Business & Work

In 2024, the Illinois legislature passed a lot of important bills. The Governor signed over 425 bills into law. This article lists just a few of those laws. They all take effect on January 1, 2025, unless otherwise noted. 

Family & Safety

SB 3232: provides that if a person who gave up a newborn infant wants to get the child back within 30 days after the child was given to a hospital, the hospital must give that person the name and contact information of the child welfare agency who now has custody of the infant, similar to the policy police and fire departments follow. Learn more about using the Safe Haven law to give up a child. 

School & Education

HB 4175: prohibits the use of corporal and physical punishment in all Illinois schools, with exceptions for specific restraints to prevent a student from imminent harm to themselves or others. Learn more about students’ rights in school. 

Health & Benefits

SB 3203: limits the cost of prescription inhalers to $25 for a 30-day supply. Health insurance providers cannot limit or deny To refuse or say no coverage for prescription inhalers. These requirements will take effect on January 1, 2026, and apply to health insurance plans under the Illinois Insurance Code.

SB 2442: amends the Fair Patient Billing Act. If a hospital finds that an uninsured patient is eligible for public health insurance, the hospital must provide the patient with information about how to apply. Learn more about dealing with hospital bills.

Access to reproductive healthcare

HB 4867: amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to protect a person’s freedom from unlawful discrimination in making reproductive health care decisions.

HB 5239: prohibits the state from giving information to a person or entity trying to impose civil or criminal liability on a person for lawful health care activity. This change went into effect on August 7, 2024. 

HB 0581: reinforces that hospitals must provide emergency services for injuries or acute medical conditions, including pregnancy, pregnancy loss, and related health conditions. Stabilizing treatment may include abortion care when necessary to resolve the patient’s injury or acute medical condition that is likely to cause death or severe injury or illness. This change went into effect on August 7, 2024.

These changes strengthen Illinois’ protections for access to reproductive healthcare. Learn more about abortion law and your abortion rights in Illinois.

Business & Work

SB 3310: extends the timeline to file a charge under the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) from 300 calendar days to 2 years. Violations of the IHRA could include employment discrimination or discrimination in public places. This amendment to the IHRA does not cover violations under the real estate Property consisting of land or buildings like a house or an apartment transactions article. Learn more about filing claims about employment discrimination and discrimination in public spaces under the IHRA.

SB 3646: updates child labor laws in Illinois. Learn more about the Illinois Child Labor Law of 2024 and working as a child. 

SB 3650: amends the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act. Requires that workers who are assigned to a third-party A person or business involved in a court case in a role like plaintiff, petitioner, defendant, respondent, or intervenor. client for more than 720 hours in the same 12-month period be paid the same as a similar direct-hire employee at the company for the same or similar work. This law change went into effect on August 9, 2024. Learn more about day and temporary laborer rights. 

HB 3129: amends the Equal Pay Act of 2003. Requires employers with 15 or more employees to include the pay scale and benefits in any job posting. Learn more about job applicant rights. 

SB 3649: enacts the Illinois Worker Freedom of Speech Act. This law ensures that employees do not have to attend meetings about their employer’s views on religious and political matters, including union membership. Employees should not be intimidated, retaliated against, disciplined, or fired for choosing not to participate in these meetings. Learn more about worker rights, unions, and collective bargaining. 

SB 3208: amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. Requires employers to keep a record of pay stubs for at least three years after the pay date. Requires employers, upon request, to provide copies of an employee or former employee’s (within a year of leaving the job) pay stubs within 21 days. Learn more about getting paid. 

SB 2960: provides that beginning July 1, 2025, hotels with 50 or more rooms may not provide small single-use plastic bottles containing shampoo and other personal care items. This law applies to hotels with less than 50 rooms beginning January 1, 2026. The law defines small plastic bottles as bottles under 6 ounces that are not intended to be used more than once. 

HB 2161: amends the Illinois Human Rights Act. Says that it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against or harass an employee for their family responsibilities. Learn more about where to report workplace discrimination. 

Crime & Traffic

SB 3201: requires the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board to develop or approve a course to help law enforcement officers identify and respond appropriately to individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

SB 3771: amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act to allow an exonerated person who was wrongfully convicted of a crime to share their unused four years of college financial assistance with their spouse or child.

