A state representative from Lake County said Monday he has unveiled “straightforward” legislation designed to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois after the team announced it was officially moving to Indiana.
Illinois State Representative Martin McLaughlin (R-Lake Barrington) announced Monday a “straightforward business proposal” designed to keep the Chicago Bears in the state while protecting taxpayers through “transparency, accountability, and long-term financial certainty.”
The proposed legislation, known as the Taxpayer and Investment Protection Agreement (TIPA) Act (HB5797), would establish a framework for a public-private partnership that encourages major economic development projects to remain in Illinois rather than relocate to neighboring states.
The Chicago Bears, under the proposal, would privately invest a minimum of $2.5 billion toward the construction of a new stadium.
The State of Illinois would contribute up to $1.2 billion toward public infrastructure improvements, supporting both the stadium project and an estimated $4 billion in surrounding economic development.
The legislation would also establish an independent third-party audit committee responsible for issuing annual public reports to ensure that all parties comply with negotiated obligations and financial commitments.
“Illinois cannot afford to lose one of its most recognizable franchises and the billions of dollars in economic activity that come with it,” McLaughlin said.
“If we want major private investment to stay in Illinois, we must provide the same thing that every successful business environment provides: certainty, accountability, and clear rules,” he said.
The proposal would include a minimum private investment commitment of $2.5 billion by the Chicago Bears, infrastructure funding support tied to economic development and public improvements, and independent annual audits and public reporting requirements.
It would also include long-term property tax certainty through negotiated agreements among participating entities, binding 30-year commitments designed to ensure the parties honor their obligations and taxpayer protections through “oversight, transparency, and performance” monitoring.
McLaughlin said that the proposal is intended to avoid open-ended taxpayer liability while ensuring Illinois remains competitive with neighboring states seeking to attract major investments.
“This is not about writing blank checks,” McLaughlin said. “It is about creating a responsible business framework that protects taxpayers while giving investors the confidence to commit billions of dollars to Illinois. Businesses invest where there is certainty. Taxpayers deserve accountability. The TIPA Act delivers both.”
McLaughlin said the proposal could serve as a model for future transformational economic development projects throughout Illinois by creating predictable rules, independent oversight and enforceable protections for taxpayers.
The proposed legislation comes after the Chicago Bears announced on June 5 that they were advancing their stadium development project in Indiana.
Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and President & CEO Kevin Warren said in a joint statement that the Chicago Bears Board of Directors met on June 4 and voted to advance the stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana, “with the exact site to be selected.”
“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana to the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city. It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses,” McCaskey and Warren said.
The Bears previously purchased Arlington Park in Arlington Heights after announcing they were looking to move from Chicago.
The team said at that time that they were not looking for state funding for stadium construction but were looking for tax certainty from the Illinois General Assembly, which has not happened yet.
In December, the team announced it had expanded its stadium search to the wider Chicago area and Indiana.
The Chicago Bears did not respond to a request for comment from Lake and McHenry County Scanner on McLaughlin’s proposed legislation.