Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed 59 laws into law on Friday, affecting a wide range of industries and topics, including education, health care, criminal justice, and employment.
More than four hundred and fifty bills were passed by the Illinois General Assembly during the spring session, which concluded in May. Some of the legislation that Pritzker has signed into law have been held at formal ceremonies, while others have been revealed in press releases.
A total of 36 legislation from the Senate and 23 from the House were reportedly signed by Pritzker’s office late Friday.
A long-awaited bill amending the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act has finally passed into law. Senate Bill 2979 would consolidate numerous infractions of BIPA into a single offense if perpetrated against the same person, and it would take effect immediately to broaden the meaning of written release to encompass electronic signatures. After multiple high-profile lawsuits were filed against employers, business groups pushed for these modifications.
Biometric information will continue to be secure, according to Illinois State Representative Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Bridgeview).
Rashid remarked, “But it adds much needed clarity that helps small businesses operate in a more predictable regulatory environment” when the proposal was enacted. “The passage of this measure will bring relief to many small business owners,” the speaker said.
Employees will be able to access their companies’ contracts, rules, handbooks, press releases, discrimination reports, and similar documents starting January 1, 2025, according to House Bill 3763.
In the realm of criminal justice, House Bill 4409 expands the number of members on an oversight board and gives Adult Redeploy Illinois greater leeway in how it distributes grant funds. When word got out that the Adult Redeploy Illinois program’s eligibility requirements would be changing, the measure’s passage was dogged by controversy. As of January 1st, the term “offender” will be replaced in the statute by “justice-impacted individuals.”
Illinois state Sens. Chicago Democrat Robert Peters Reps. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) and Steve McClure (R-Springfield) talk about a bill that would rename “offender” to “justice-impacted individual.”
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Legislation pertaining to education includes House Bill 307, which broadens the possibilities for student athletes in Illinois to get compensated. Starting from January 1st, that is effective.
Additionally, starting January 1, school districts will be able to provide children relaxation activities thanks to Senate Bill 2872.
Legislation, according to Beecher City Republican State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, will leave school districts open to litigation, similar to what happened in Chicago over a controversial transcendental meditation program.
“This is an extremely poor plan,” Wilhour remarked. Already, there have been instances of abuse of this kind. This exact problem has been paid for by the Chicago Public Schools.
With the implementation of Senate Bill 2934, hazing legislation will provide that, as of January 1, a victim’s consent or approval does not exempt the hazing offender from prosecution for hazing.
House Bill 4874, which will soon be a law affecting health care, makes it illegal for pharmacists to refuse to fill a legitimate opioid prescription just because the prescription is not prescribed electronically. That is immediately effective.
As of January 1, 2026, under Senate Bill 773, all state-regulated group insurance plans are required to cover in vitro fertilization procedures as well as yearly menopausal checkups. Insurance companies are obligated to cover brand-name pharmaceuticals in the event that there is a scarcity of the generic version, according to Senate Bill 2672, which takes effect on January 1, 2026.
Insurance must cover wigs worn due to alopecia, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment as of January 1, 2025, per Senate Bill 2573, which takes effect immediately.
Source: The Center Square