---
type: "Bill"
title: "ELECTIONS-BALLOT DELIVERY"
description: "Amends the Election Code. Permits the spouse and dependents of an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces to vote military absentee ballots. Permits return delivery of a military or overseas ballot (i) by mail, (ii) in person by a specified relative of the voter, or (iii) by a licensed motor carrier engaged in the delivery of property."
jurisdiction: "us/states/il"
legislature: "Illinois General Assembly"
session: "96th"
identifier: "HB 1131"
citation: "Illinois HB 1131 (96th)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 35
vote_count: 2
first_action: "2009-02-11"
last_action: "2009-08-14"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/9a119085-7d34-48e3-a564-02a6aab51cfe"
source_url: "http://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1131&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=42822&SessionID=76&GA=96"
source_hash: "50e5b19e7c7304f5cebf3e4551e9fae1264f54f29a224337334fb7e498fb9d36"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-il"]
---

# Illinois HB 1131 (96th) — ELECTIONS-BALLOT DELIVERY

Amends the Election Code. Permits the spouse and dependents of an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces to vote military absentee ballots. Permits return delivery of a military or overseas ballot (i) by mail, (ii) in person by a specified relative of the voter, or (iii) by a licensed motor carrier engaged in the delivery of property.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Introduced** (filed) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB1131&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=42822&DocNum=1131&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
2. **Engrossed** (committee substitute) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB1131eng&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=42822&DocNum=1131&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)
3. **Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](http://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=09600HB1131enr&GA=96&SessionId=76&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=42822&DocNum=1131&GAID=10&Session=&print=true)

## Votes

- Third Reading — **113–0** (pass) · lower
- Third Reading — **58–0** (pass) · upper

## Sponsors

- Richard P. Myers — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2009-02-11** Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Richard P. Myers `filing`
- **2009-02-11** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mike Bost
- **2009-02-11** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. William B. Black
- **2009-02-11** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-02-11** Referred to Rules Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-02-18** Assigned to Elections & Campaign Reform Committee `referral-committee`
- **2009-03-10** Do Pass / Short Debate Elections & Campaign Reform Committee; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-03-11** Placed on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-03-11** Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Mike Boland
- **2009-03-17** Second Reading - Short Debate `reading-2`
- **2009-03-17** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
- **2009-03-26** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Ron Stephens
- **2009-03-26** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Dennis M. Reboletti
- **2009-03-26** Added Co-Sponsor Rep. Ronald A. Wait
- **2009-03-26** Third Reading - Short Debate - Passed 113-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-03-30** Arrive in Senate `introduction`
- **2009-03-30** Placed on Calendar Order of First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-03-30** Chief Senate Sponsor Sen. John J. Cullerton
- **2009-03-30** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Don Harmon
- **2009-03-30** First Reading `reading-1`
- **2009-03-30** Referred to Assignments `referral-committee`
- **2009-03-31** Added as Alternate Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson
- **2009-03-31** Sponsor Removed Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson
- **2009-04-21** Alternate Chief Sponsor Changed to Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson
- **2009-04-22** Assigned to Elections `referral-committee`
- **2009-04-29** Do Pass Elections; 008-000-000 `committee-passage`
- **2009-04-29** Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading April 30, 2009
- **2009-05-12** Second Reading `reading-2`
- **2009-05-12** Placed on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading ** May 18, 2009
- **2009-05-19** Third Reading - Passed; 058-000-000 `reading-3, passage`
- **2009-05-19** Passed Both Houses
- **2009-06-17** Sent to the Governor `executive-receipt`
- **2009-08-14** Governor Approved `executive-signature`
- **2009-08-14** Effective Date January 1, 2010
- **2009-08-14** Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0512 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/9a119085-7d34-48e3-a564-02a6aab51cfe`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Illinois legislature records).