Over 300 new laws and amendments are set to go into effect in Illinois on January 1, covering a wide range of topics, including health, education, labor, transportation, and more. Summaries of a selection of them are listed below.

INSURANCE EXPANSION: HOUSE BILL 1384

Requires HMOs, Medicaid and individual and group health insurance policies to cover medically necessary reconstructive surgeries to restore a person’s physical appearance following trauma.

PREVENTING FENTANYL EXPOSURE: HOUSE BILL 3203

Allows pharmacists and retail stores to sell fentanyl test strips over the counter. Also allows a county health department to distribute fentanyl test strips at the county health department facility free of charge.

OUTDOOR RX PROGRAM: HOUSE BILL 1526

Creates the Outdoor RX Program to provide funds through grants established by DHS. Grants will be created and appropriated to outdoor environmental, ecological, agricultural, or other natural resource-based or outdoor-based therapy programs.

FOOD DESERT: SENATE BILL 850

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is required to provide grants and other forms of financial assistance to grocery stores located in or to be located in a food desert. This aims to help mitigate the issue of food deserts across the state.

PROTON BEAM THERAPY: HOUSE BILL 2799

Requires health insurers to provide coverage for medically necessary Proton Beam therapy for the treatment of cancer.

SALIVA CANCER SCREENING: HOUSE BILL 3202

Provides coverage for medically necessary at-home saliva cancer screenings every two years for patients who are either asymptomatic, are at high risk for cancer, or are demonstrating symptoms of cancer.

EXPANDING AG EDUCATION: HOUSE BILL 3814

FFA and 4-H students will receive school work hours when participating in a work-based learning experience outside of the classroom.

SCHOOL STAFF HOMELESSNESS TRAINING: HOUSE BILL 3116

Requires each school board to conduct in-service training on homelessness for all school personnel at least once every two years. Allows the school board to work with a community-based organization that specializes in working with homeless children and youth to develop and provide the training.

FENTANYL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS: HOUSE BILL 3924

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, this law provides that in every state-required health course for grades 9-12, a school district shall provide instruction, study, and discussion on the dangers of fentanyl and requires students to be assessed on the instruction.

ALLERGY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS: HOUSE BILL 3932

With the 2024-25 school year in grades 9-12, the Comprehensive Health Education Program shall include instruction, study, and discussion on the dangers of allergies. The instruction information should be provided by IDPH and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It sets forth what topics this instruction, study, and discussion shall include.

STUDENT ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES: SENATE BILL 1709

The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Administrative Act is amended to require the Department of Human Resources and ISBE to provide technical assistance for the provision of mental health care during school days with the goal of increasing the availability and accessibility of mental health resources for students.

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD TASK FORCE: SENATE BILL 1623

The 10-member Task Force will develop a statewide plan to connect existing local projects and new projects to create a cohesive statewide history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois, while developing new educational and tourism opportunities.

BOOK BAN PROHIBITION: HOUSE BILL 2789

Under House Bill 2789, Illinois public libraries must adopt the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights, or provide a written statement prohibiting the ban of books, to be eligible for state grants.

PAY/BENEFITS FOR SICK OR INJURED FIRST RESPONDERS: SENATE BILL 214

Whenever a first responder suffers an illness in the line of duty which causes him/her to be unable to perform duties, the employee shall continue to be paid on the same basis as before the illness. There will also be no deduction from sick leave credits, compensatory time for overtime accumulations, vacation, or service credits in a public pension fund. These provisions are limited to one year per illness. The employing public body may require an examination to verify the severity of the illness.

FIREFIGHTER TRAINING LEAVE OF ABSENCE ACT: SENATE BILL 1611

Allows state employees to leave from their job to attend firefighter training, in an effort to combat a shortage of new recruits and volunteer firefighters.

VESSA AMENDMENT: HOUSE BILL 2493

Amends the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act to allow employees to take up to two weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave from work to attend a funeral, arrange a funeral, or grieve, if a family or household member is killed in a crime of violence.

REMOVAL OF LICENSING FOLLOWING WORKERS COMPENSATION VIOLATION: HOUSE BILL 2145

IDFPR may remove licensing from any entity that is found guilty of violating workers compensation obligations under the Worker’s Compensation Act. Licenses may be reinstated following a correction of the failure.

CHILD EXTENDED BEREAVEMENT LEAVE ACT: SENATE BILL 2034

Provides job-protected, unpaid leave for parents who experience the loss of a child through suicide or homicide. Length of leave under CEBLA is determined on employer size. Employers of fewer than 50 employees are not covered.

TEACHER TIME OFF FOR UNION ORGANIZING: HOUSE BILL 2392

Teachers who are elected to leadership positions within their union are granted the ability to take off a maximum of 10 days of work to represent the union in federal advocacy work. This time off is given without pay deduction and does not use a sick or personal day.

CHILD LABOR — ONLINE CONTENT CONTROL: SENATE BILL 1782

This law allows minors 16 and older who video blog or appear in a vlog online to have more control of their content and a specified amount of gross earnings on the video content set aside in a trust account to be preserved for the benefit of the minor upon reaching the age of majority.

