13 2020 New Laws In Illinois To Know For The New Year

There are many 2020 new laws that have gone into effect this year, and they’re worth knowing about. Illinois is making some changes for the better, and you’ll want to be aware of them. Scroll on for more details.

All kennels for cats and dogs that are not staffed 24/7 must be equipped with an alarm or a sprinkler system in case of a fire.

flickr/Robert van Rijn

Minimum wage is rising for the first time since 2010 in the state of Illinois. Beginning January 1, 2020, the rate increased to $9.25 per hour, and it will go up again in July to $10 per hour.

flickr/401(K) 2012

Insurance companies will be required to cover the cost of EpiPens for patients under the age of 18.

Flickr/Tony Webster

Insurance companies will also be required to cover diagnostic mammograms, which is any necessary test outside of a patient’s preventative check-up.

Wikimedia Commons/Rhoda Baer

Sex education courses for grades 6 through 12 will be required to have age-appropriate discussions about the meaning of consent.

flickr/Jason Taellious

One of the 2020 new laws will require that both male and female restrooms have a baby changing station available.

flickr/Mike Mozart

Going forward, it will be required that all single-occupancy restrooms will be designated as all-gender bathrooms rather than as being for males and females.

Wikimedia Commons/Kaldari

Beginning this year, Illinois residents will have the option of identifying as non-binary on their state IDs.

Wikimedia Commons/Kye Rowan

Quickly and swiftly, the Land of Lincoln became the land of the free once again when it legalized marijuana, pardoning 11,000 weed convictions, and raking in more than $3.2 million in sales on the first day alone.

pxfuel This new law is especially hopeful for making Illinois a better place as the money being earned from sales is going back into our communities and many licenses are going to people of color to promote entrepreneurship in marginalized neighborhoods.

The penalty for hitting a worker in a construction zone has increased exponentially from $10,000 to $25,000.

flickr/Yellowstone National Park

The fine for passing a school bus has risen this year as well, doubling to $300 for the first offense and $1,000 for the second.

Pixabay/Hreisho

Those awaiting trial at Cook County jail are getting their voting rights back. There will be a temporary polling station set up there as well as vote-by-mail opportunities in place for those being held pre-trial at other county detention centers.

Google/Brendon Lombardi

Several new laws protecting children under the care of DCFS and in foster care are also in place this year and include extra check-ups, opportunities for those in the system to leave feedback, and requirements for reporting abuse.

Robins AFB/Sue Sapp

For more like this, check out these 10 silly laws in Illinois.