CHICAGO – State Sen. Bill Cunningham, a Chicago Democrat with a reputation for taking charge of energy and climate change legislation, will step down at the end of his current term.

Before leaving in January 2027, Cunningham has a long to-do list. Near the top of that list: shepherding potentially massive legislation that could reform the state’s energy sector.

Cunningham, who first joined the General Assembly in 2011, is one of the most powerful lawmakers in Springfield. He has served as Senate president pro tempore since 2020, joining Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford as Senate President Don Harmon’s top lieutenants.

He also is the Democratic co-chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, an influential bipartisan oversight committee that reviews state agency policies.

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