At the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, Illinoisans will see more than 300 new laws take effect – with changes that impact the state’s healthcare, public safety and employment sectors.
The Paid Leave for All Workers Act will require most employers to provide their workers with at least 40 hours of annual paid leave. And minimum wages will increase from $13 to $14 per hour.
Illinois Legal Aid Online offers online support for some of the state’s underserved residents. Executive Director Teri Ross said she understands many will want to know how the new laws affect them.
“We take the legislation, which is often difficult to read and somewhat opaque, and we translate that into a plain language explanation,” said Ross, “and in some cases, into some tools that people can use to assert their rights and to understand their rights.”
Under a new Telehealth Services law, Illinois mental-health and substance-use patients will continue to receive telehealth coverage for treatment.
And a patient’s medical care cannot be delayed while a hospital staffer verifies their payment method or insurance status.
Ross said hospitals will also be required to screen uninsured or underinsured patients for public financial assistance eligibility before their bill is sent to collections.
Another new law on the books has stirred up concerns about immigrants applying for jobs in public safety.
It allows a person who is not a citizen – but is legally authorized to work in the U.S. – to apply to become an Illinois police officer.
Ross said low numbers on police forces are due to veteran officers retiring and a lack of new applicants – and claimed policing overall needs to change.
“One of the problems that we have, in our society generally,” said Ross, “is that law enforcement has been focused on communities of color, and is often not made up of people who are of color.”
Applicants who are non-citizens and possess a green card that allows them to live and work in the U.S. must be authorized under federal law to obtain, carry, purchase or otherwise possess a firearm.
Illinois is set to have several new laws go on the books starting in 2024, with several of those affecting prisoners throughout the state.
One of the measures taking effect in 2024 is Senate Bill 423, which supports the reintegration of individuals into the community while aiming to lower the possibility of recidivism and increase public safety.
Senate Bill 2073 allows those sentenced to life in prison while under the age of 21 to become eligible for parole review.
Another going into effect has to do with the resentencing of prisoners, according to Jenny Vollen Katz of the John Howard Association.
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“One is around the earned program sentencing credits and that they are going to apply retroactively,” Vollen Katz told The Center Square. “I know there is still conversation on how they will implement that law.”
The law will give prisoners time-off credits for participating in programs.
“What it does is make up for time where people were not getting those credits but participating in activities or a job that would earn them sentencing credits at different points in time,” Vollen Katz said. “So I think sort of making people whole.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed SB243 back in July and explained his hopes for the law through a statement.
“It’s a system that is evidence-based and transparent, which is just what our families and neighborhoods deserve,” Pritzker said. “This bill speaks to the promise of Illinois. A promise of equity, empathy, public safety and true justice.”
Cook County will also be making changes as a new program will offer state ID cards for those who are finishing up their jail sentence in Cook County jail with the aim to help those who have recently been released with job searches, opening bank accounts, and buying a home or car.
The program is spearheaded by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who said it will help recently released people get a start on reentering society.
“For those who have been incarcerated, access to a home, a job, and a doctor is commonly impeded by unfair barriers,” Giannoulias said. “Each is crucial for a successful reentry back into society, and that access starts with a small but significant item that many of us take for granted, the state-issued identification card.”
New Illinois Laws:
- Hiking minimum wage for tipped workers, such as restaurant employees, to $9hr.
- All employees will receive up to 40 hours of paid time off each yr (1hr for each hr worked).
Measures will go into effect in 2024.
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