New Year’s Day 2024 will ring in more than 300 new state laws, Rep. Tipsword said today.
“The new laws will cover a wide variety of issues including gun registration rules, minimum wage, and new protections against fentanyl overdose, just to name a few,” Rep. Tipsword said.
Despite ongoing legal challenges to the Illinois Democrats’ new gun ban and registration law, the law’s January 1 deadline remains in place for gun owners to register firearms and ammunition they currently own that are listed under the law. The Illinois State Police has been tasked with creating rules for the registration process and have provided registration information here.
Rep. Tipsword noted that the minimum wage in Illinois is also increasing on January 1. In 2023, the minimum wage for non-tipped Illinois workers has been $13.00 per hour. On New Year’s Day, it will automatically increase to $14.00 per hour. The minimum wage for tipped employees will go up from $7.80/hour to $8.40/hour. These increases are mandated by a schedule enacted within the Illinois Minimum Wage Law.
Other new laws you should know about include:
- Drivers will be prohibited from video conferencing while behind the wheel (HB 2431).
- Electronic cigarettes and vapes will be prohibited in public places and near building entrances (HB 1540).
- Utility companies will be prohibited from cutting off electric or gas service to residential customers when the temperature reaches 90 degrees (HB 1541).
- All new single and multi-family homes must include electric vehicle-capable parking, including the electric panel capacity and conduit needed for charging (SB 40).
- Children testifying in abuse cases will not have to confront their abusers in open court (HB 2607).
- Pharmacies and retail stores will be permitted to sell fentanyl test strips over the counter (HB3203), and schools will be required to have an opioid antagonist in secure locations where an opioid overdose may occur (HB 3428).
“It’s disappointing that with hundreds of new laws passed there were so many necessary fixes left on the table…most notably, serious changes we need to make to the Democrats’ disastrous Safe-T-Act. Over the past year criminals have been emboldened; and that puts our families and law enforcement at risk,” Rep. Tipsword said. “Our Truth in Public Safety Task Force held hearings throughout the state, and we filed two dozen bills to help restore public safety in our communities, and to support our police. Not one of the bills was allowed to even be debated in a House committee. In 2024 we must make crime illegal again in Illinois.”