New year, new laws: More than 270 are in effect as of Jan. 1
State legislators weren’t too busy in 2009 impeaching a governor and dealing with a crushing budget deficit to pass a bunch of new laws – more than 270 – that took effect New Year’s Day.
Laws aimed at improving ethics and transparency took on new urgency with the arrest and impeachment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich on federal corruption charges.
But they are part of a body of new laws, from banning texting while driving, to requiring bowling alleys to warn you that bowling shoes worn outside can be slippery inside.
So what are some of the new laws that affect you?
– Ethics and transparency: Knowledge of what local governments are up to improves with an overhaul of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.
The new law requires governments to respond to FOIA requests in 5 business days rather than 7. It gives the Illinois attorney general’s public access counselor power to force public bodies to disclose information, and puts limits on some of the exemptions that critics consider the most abused.
Lawmakers also created the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal, a database of state employees’ salaries, state expenditures and state contracts.
Another new law requires the qualifications and economic interest statements of appointees to state boards and commissions to be available online.
The portal is at www.accountability.illinois.gov online.
– Licenses and fees: The cost of registering a car in Illinois increased from $79 to $99 to help pay for the $31 billion state capital plan. The cost of a fishing license went up $12 to $14.50, hunting licenses almost doubled from $7 to $12, and a deer license went up from $15 to $25.
A state law passed in 2007 offers some property tax relief by increasing the homestead exemption to $6,000 for 2009 taxes payable this year.
– Transportation: The ban on texting while driving is only one of several new transportation-related laws.
Any driver who receives court supervision for violating traffic laws will pay $30 in supervision fees, rather than $20.
Another law increases the speed limit for semi truck drivers on interstate highways in rural areas to 65 mph. The law does not apply to rural interstates in Cook and the collar counties.
– Juvenile crime: The age for misdemeanor cases to be held in juvenile court is now 17, rather than 16. Juvenile courts now have better access to mental health, substance abuse and other rehabilitation programs.
The law does not change for juveniles accused of felonies.
– Voting: Standard hours statewide for early voting.
Early voting polling places must remain open 8 hours on weekdays, starting at either 8:30 or 9 a.m., and between 9 a.m. and noon on weekends and holidays. Election authorities in counties with more than 250,000 people and cities with more than 100,000 must keep the polls open for another 8 hours on the final weekend of early voting.
Another law requires all voting systems to notify voters if their ballot leaves any races blank, or if they do not vote for statewide offices, such as governor.
– Health: All physical fitness facilities must have at least one employee trained in the use of automated external defibrillators on staff during business hours.
– Odds and ends: Bowling alleys must place warnings near their entrances advising people not to wear bowling shoes outdoors because it increases the odds of them slipping indoors. Owners who comply are not liable for injuries caused by people who slip because they tracked in a substance from outside.
All American flags flying over public property in Illinois must be made in the U.S. Foreign-made flags can fly until they need to be replaced.
Another law designates Feb. 5 as Adlai Stevenson Day, to honor the former governor and United Nations ambassador. But you’re not going to get the day off from work.
On the Web
There is no comprehensive list of the nearly 300 new laws that took effect Friday in Illinois, but all state statutes and other information are available at www.ilga.gov, the Illinois General Assembly’s Web site.
