Illinois data center bill would require public hearings

Illinois lawmakers are currently considering House Bill 5755, a piece of legislation that seeks to significantly alter the process for approving new data center developments across the state. Introduced by Republican Representative Jed Davis of the 75th House District, the bill mandates increased public engagement. Under the proposed HB 5755, any municipality considering siting approval for a data center would be required to hold at least one public hearing. Furthermore, the bill introduces a "back-door referendum" mechanism, empowering the public to petition for a ballot initiative to challenge a municipality's decision on data center siting, even after officials have acted. The legislation is a direct response to common public objections against data centers, which often include concerns over significant energy and water consumption, as well as noise pollution from cooling equipment and backup generators. Currently, data center proposals are primarily handled through standard local government procedures, but this bill aims to make the process more transparent and subject to public review.