScan
Official bill text or data from LegiScan.
Confidence
High
Information is complete and verified.
Analysis basis
LegiScan full bill text
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
High potential for implementation errors where current, eligible citizens are flagged as 'incomplete' due to outdated DMV records.
Analysis scope
Does not detail specific data integration protocols between state and local agencies.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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