* Governor Pritzker signed 265 bills on Friday. Center Square…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced [265] measures were enacted Friday, ranging from regulations over artificial intelligence, offering digital driver’s licenses and requiring climate change education in public schools.

The Illinois General Assembly this year approved more than 450 measures. Pritzker hasn’t vetoed any of them so far. […]

Effective immediately, Senate Bill 3455 has the Illinois Department of Revenue and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to evaluate the property tax system in the state. […]

Local media outlets looking to sell to out-of-state buyers must notify the state and the company’s employees 180 days in advance of the sale beginning Jan. 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 3592.

* WAND…

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to prohibit landlords from retaliating against their tenants.

The new law will ban landlords from terminating leases, increasing rent, decreasing services or threatening lawsuits.

It also states that landlords can no longer refuse to renew a lease after a tenant complains about code violations or seeks help from elected leaders. […]

The new law takes effect January 1.

* WTVO…

Governor JB Pritzker signed a law to protect police officers from disability-related retaliation on Friday. […]

The law prohibits municipalities from discharging an officer from their duties based on their application for disability-related pension benefits.

This protection was previously given only to firefighters; the new law brings police officers into the fold.

All previously injured officers who return to work must now be reinstated to the same rank they held before going on leave, according to the law.

* WAND…

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to educate more drivers about vehicles transporting hazardous materials. The legislation was filed in direct response to the tragic accident in Teutopolis that killed five people and left 11 others injured last fall.

The law requires the Illinois Secretary of State to include education on hazardous material placards in the Illinois Rules of the Road book students read during driver education courses.

Local lawmakers hope this change can help young drivers know they need to drive more cautious.

“We have to include hazardous material placards so they know that when they get around larger trucks or larger vehicles that have these hazardous material placards that they should be a little bit more careful as they decided to pass,” said Rep. CD Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville).

* Mahomet Daily…

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Friday that will cap the monthly cost of prescription inhalers at $25 for people with health insurance. The new law, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, will also prohibit health insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage for these essential medications starting Jan. 1, 2026.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 850,000 adults and 160,000 children in Illinois are diagnosed with asthma. Currently, many of these individuals pay between $180 to $300 per month for rescue and controller inhalers. […]

Kristina Hamilton, Illinois Director of Advocacy for the American Lung Association, praised the bill’s signing.

“We applaud Governor Pritzker for signing Illinois Senate Bill SB3203 into law and helping to reduce the financial burden of rising inhaler costs for Illinoisans. This new law will not only make these life-saving medications more affordable for Illinois residents but also more accessible,” Hamilton said. “People with chronic lung disease often need two to three inhalers. Nearly one in four adults who take prescription drugs report difficulty affording their costs. Nationwide, the annual per person medical cost of asthma was $1,830 for prescriptions alone.”

* Sen. Natalie Toro…

State Senator Natalie Toro’s legislation to protect people with disabilities from violent encounters with police has just become law.

“Autism sensitivity training will make interactions with police much more comfortable for people with disabilities and prevent tragic misunderstandings,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “Through learning about the unique communication challenges people with autism may face, especially in stressful situations like encounters with police officers, members of law enforcement will be able to respond with empathy and de-escalate before a situation turns tragic.”

People with autism may experience unique challenges when interacting with police. Without proper training on how some people with autism communicate, law enforcement officers may interpret their behavior as being noncompliant with questioning or instructions. This has caused interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism to escalate quickly, resulting in unnecessary use of force, trauma and even death.

Senate Bill 3201 requires law enforcement to go through training on autism-informed responses, as well as best procedures and techniques when engaging with individuals with autism, including those who may be victims. Under the new law, all law enforcement officers must complete this training every three years.

People with disabilities are seven times more likely than people without disabilities to have an encounter with law enforcement, underscoring the importance of the new training requirement. […]

Senate Bill 3201 was signed into law Friday. It goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* WAND…

A new state law will require DCFS caseworkers to develop hair care plans with youth in care and their parents.

