Quincy Reporter

As the new year approaches, Illinois residents will see a range of new laws taking effect on January 1, 2025. These include updates in areas such as workplace protections, consumer rights, public safety, education, and insurance regulations.

A key change is the final step of Illinois' minimum wage increase under Senate Bill 1 (P.A. 101-0001), which raises wages to $15 per hour for workers aged 18 and older.

Consumer protections are enhanced with Senate Bill 2764 (P.A. 103-0919) requiring businesses offering trial periods longer than 15 days to notify customers three days before automatic renewals. Additionally, Senate Bill 3342 (P.A. 103-0976) mandates advance public notice for pesticide applications in municipalities.

For drivers, House Bill 277 (P.A. 103-0789) eliminates automatic license suspensions for failing to appear in court for minor offenses. House Bill 4592 (P.A. 103-0824) allows mobile identification cards and driver's licenses issuance through the Secretary of State.

In education, several bills focus on school safety and student well-being. House Bill 5394 (P.A. 103-0608) requires cardiac emergency response training for school personnel, while Senate Bill 2824 (P.A. 103-0629) ensures children removed from homes by DCFS can attend their original schools if deemed beneficial.

Insurance regulations are updated with measures like House Bill 5559 (P.A. 103-0615), providing detailed explanations for total loss determinations in vehicle claims and Senate Bill 2697 (P.A. 103-0914), mandating coverage for clinical genetic testing under health plans.

Public safety improvements include enhanced penalties against catalytic converter theft under House Bill 4589 (P.A. 103-0677). Police officers will also receive autism awareness training as required by Senate Bill 3201 (P.A. 103-0949).

These changes mark just the beginning of legal updates in Illinois for the coming year, with more laws set to be discussed in Part Two.