New year, new laws [Chicago Tribune]

Dec. 30--State lawmakers captured plenty of attention this year for high-profile new laws reshaping Illinois' landscape: a major income-tax increase, civil unions for same-sex couples, and a death penalty ban.

But they also passed myriad measures that didn't get as much notice, including more than 200 laws that take effect with the new year. Seeking to make good on campaign promises made in 2010, legislators were busy approving rules on everything from who must wear a seat belt and how fast big trucks can drive to the proper disposal of pharmaceutical drugs and old computers.

The General Assembly also put in place several new public safety measures, including setting up a registry to track convicted murderers after they are released from prison and requiring people who want to buy commercial-grade acids to give their names to the state, a response to attacks in 2006 and 2008 that left two Chicago women permanently disfigured.

"We had an incredible year," Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said of lawmakers' efforts.

Here is a look at some of the new laws and how they might affect you.

Rules of the road

Starting Sunday, every passenger in a vehicle will be required to wear a seat belt, including those riding in the back seat. Previously, state law required only those in the front seat and teens under 19 to strap in.

Police will be able to stop vehicles if they notice a passenger is not wearing a safety belt. Fines start at $25. Exemptions apply to those riding in taxis or emergency vehicles such as police cars and ambulances.

Cullerton, who passed the state's first seat belt law in 1984, said the latest measure serves as a tribute to the late Rep. Mark Beaubien, a Republican from Barrington Hills who died in June shortly after shepherding the bill through the House.

Cullerton said he was surprised Beaubien was able to get the proposal through the House given past opposition to seat belt laws, but was happy to pick up the cause in the Senate.

"It's a very nice testament to know that your very last bill is one that is going to save lives," Cullerton said.

Another change will allow truck drivers outside of Cook County and the collar counties to drive 65 mph on four-lane divided highways, up from the current limit of 55 mph.

Supporters argue that allowing trucks to drive the same speed limit as cars will prevent accidents where faster-moving vehicles rear-end slower-moving trucks. Trucks already were allowed to travel 65 mph on rural highways under a measure Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law in 2009.

Meanwhile, motorcyclists will now be able to proceed through traffic lights that appear stuck on red after waiting for a "reasonable period of time."

Quinn had used his amendatory veto power to rewrite the legislation to require drivers to wait two minutes before traveling through the light, arguing the measure was "too subjective" as passed. Lawmakers rejected his changes. The law only applies to motorcyclists outside of Chicago.

Drivers who have repeatedly been caught operating a vehicle without insurance will face stiff fines beginning at $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense. Those who cause injury and have been convicted of driving without insurance at least twice face a $2,500 fine and possible jail time. The question is whether those who don't pay for insurance will be able to pay the fines.

Crime and punishment

Anyone buying commercial-grade hydrochloric or sulfuric acid will now be required to show photo identification and have their information entered into a state database. The measure is in response to attacks in which acid was thrown on Chicago women Karli Butler and Esperanza Medina, who were permanently scarred.

Advocates say the database will help authorities track down assailants. Businesses that regularly buy acid products would be exempt from having to register every time they make a purchase.

Another new registry is aimed at tracking those convicted of murder after they are released from prison. Dubbed "Andrea's Law," the measure is named in honor of murder victim Andrea Will, who was an Eastern Illinois University student when she was killed by ex-boyfriend Justin Boulay in 1998.

After completing 12 years of a 24-year sentence, Boulay was paroled from prison and moved to Hawaii with his new wife, a decision that angered Will's family and drew widespread criticism. The law would require those convicted of first-degree murder of an adult to register with the state for 10 years after they are released from prison. Those convicted of murdering a child or an adult because of sexual motivation would be required to register for life.

The database is similar to the state's registry for sex offenders, and will provide information such as name, photograph, address and place of employment.