The DCFS Youth Advisory Board worked with Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet (D-Chicago) and Sen. Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) to make their recommendation into legislation. […]

Every youth in care will have a hair care plan that accounts for their racial, cultural, gender, religious or other identities unless the child indicates they don’t need a hair care plan. DCFS will also be required to develop training for caregivers to provide culturally-competent hair care by June 1, 2025. […]

The law allows DCFS to adopt rules to facilitate implementation of the changes, including responsibilities of caseworkers and placement plan specialists in developing the hair care plan, engaging parents regarding the hair care needs of youth and procedures to follow if the parents cannot be contacted, and factors to consider in granting children increased autonomy over hair care decisions.

“It’s going to be up to DCFS to determine how the cost will be covered and what cost will be covered,” Du Buclet said. “So the cost could potentially fall on DCFS, the foster parents or from a youth’s allowance.”

* Sen. Michael Hastings…

State Senator Michael E. Hastings’ new law opens the door for Illinois drivers to have their license on their phone. […]

Hastings – in tandem with Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias – led a new law to allow the Secretary of State’s Office to create a program and technology to give Illinois residents the option of receiving a digital copy of their ID or driver’s license.

A key feature of Hastings’ law is the requirement that mobile driver’s license and IDs use an electronic credential system – such as a barcode system – to certify there is no requirement for individuals to surrender possession of their mobile device to the requesting party. This ensures residents maintain control and privacy over their mobile devices at all times.

Additionally, an individual displaying their mobile driver’s license or ID would not constitute consent to have the device searched, further safeguarding the privacy of the user. […]

House Bill 4592 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* WGLT…

Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed a battery recycling law sponsored by State Rep. Sharon Chung of Bloomington and State Sen. Dave Koehler of Peoria.

Under the law, battery sellers or distributors will have to develop a recycling stewardship program for small- to medium-sized batteries by 2026. Medium-sized batteries include those made for electric bikes and scooters.

Batteries contain heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and nickel. […]

There also will have to be recycling labels attached to all batteries by 2029.

* WAND…

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday to prohibit landlords from retaliating against their tenants.

The new law will ban landlords from terminating leases, increasing rent, decreasing services or threatening lawsuits.

It also states that landlords can no longer refuse to renew a lease after a tenant complains about code violations or seeks help from elected leaders. […]

The new law takes effect January 1.

* Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel…

To protect youth from the dangers of vaping, e-cigarettes will no longer be shipped to Illinois under a new law led by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel.

“The internet has made it very easy for kids to get vapes,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Manufacturers are making e-cigarettes look like school supplies, making it difficult for teachers to decipher if it’s a vape or not. After hearing from local elected officials who were seeing an uptick in the usage of vapes in schools, it was clear we had to put guardrails in place to protect kids from the dangers of smoking.”

Senate Bill 3098 prohibits electronic cigarettes purchased by mail, online or through other remote sale methods from being shipped to anyone in the state other than a distributor or retailer. Loughran Cappel’s law came in response to students obtaining e-cigarettes that are designed to look like everyday objects, such as highlighters. […]

Senate Bill 3098 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

* Sen. Elgie Sims…

If a person’s license plate or sticker is stolen from their car, they won’t be on the hook for paying the replacement fee under a new law led by State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr.

“Imagine the stress of seeing someone violated your personal belongings,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Now imagine the exacerbated stress of wondering how you are going to pay to fix the problem so you don’t get fined. We should never penalize victims – no matter how big or small the price.”

Under Sims’ law, if a person’s license plate or registration sticker is stolen, they will be able to receive a new one at no cost. Previously, drivers would have to pay either $6 for a new plate, or $20 for a new registration tag if stolen.

According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office, 651 drivers reported their plates stolen over a three-year period.

“There’s no reason someone should have to open up their pocketbook because of someone else’s wrongdoing,” said Sims. “Public safety isn’t just about keeping our communities safe – it’s also about protecting and uplifting victims.”

Senate Bill 3471 was signed into law Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.