Governor signs warehouse safety bill into law
State Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville)
By MELISSA CROCKETT MESKE
IBJ Managing Editor
[email protected]
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker recently signed the Warehouse Safety Tornado Preparedness Act into law. The bill, stemming from the 2021 deadly tornado incident in Edwardsville that tore through an Amazon warehouse building and killed six employees, had been led through both legislative chambers by State Representative Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) and state Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea).
The new state law, effective immediately, now requires all warehouse operators to have a tornado safety plan in place. The measure also mandates that any newly built warehouse includes a designated refuge area to serve as a shelter during severe weather. In addition, city and county building inspectors will be required to hold certification through the International Code Council.
Under the newly enacted legislation, warehouse operators must develop tornado safety plans for existing facilities within 120 days. For new warehouses, plans must be completed within one week of the facility opening. The certification requirement for inspectors will take effect beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Stuart had authored a major part of this legislation. Following Governor Pritzker’s signing of the warehouse safety bill on Aug. 15, 2025, Stuart shared an official statement:
State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea)
“Keeping workers safe from foreseeable hazards so they can return home to their families and loved ones at the end of every shift is important,” Stuart noted. “That’s why I’ve worked nonstop since the tragedy that impacted our community to ensure that warehouses are doing more to protect their workers in weather emergencies like tornadoes.”
Belt had also green-lighted this legislation through the Illinois Senate in direct response to the deadly EF-3 tornado that decimated the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville in December 2021. “This tragedy exposed serious gaps in emergency preparedness at large warehouse facilities,” said Belt. “This measure ensures no worker in Illinois will be left unprotected the next time severe weather strikes.”
“This storm left a lasting mark on our community, and too many families are still living with the heartbreak it caused,” Belt had further shared previously. “This legislation is about being responsive to those voices — ensuring no one has to wonder whether their loved ones are safe at work when severe weather hits.”
The bill passed through both the Illinois Senate and House in late May prior to being sent to the Governor’s desk.
