As we begin another new year, more than 255 new laws will be taking effect in Illinois. While not all of them will affect you personally, here are a few that people seem to be talking about the most…

As of January 1st, 2020…

Marijuana

• Adults 21 and over may legally purchase recreational marijuana from a state-regulated recreational dispensary.

Insurance

• Insurance companies will be required to cover medically necessary epi pens, diagnostic mammograms and skin cancer screenings.

Traffic Fines

• The fines for illegally passing school buses will double, from $150 to $300 for an initial violation and from $500 to $1,000 for a subsequent violation.
• Vehicles need to slow down, change lanes and proceed with caution when approaching disabled vehicles or emergency vehicles on the side of the highway. Starting Jan. 1, the fines for violating Scott’s Law increase to $10,000.
• The maximum penalty for hitting a construction worker in a marked work zone increases from $10,000 to $25,000.

Minimum Wage

• Starting January 1st, Illinois will raise minimum wage for the first time in a decade, from $8.25 to $9.25 per hour. The minimum wage will increase to $15 per hour by Jan. 1, 2025.
• Servers may now keep all the tips and gratuities they earn for great service, and employers are required to keep their hands off of it under a new law that takes effect Jan. 1.

Bathrooms

• After Jan. 1, all public restrooms in public buildings must be equipped with a baby-changing station.
• Single-occupancy restrooms in public locations are required to be identified as all-gender and designated for use by no more than one person at a time or for family or assisted use. Signs posted outside the restroom must not indicate any specific gender.

Education

• High school seniors in the top 10 percent of their class by GPA are guaranteed acceptance to NIU, SIU, WIU and EIU, provided they meet other criteria for admissions.

Animals

• Dog and cat kennels are now required to be equipped with a sprinkler or fire alarm system if staff are not on duty 24/7, in accordance with the Illinois Animal Welfare Act.
• Cats are required to receive a rabies vaccination with a tag and certification. The requirement does not apply to feral cats, unless the feral cat is taken to the vet for spaying or neutering.

First Responder Wellness

• Police officers will have greater access to mental health resources, including suicide prevention, to deal with job-related PTSD.
• Burial benefits for a firefighter or state police or local law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty will double from $10,000 to $20,000.

Local Food Branding

• The term “local farm or food products” will now include products processed and packaged in Illinois using at least one ingredient grown in Illinois. Previously, foods are only considered local if every ingredient was sourced in Illinois.

Driving and watching streaming video

• Drivers who use an electronic device to stream or watch videos while on the road will receive a fine of $75 for a first offense, $100 for a second, $125 for a third and $150 for a fourth or subsequent offense.

What laws will affect you the most? HERE IS A LOOK AT THE COMPLETE LIST!

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