Mayor Brandon Johnson signed an executive order which prohibits the sale of City-administered medical debt owed by individuals to private entities and sets clear standards for transparent and stable debt collection practices by both the City and private third parties, protecting Chicagoans from the threat of harassment, coercion, and intimidation. Executive Order 2025-10 ensures that debt sale measures included in the FY26 management ordinance are carried out in a manner that serves the public-interest and does not infringe upon the dignity and security of Chicago’s residents.  The City of Chicago has an obligation to manage its finances in a responsible and equitable manner that protects residents from economic exploitation. Accordingly, to prevent the extension of practices which violate public trust and unnecessarily disrupt the lives of Chicagoans, as ordered by Mayor Johnson, all City-administered debt recovery efforts must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Comply with all federal, state, and local consumer-protection laws;

• Be conducted without harassment, misrepresentation, coercion, or intimidation;

• Provide clear notice, accessible dispute adjudication processes, and transparent accounting;

• Prioritize long-term resident stability over short-term extraction.

The order states that any private third-party engaged in municipal debt collection must also conform to these standards.