People who create or are caught with films, videotapes or moving images of child pornography will face tougher penalties under a measure sponsored by Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale. Such a crime will now be a Class X felony, which could lead to increased jail time and fines of up to $100,000. That's more serious punishment than the penalties for photographing or possessing still pictures of child pornography.

Dillard said that's because moving pictures are "more provoking than still images" and could make sexual predators "more likely to act on their urges."

Jail time also is a possibility for someone caught pointing a laser into the cockpit of an airplane that is taking off, landing or in flight. The law is aimed at those ubiquitous laser pointers, which can blind pilots and put travelers at risk.

Anyone convicted of domestic battery no longer will be able eligible for a firearm owner's identification card, which is required to buy or possess a gun legally in Illinois. And those with orders of protection issued against them must give up their FOID cards for as long as the order stands.

In an attempt to keep up with ever-evolving technology, school boards will be allowed to suspend or expel students who make threats on the Internet against school employees, students or other personnel.

A tougher ban on synthetic marijuana also takes effect after loopholes in previous laws allowed shop owners to continue to sell the substance, which is often marketed as incense. Under the new law, it will become a felony to sell or possess fake pot. A similar ban took effect in Chicago this month.

Dogs, children and the environment

Shelters and animal control centers will be required to be more vigilant in helping reunite lost pets with owners by requiring the facilities to more carefully screen for microchips that contain identifying information.

Dogs and cats must now be scanned for the chips, which are implanted between the shoulder blades, at least once within 24 hours of arriving at a facility. A second scan is required before an animal can be adopted, moved to another facility or euthanized. Workers also must do a physical inspection to look for tags, tattoos or any other form of identification that could help locate an animal's owner.

The idea is to prevent animals from slipping through the cracks at busy facilities often staffed by volunteers. However, there's no enforcement mechanism to ensure shelters abide by the new rules, and many already have their own protocols, some of which are stronger than the law requires.

Employees of licensed child care facilities will be required to undergo additional training on how to prevent sudden infant death syndrome and sudden unexpected infant death. Caregivers will be required to complete training on safe sleep methods every three years. Previously, the state only recommended the training.

Police will now have a helping hand in locating children and adults with disabilities who go missing. A new law allows police to remotely activate high-tech bracelets that can pinpoint a person's whereabouts should they go missing.

A family member would first have to file a missing-persons report with police, who would then activate a bracelet, which will then dial 911 and provide location information. It previously had been illegal for the tracking devices to call 911.

A new $20 fee will be imposed for certain drug arrests, with the money being used to provide grants to help agencies collect and properly dispose of household pharmaceuticals. Police stations and city halls across the state will be able to house locked drop boxes for the medicine, in the hope that people will drop off unused drugs instead of throwing them away where they can seep into the water supply.

There's also a push to keep used electronics out of landfills through recycling. Among the banned items: TVs, computers, monitors, printers, DVD players, gaming systems, MP3 players and fax machines. The idea is to keep toxic materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and beryllium out of the soil and groundwater, according to the Environmental Law & Policy Center's Chicago office.

The Illinois secretary of state's office can now issue state identification cards that do not contain a photo of an applicant who has a religious objection to being photographed. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Adam Brown, R-Decatur, who said Amish leaders requested the change.

People with terminal illnesses who wish to hunt or fish in Illinois can receive waivers for fees and licenses, and children with terminal illnesses may now hunt outside of established seasons with the permission of the state's director of natural resources.

Cook County landlords will be required to change locks after a tenant moves out and before a new one moves in. If that does not happen and a theft occurs because of a failure to change the locks, the landlord can be held responsible for damages.

While Quinn is expected to sign a major pension abuse reform into law early next month, a different retirement system fix takes effect Sunday.

The law follows a series of Tribune articles exposing how some suburban officials used late-career pay boosts and perks to dramatically boost their pensions. The new law doesn't prohibit such spiking, but it requires municipalities to pay for it.

[email protected]

Twitter @moniquegarcia

___

(c)2011 the Chicago Tribune

Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services