Juvenile expungement 

HB 5465: provides that victims of human trafficking Involves the use of force or coercion to make someone participate in forced labor or a commercial sex act, or luring them into participating if they are under 18. who are adjudicated delinquent A finding for an act committed by a juvenile for which an adult could be prosecuted in a criminal court. Delinquent acts can include drug offenses and crimes against persons, property, and public order. for a crime related to their trafficking situation can petition (noun) A written request to a court (verb) To request from a court the court to vacate and expunge To physically remove someone's name from a legal record. or seal their juvenile court Any court that has jurisdiction over matters involving juveniles. and law enforcement records after completing their juvenile court sentence.

SB 3463: provides that if a minor A person under 18 years old is adjudicated for an offense that qualifies for automatic expungement, the juvenile court must schedule a date to issue the expungement order when the sentence ends or the minor is sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice. The minor will be notified of the court date but does not need to be present when the expungement is ordered.

Learn more about juvenile expungement. 

Youth vaping prevention

SB 2662: provides that manufacturers are prohibited from marketing e-cigarettes in a way that could mislead people into thinking they are not tobacco products.

SB 3098: prohibits the shipment of e-cigarettes ordered online or by mail to anyone under 21 years old.

Learn more about the smoking laws in Illinois.

Illinois drivers

SB 3775: if you're in a crash that results in injuries, death, damages over $1,500 (or $500 if uninsured), or involves a school bus, you must report it to law enforcement as quickly as possible or your license may be suspended. Learn more about what to do when a car accident happens.

HB 5370: requires drivers to yield the right of way by moving to another lane when approaching an emergency scene, a stopped emergency vehicle, or a construction zone if it is safe to do so. If changing lanes isn’t safe, drivers must slow down and keep a safe distance until they pass.

SB 0275: starting January 1, 2027, eligible drivers can apply for an 8-year license for $60. Learn more about how to get a driver’s license.

HB 4592: establishes guidelines for the Illinois Secretary of State to offer residents a digital version of their driver’s license or state ID, in addition to the physical version. You will still need to show your physical license or ID if law enforcement asks for it. 

Artificial intelligence

HB 4623: expands child pornography laws to include content created by artificial intelligence and bans sharing sexually explicit images created with AI without consent When someone gives permission for someone else to do something .

HB 4762: makes certain agreements unenforceable if they allow for the use of a person’s digital voice or likeness without a clear, detailed explanation of the intended uses and without the individual having legal representation or union support during negotiations. This law went into effect on August 9, 2024.

HB 4875: protects individuals from having their voice, image, or likeness duplicated by AI for commercial purposes without consent. 

Opioid overdoses

SB 3350: amends the Substance Use Disorder Act to create programs to distribute fentanyl test strips to prevent overdoses.

SB 3779: provides that licensed social workers can possess and administer opioid antagonists, which help with opioid overdoses.

HB 5028: starting July 1, 2025, provides that the state can train its employees in the use and administration of opioid antagonists as well as provide the treatment in an effort to help with opioid overdoses. The employees cannot later be held civilly liable if they give the treatment.

Courts & Hearings

HB 4351: amends the Code of Civil Procedure Rules a party must follow when they are participating in a lawsuit to remove the need to request court approval when using a licensed private process server Someone other than a sheriff who serves a summons to deliver legal documents. If the person serving the documents is not licensed (for example, a private citizen over 18 who is not part of the case), you must still ask the court for permission. Learn more about serving a summons. 

Money & Debt

SB 2764: strengthens the Illinois consumer protection rules for automatic renewals. Businesses offering a free trial When the issues of a case are heard in court and decided by a judge or jury that lasts more than 15 days and automatically renews as a paid product must provide notice to their customers at least 3 days before the renewal.

HB 4911: amends the Physical Fitness Services Act and provides that gym membership cancellations may be made online if purchased online and by email if an email address is provided in the contract. Notices may still be sent by certified or registered mail at the address specified in the contract.

House & Apartment

HB 4206: provides that for leases signed after January 1, 2025, landlords who use a third-party payment portal that charges a fee to collect rental payments must allow tenants to pay with cash or check instead.

HB 4768: creates the Landlord An owner of property who rents it out to a tenant Retaliation Punishing a person for doing something that is legally protected Act. This Act strengthens protections for tenants who fear retaliation for exercising their legal rights by creating clear remedies that address the harm if a landlord does retaliate. Landlords can still take legal action against tenants for legitimate, non-retaliatory reasons.

SB 2740: amends the Condominium Property Act to require boards to adopt policies that will promote the availability of accessible parking spaces for tenants with disabilities.