A new bill proposed in the Illinois statehouse has homeowners concerned about their ability to install solar panels on their property.
According to My Stateline, Illinois state Senator David Koehler proposed Senate Bill 3450, which would remove language from the state's municipal code prohibiting cities from banning rooftop solar panels.
The bill would instead give local governments the ability to block solar panels as part of their zoning ordinances. It would also allow cities to apply those rules up to a mile and a half outside of their zoning areas.
The proposed legislation would roll back rules that haven't even gone into effect yet. Starting in June 2026, it is against state law for municipalities to adopt rules that limit the implementation of solar panels.
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While it's unclear what kind of support the bill has, passing it would certainly harm the state's implementation of solar, by making it tougher and more complicated for people in many places to install it. Solar power is a great way to reduce pollution and shrink your monthly energy bill.
If you're looking to make the switch, EnergySage has free tools that make it easy to get free estimates and compare quotes from installers to find the one that's right for you.
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Pairing your solar setup with a battery backup is a great way to protect your home, ensure the lights stay on during power outages, and further reduce your reliance on municipal power grids. EnergySage has free tools to help you find out more about options and get free estimates for installation.
Commenters on a Reddit thread about the new proposed legislation were incensed by the bill.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 "This is ridiculous," one said.
"How is banning rooftop solar even on the table," said another. "That's just blocking people from improving their own homes."
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"Even if this is framed as 'local control,' allowing city-by-city bans creates a patchwork that makes rooftop solar much harder to plan around," said a third. "Homeowners already go through permitting, inspections, and code compliance, so an outright ban feels less about safety and more about policy uncertainty. Once that door is open, it's easy to see how it could slow adoption well beyond Illinois."
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