More than 200 laws took effect on Jan. 1

Wed, 12/31/2014 - 7:00pm admin

More than 200 new laws went into effect Jan. 1, including increasing the speed limits on tollways, “cyber bullying,” drone usage and “e-cigarettes,” according to State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville. Jan. 1 is the default date for a new law to become effective if there is no language specifying when it will become effective. Luechtefeld shared highlights of some of the laws which took effect on Jan. 1. Notable laws taking effect on Jan. 1 include several that will affect Illinois motorists. SB 2015/PA 98-1128, brings the state’s toll highway system in Chicago up to the same 70 mile-per-hour speed limit as the rest of the state, unless the Toll Highway Authority can prove that speed is unsafe on those roadways. The legislation is a follow-up measure to legislation that took effect in 2014 raising Illinois’ speed limit on interstate highways to 70 mph. Senate Bill 2015 had been vetoed by Gov. Pat Quinn, but the Illinois General Assembly voted to override that veto during the fall veto session.Legislation reinstating “sign and drive” will also took effect on Jan. 1. HB 2583/PA 98-0870 prohibits law enforcement from taking a driver’s license as bail following a traffic law or ordinance violation. Currently, Illinois is one of only six states that confiscates a driver’s license for a minor traffic offense.New technologies, like surveillance drones and online communication platforms, continue to develop, inspiring a number of new laws that took effect on Jan. 1. HB 4594/PA 98-0905 allows for electronic search warrants to utilize services like Skype, which provide simultaneous audio and video transmission, as a way to request search warrants.A number of laws have been introduced in recent years to regulate the use of drones and mitigate any potential violations of privacy that may result. One such law is SB 2937/PA 98-0831, which prohibits a law enforcement agency from using a drone owned by a third party to acquire information.HB 5623/PA 98-0930 requires that a unit of local government or a school district that maintains a website (other than a social media or networking website), to post an email address that members of the public can use to communicate with elected officials of that unit of local government or school district.In recent years, social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, have become increasingly popular. Unfortunately, Luechtefeld said, so has the practice of “cyber bullying.” In what some argued was an overreach of a school’s authority, HB 4207/PA 98-0801 requires schools to address electronic bullying under certain circumstances, even if the bullying occurred off-campus and was conducted by using private computers and cell phones.HB 5868/PA 98-0983, which requires e-cigarettes to be sold from behind the counter in an age-restricted area, or in a sealed display case, also took effect on Jan. 1. Last winter, Illinois experienced propane shortages that drove up the cost of propane to historic highs. Understanding that many in Illinois rely on this fuel to heat their homes, SB 3139/PA 98-0956 allows propane trucks to weigh up to 90,000 pounds during a declaration of an emergency propane supply disaster by the governor under the Illinois Emergency Agency Act. The legislation is intended to increase the supply of propane and therefore decrease the price.

Archive Section:

news

More than 200 laws took effect on Jan. 1

Subscribe to our e-edition online. Current subscribers can login here.

The Gazette-Democrat

Site Links

Sign Up For Breaking News