CANNABIS POSSESSION UNDER PROBATION: SENATE BILL 1886

A person on probation, conditional discharge, or supervision shall not be ordered to refrain from having cannabis or alcohol in his or her body barring detailed and specific circumstances

PROTECTIONS OF PICKETERS: HOUSE BILL 3396

A person who, with the intent of interfering with, obstructing, or impeding a picket or other demonstration or protest, or places any object in the public way to impede the picketing now commits a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $500.

ALTERED SEXUAL IMAGES: HOUSE BILL 2123

A depicted individual of an intentionally digitally altered sexual image has a cause of action against a person disseminating or threatening to disseminate the sexual image. Allows courts to award equitable relief, such as a temporary restraining order, preliminary injunction, or permanent injunction ordering the defendant to cease the display or disclosure of the image.

NON-CITIZENS APPLYING TO BE POLICE OFFICERS: HOUSE BILL 3751

An individual who is not a citizen but is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law and who is authorized under federal law to obtain, carry, purchase, or otherwise possess a firearm is authorized to apply for the position of police officer, subject to all requirements and limitations, other than citizenship, to which other applicants are subject.

FAITH BEHIND BARS ACT: HOUSE BILL 3055

States that any person incarcerated in a correctional facility has the right to practice his or her faith, without stipulation. The facility must provide a place of worship, as well as be accommodating to dietary restrictions connected to one’s religion. Additionally, wardens working at the facilities must attend training seminars on religion every five years.

END YOUTH SOLITARY CONFINEMENT ACT: HOUSE BILL 3140

Prohibits the use of room confinement at a juvenile or correctional facility for discipline, punishment, retaliation or any reason other than as a temporary response to a juvenile’s behavior that poses a serious and immediate risk of physical harm to any individual, including the juvenile.

PROTECTING ABUSED CHILDREN FROM MORE TRAUMA: HOUSE BILL 2607

Aims to ensure children testifying in abuse cases will not have to confront their abusers in open court. Establishes a rebuttable presumption that the testimony of a child victim under 13-years-old shall testify outside the courtroom and the testimony shall be shown in the courtroom on a closed-circuit television.

YOUTH VICTIMS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: HOUSE BILL 3414

A judge shall enter an order permitting prosecution of a minor as an adult unless the judge makes a finding based on clear and convincing evidence that the minor would be amenable to the care, treatment, and training programs available through the facilities of the juvenile court based on an evaluation of a specified series of factors. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if the court determines the individual against whom the person is convicted of committing the offense previously committed certain human trafficking or sex crimes against the person within three years before the offense in which the person was convicted, the court may transfer the person to juvenile court for sentencing under the Juvenile Court Act of 1987; depart from any mandatory minimum sentence, maximum sentence, or sentencing enhancement; or suspend any portion of an otherwise applicable sentence.

IDOT — MOBILE APPLICATION: SENATE BILL 1526

The Illinois Department of Transportation must develop a mobile application that provides motorists with updated traffic conditions to include, but is not limited to, accidents, construction zones, lane closures and delays, weather conditions, and other pertinent information related to the roads in Illinois.

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE STATE ISSUED ID CARDS: HOUSE BILL 3882

The Secretary of State will no longer issue Temporary Visitor’s Driver’s Licenses to undocumented persons and instead will issue a non-Real ID compliant driver’s license.

WINDSHEILD OBSTRUCTIONS: HOUSE BILL 2389

Officers cannot stop or search a vehicle because of items between the driver and windshield, including decorations, GPS systems, and disability placards.

METROPOLITAN TRANSIT AUTHORITY ACT AMENDMENT: HOUSE BILL 1342

Explores expanded reduced-fare service, requires transit agencies to purchase emission-free buses, and will provide free transit to victims of domestic violence.

RESTRICTION ON VIDEOCONFERENCING WHILE DRIVING: HOUSE BILL 2431

Videoconferencing while driving will now be prohibited.

UTILITY SHUTOFFS: HOUSE BILL 1541

On days when the forecasted temperature is 90 degrees or above, or when the National Weather Service issues a heat watch, advisory or warning, residents’ utilities cannot be shut off, even if they are behind on paying their bills.

WAIVED PET ADOPTION FEES FOR VETERANS: HOUSE BILL 2500

Allows animal shelters to waive adoption fees for Veterans. One cat or one dog may be adopted by a Veteran with waived adoption fees in a two-year period.

CHANGES TO ELECTION LAW: SENATE BILL 2123

This amendment to the Constitutional Amendment Act alters election procedures, requiring proposed amendments and explanations to be printed at the top of the ballot before political party nominations, eliminating the provision for separate Constitutional Amendment ballots. In amendments to the Election Code, it extends the Access to Voting for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Task Force, establishes the Ranked-Choice and Voting Systems Task Force, and permits reimbursement for members of the Public Financing of Judicial Elections Task Force. Additionally, it introduces changes to pre-registration, county central committees, objections, polling locations, vote centers, permanent vote by mail lists, vote by mail ballot applications, and discovery recount fees. The law also designates Nov. 5, 2024, as a state holiday known as 2024 General Election Day, and adjusts the timeline for drawing electoral districts for the Chicago Board of Education.

MORTGAGE MARKETING CONSUMER PROTECTION: HOUSE BILL 2094

Aims to protect homeowners from being tricked into unnecessary mortgage refinancing through misleading mail advertisements from mortgage companies not affiliated with the homeowner’s home lender. The law focuses on protecting new and elderly homeowners who are new to the home buying process and more susceptible to deceptive mortgage marketing tactics