New Illinois Laws for January 1, 2015 –

SPRINGFIELD, IL. (ECWd) –

I have attached the list of new and changed laws from the IL. GA website.

A couple changes that interest us include:

—HB 4208 – Expands county ethics laws to include people appointed by members of county boards
Section 5. The <span style="text-decoration: underline;">State Officials and Employees Ethics Act</span> is amended by changing Section 70-20 as follows:
(5 ILCS 430/70-20)
Sec. 70-20. Members appointed by a county. In addition to any other applicable requirement of law, any member of a governmental entity appointed by the president or chairperson of the county board, or by any member or members of the county board, with or without the advice and consent of the county board, shall abide by the ethics laws applicable to, and the ethics policies of, that county and, if applicable, shall be subject to the jurisdiction of that county's ethics officer or inspector general.(Effective Date: 1/1/2015)

—HB 4216 – Makes it a crime (felony) in intentionally and unlawfully hide or destroy public records

Local Records Act:

<span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">Sec. 4. </span> <span style="font-family: Courier New; font-size: small;">All public records made or received by, or under the authority of, or coming into the custody, control or possession of any officer or agency shall not be mutilated, destroyed, transferred, removed or otherwise damaged or disposed of, in whole or in part, except as provided by law. Any person who knowingly, without lawful authority and with the intent to defraud <span style="text-decoration: underline;">any party</span>, public officer, or entity, alters, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">destroys</span>, defaces, removes, <span style="text-decoration: underline;">or conceals</span> any public record <span style="text-decoration: underline;">commits a Class 4 felony</span>.(eff. 1-1-15)</span>

Looks to me like this puts more teeth into the Freedom Of Information Act – because refusing to provide public records that must be provided, is concealing those records from the public…or “any party”.

—Commercial Fishing License (HB 4277/PA 98-0898): Allows veterans and blind or disabled residents to fish with commercial devices without holding a sports fishing license during valid fishing seasons.

—Barbering Licensure (HB 4790/PA 98-0911): Brings barbering as a profession to the same oversight standards as cosmetology.

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View the other changes below:

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