2014 will ring in hundreds of new laws. Over the next five days we will recap 25 of them. Some you may have heard about, others you may be just learning about now. Follow the links to read the law in its entirety.
First in a five part series:
Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act
HB 1 (PA 98-122) – Creates the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, the strictest medical marijuana law in the country. It establishes a pilot program that sunsets after four years. A specific list of debilitating, or terminal medical conditions are outlined in the bill which patients must be suffering from in order to qualify. The number of dispensaries are limited to 60 throughout Illinois, and the Department of Agriculture may approve up to 22 cultivation centers. A patient is prohibited from possessing more than 2.5 ounces at a time.
Age Restriction for Tanning Facilities
HB 188 (PA 98-349) – Bans tanning facilities from permitting any person under the age of 18 from using tanning equipment, including sunlamps, tanning booths or tanning beds. Specifies that parental permission does not exempt the person under 18 from the ban enacted by HB 188.
Voting Age
HB 226 (PA 98-360) – Changes state election law to allow a person who is 17 on the date of the primary election to vote if that person will be 18 on the date of the general election. HB 226 specifies that a person must be otherwise qualified to vote in that election.
Domestic Battery Penalties
HB 958 (PA 98-187) – Toughens the penalty for repeat domestic battery offenders. Under HB 958, domestic battery is a Class 4 felony if the defendant has one or two prior convictions for domestic battery. It is a Class 3 felony if the defendant has three prior convictions, and it is a Class 2 felony if the defendant has four or more prior convictions for domestic battery.
Kelsey's Law
HB 1009 (PA 98-168) - Also known as “Kelsey’s Law”, HB 1009 prohibits the issuance of a graduated drivers license to a person under 18 if that person has a traffic citation which has not been dealt with. The Secretary of State may cancel a minor’s drivers license if the Secretary determines that the license was issued while the minor had an instruction permit and an unresolved traffic citation. Prosecutors may request that a court invalidate the license of a driver if the driver is convicted of a violation of an ordinance if the violation was the proximate cause of death or Type A injury of another person.
New Illinois Laws - Part 2
New Illinois Laws - Part 3
New Illinois Laws - Part 4
New Illinois Laws - Part 5