SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WLS) — A new year means more new laws in Illinois.
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More than 300 new Illinois laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025. They cover a range of topics, including catalytic converter thefts, online subscription cancellations, police training and EpiPen costs.
In addition to those new laws, the Illinois minimum wage will rise to $15 an hour starting Jan. 1., completing a wage increase Gov. JB Pritzker began during his first month in office in 2019.
Here are more new laws taking effect in Illinois in 2025.
‘Junk’ health insurance
Short-term, limited duration health insurance plans will be illegal in Illinois beginning Jan. 1. The plans, often called “junk insurance” by critics, do not meet the minimum standards of the federal Affordable Care Act.
The ban outlined in House Bill 2499 was part of Pritzker’s health insurance overhaul that lawmakers passed in the spring. It was aimed at reducing barriers to care for patients and making health care more affordable by expanding coverage requirements for insurance companies.
Short-term insurance plans are typically for people who have a lapse in health insurance coverage such as when they lose or change jobs, but they are different from COBRA benefits, which most employers are required to offer under federal law. Supporters of the bill argued the plans are deceptive and stick consumers with huge out-of-pocket costs, but others said the plans provide consumers with an affordable option to fill a gap in coverage.
Hearing aids at all ages
Another change to Illinois’ health-related laws, House Bill 2443 requires insurers to now cover medically prescribed hearing aids and services for individuals of all ages, ensuring access to essential care.
Affordable EpiPens
House Bill 3639 ensures life-saving epinephrine injectors are now capped at $60 per twin-pack, making allergy care more affordable.
AI regulations
New laws governing artificial intelligence take effect Jan. 1. It will be illegal to generate child pornography using AI, according to House Bill 4623. Supporters of the bill, including the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, said it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between real and AI-generated images. They said updating Illinois’ child pornography laws was a necessary to step allow law enforcement to identify and prosecute child pornography cases.
HB 4875 also adds new protections to prohibit using AI to recreate a person’s voice, image or likeness for commercial purposes without the person’s consent. Recording artists can seek damages for violations of the law.
Digital driver’s licenses
The secretary of state can begin creating a process to issue digital driver’s licenses and state IDs beginning in the new year after Pritzker signed House Bill 4592. Residents will still be required to receive a physical ID and agencies or private entities will not be required to accept digital IDs in place of physical IDs.
Providing a phone to police to show a digital ID also doesn’t give police consent to search a person’s cell phone.
Salary transparency
Employers with 15 or more employees must include information about benefits and the salary range on job postings, according to House Bill 3129. The law will also apply to businesses hiring for remote work positions in Illinois.
“When employers aren’t transparent about pay, gender and racial wage gaps widen, costing women and people of color valuable compensation,” Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said in a news release. “Illinois’ new Pay Transparency law is a resounding win for the working people who call our state home.”
Tracking catalytic converters, protecting DNA
HB 4589 says recyclable metals dealers must track vehicle and part information for catalytic converters to prevent illegal sales. The Chicago area regularly sees thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles, with crimes of that nature rising in the last few years.
Additionally, HB 1168 ensures DNA evidence collected from a person who is the victim of a crime in order to aid a criminal investigation cannot be entered into a DNA database.
Gym memberships and subscription renewals
HB 4911 requires gyms and fitness centers to accept multiple ways for people to cancel their membership. Physical fitness locations also must now allow customers to cancel their membership by email or online. Customers will also be allowed to submit written notice for canceling their membership by mail.
Meanwhile, SB 2764 requires businesses that offer a free trial or promotional period for their product or service notify customers at least three days before automatic subscription renewal at a paid rate. The law applies only to subscriptions longer than 15 days.
Politics and religion at work
Employees can’t be required to sit through work meetings discussing religion or politics starting Jan. 1. Senate Bill 3649, an initiative of the Illinois AFL-CIO, creates new protections for employees who skip out on such meetings and prevents employers from retaliating against them.
The law does not prohibit discussing religion or politics at work, but employees are not required to participate in the discussions if such activities are not part of their job. The law excludes non-profit and advocacy groups where politics or religion may be part of job.
Other new laws of note:
- HB 5561: Employees are protected from retaliation for exposing workplace practices they believe violate the law.
- SB 2654: Vehicles that are stolen and later towed will not incur storage fees if recovered within seven days, and owners can retrieve essential items, like medical devices and textbooks.
- SB 3201: Law enforcement will now be trained to better recognize and respond to individuals with autism.
- SB 3471: Illinois drivers can now request free replacement plates if their license plates are stolen.
- SB 3479: Businesses offering veteran or military benefit services for a fee must disclose all terms upfront.
New laws coming later in 2025
Pritzker’s signature health reform package goes into effect on Jan. 1, but most provisions don’t have to be implemented until the beginning of 2026. House Bill 5395 bans “step therapy,” which requires patients to try and fail treatments preferred by insurance companies before they can receive the treatment recommended by their doctor.
It also bans insurance companies from requiring prior authorization for emergency in-patient mental health treatment, requires insurers to keep up-to-date lists of in-network providers and expands the power of the Illinois Department of Insurance to regulate premium rates.
Many hotels in Illinois will no longer be allowed to provide customers with single-use plastic soap and shampoo beginning July 1 under Senate Bill 2960. The move is designed to cut down on waste from single-use products. The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association supported the change. Hotels with fewer than 50 rooms have until 2026 to make the change.
Click here for a full list of laws that take effect Jan. 1, 2025 in Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report
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