Illinois Considers Legislation to Unwind Applied Behavior Analysis Restrictions

• April 10, 2026

Per recent Illinois legislation, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) in the state are now required by law to become licensed, and by January 1, 2027, owners of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) businesses must also become licensed. Meanwhile, two bills have been proposed in the Illinois Legislature this year that removes the requirement that owners of ABA businesses be licensed and contemplates BCBAs owning professional entities. John Saran, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP, speaks with Karem Alnatafgi, Founder and CEO, Peak Behavioral Services, Inc., and Veronica Glickman, Founder and CEO, Autism Behavioral and Educational Services, Inc., about the impact of these new licensure requirements and how the industry is adjusting.