Illinois Rep. Muhl’s mental health involuntary admission bill passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl aims to clarify circuit courts’ jurisdiction over involuntary admissions and establish requirements for examinations and reporting related to mental health cases, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

In the House, 68 Democrats and 35 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 38 Democrats and 18 Republicans voted in favor of the bill.

Muhl introduced the bill in the Illinois House on Jan. 31, 2025 during the 104th session.

The legislation, known as HB2387, was passed on May 31, 2025 during the general assembly session 104.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill’s official text as follows: “Amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code. Provides that the circuit court has jurisdiction under the Admission, Transfer and Discharge Procedures for the Mentally Ill Chapter of the Code over persons not charged with a felony who are subject to involuntary admission on an inpatient basis. Provides that the circuit court has jurisdiction over all persons who are subject to involuntary admission on an outpatient basis under the Admission on an Outpatient Basis by Court Order Article of that Chapter of the Code, whether or not they are charged with a felony. Provides that a petition that the respondent is subject to involuntary admission on an outpatient basis must be accompanied by one certificate (rather than 2 certificates) of a physician, qualified examiner, psychiatrist, advanced practice psychiatric nurse, or clinical psychologist which certifies that the respondent is subject to involuntary admission on an outpatient basis. Provides that a court order placing the respondent in the care and custody of a relative or other person willing and able to properly care for him or her or committing the respondent to alternative treatment at a community mental health provider may include provisions requiring that the respondent participate in: case management services, individual or group therapy, day or partial day programs, educational or vocational training, supervised living, assertive community treatment team services, substance use disorder treatment and testing and any other service that would help prevent relapse or deterioration resulting in hospitalization. Provides that psychotropic medication or electroconvulsive therapy and accompanying tests may be ordered only pursuant to the administration of psychotropic medication and electroconvulsive therapy upon application to a court provisions of the Code. Provides that the court may also order the custodian or treatment provider to file periodic reports with the court, and provide copies to the State’s Attorney and respondent’s counsel, reflecting the respondent’s participation in treatment and his or her clinical condition.”

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code and the Clerks of Courts Act in Illinois. It outlines the jurisdiction of circuit courts over involuntary admissions, specifying that it includes both inmates nearing sentence completion and individuals under Section 2-107.1 regardless of felony charges. It mandates examinations for involuntary admissions, requiring a professional certificate detailing clinical observations. The court may order outpatient care or community mental health treatment but must review or modify orders if conditions are unmet. The bill also requires circuit court clerks to report annual data on involuntary admissions and civil cases to the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, with certain provisions expiring on January 1, 2030.

The bill was sponsored by Rep. Camille Y. Lilly (Democrat-78th District), Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (Democrat-38th District), and Rep. Gregg Johnson (Democrat-72nd District), along with eight other sponsors.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Muhl graduated from Georgetown University in 1997 with a BS and again in 2000 from University of Chicago with a JD.

Muhl, a Democrat, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2024 to represent the state’s 57th House District, replacing previous state representative Jonathan Carroll.

Lawmakers listed as “Not Voting” were present for the vote but did not cast a vote. Those marked as having an “Excused Absence” were not present and formally provided a reason for their absence, which was accepted.

While the final vote determined the bill’s passage, lawmakers in both chambers held additional votes related to concurrences. These earlier votes are included below for context.