While Illinois pension reform and the Illinois Gay Marriage Bill will not go into effect until June, there are 200 Illinois laws which took effect on Jan. 1.
Concealed Carry Law
Illinois residents and non-residents who meet specified qualifications can now apply for a five-year license to carry a concealed firearm in Illinois. The Illinois State Police are required to approve the application within 90-days should the applicant meet the requirements set by the State.
Hand-held Cell Phone Use Prohibitied
While Illinois law has regulated cell phone use in work and school zones in years past, House Bill 1247 bans hand-held cell phone use statewide. Drivers caught with a device up to their ear will be fined $75 for their first offense. A graduated fine scale will be applied to repeat offenders. Exceptions include the use of hands-free devices, two-way radios, and electronic devices capable of performing multiple functions as long as these devices are not used for a prohibited purpose.
Interstate Speed Now 70 mph
Interstate drivers will also see the speed limit increase from 65 mph to 70 mph. Counties in Chicagoland and near St. Louis may opt out.
Legalized Medical Marijuana
The general assembly passed House Bill 1 legalizing the use of medical marijuana for a person who has been diagnosed by a physician with a debilitating medical condition. While the law went into effect on Jan. 1, agencies which will oversee the program have 120 days to come up with the rules and regulations of the program.
Children under 18 prohibited from tanning bed use in a business
Businesses with tanning beds are no longer be able to permit children under 18 years of age to use tanning equipment or a device defined as equipment that emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation used for tanning of the skin, such as a sunlamp, tanning booth, or tanning bed that emits electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths in the air between 200 and 400 nanometers, regardless of whether the child has parental permission. Underage tanning in private homes is still allowed.
17-year-olds Can Register to Vote in Primary
A person who will be 18-years-old on the day of a general election is now allowed to register as a 17-year-old in the primary election.
Pet Shop Owner Responsibilities
Pet shop owners who witness an outbreak of of distemper, parvovirus, or any other contagious and potentially life-threatening disease affecting more than 2 dogs at a seller’s pet shop or kennel within a 60-day period are now responsible for providing each customer with a written notice stating the nature of the outbreak and reimburse the owner for the reasonable care provided to the animal. The pet shop owner is also required to notify the State Veterinarian of the outbreak within two business days after becoming aware that a third animal has contracted the disease.
Litter Fines
Persons who liter will be hit with a minimum $50 fine. Cigaratte butts are now considered litter under House Bill 3243.
Guardians Have Right to Supervise Social Media
Parents, step-parents, guardians, or grandparents are protected from evesdropping lawsuits when they monitor their child’s social media, email or text messages under House Bill 3038. Guardians are allowed to supervise, monitor, and control the activities of a minor in his or her care, custody, or control.
Separate Fines for Offenses in Work Zone
House Bill 1814 creates separate offenses for drivers speeding in a work zone when workers are present and not present.
Cameras on School Buses
Drivers who pass a stopped school bus will now be caught on camera. School buses will include cameras which images of vehicles that overtake or pass the school bus while it is engaged in receiving or disembarking passengers. A first time violation carries a civil penalty of $150, with subsequent violations carrying a civil penalty of $500, and the offense shall not be a moving violation recorded on the driver’s driving history.
Once school districts approve the use of automated traffic law enforcement systems on their school buses, the school district must enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the municipality or county to handle the administration of the automated traffic law enforcement system. The school district and municipality administering the automatic law enforcement system will split the collected fees.
Sex education to include abstinence
While schools districts will continue to have the ability to opt out of sex education within their curriculum, school districts which provide sex education in grades 6 through 12 are now required to promote abstinence as the only method which is 100 percent effective towards preventing unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. School districts will continue to talk to students about contraception as a method to prevent pregnancy and STDs, also.
The new law also requires school districts to have sex education material used in their curriculum available for public review.
Right to First Refusal for parents
House Bill 2992 grants parents with joint custody and visitation rights the right of first refusal to care for the minor children in the absence of either party. If one parent intends to leave a child for four hours or longer, the other parents will have the opportunity for additional time with the child prior to making arrangements with a babysitter or other family members.
Unfinished Wine Bottles Corked
Wineries licensed to sell alcoholic liquor in Illinois are now required to cork up to one unfinished wine bottle to place in a tamper-evident bag for off-site consumption. Illinois already has similar laws for restaurants.
Repeat Toll Offenders
The State of Illinois can now publish the names of toll violators on their website along with the amount of fines and unpaid tolls owed by each violator if the amount exceeds $1000.
