On Wednesday, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed a new executive order that directs state agencies to stop collecting or sharing data about people with autism with the U.S. government. He made exceptions only when the law requires it or when sharing the data is medically necessary.
This decision came after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to build a national autism database to help with research. Pritzker criticized the project, saying it could invade people’s privacy and might lead to unfair treatment or tracking of those with disabilities.
“Every person in Illinois deserves respect, privacy, and the right to live without being watched or treated unfairly,” said Pritzker. “As Trump and his team push for actions that risk those freedoms, Illinois is taking a stand to protect people with autism and other disabilities.”
His order, called Executive Order 2025-02, also tells state agencies to be very careful if they ever share autism-related data. It says they must remove personal information where possible and only share the minimum amount required by law.
The HHS project plans to give researchers access to medical records of Medicare and Medicaid patients with autism. This is meant to help study the condition, according to Newsweek. But the project raised concerns after HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. called autism an “epidemic.” He also said former President Donald Trump asked him to find its cause.
Governor Pritzker strongly disagreed. He said, “Autism is a brain difference, not a disease or epidemic.” His order emphasizes that society often unfairly judges people with autism and other disabilities. It urges public policies to recognize their strengths and support them instead of causing harm.
Kennedy has previously promoted the idea that vaccines cause autism, a claim that health experts and studies have clearly rejected.
This is the second executive order Pritzker has signed in 2025. Last year, he only signed three. The move also continues his opposition to actions taken by the Trump administration, including during his visit to Mexico earlier this year.
