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COOK COUNTY RECORD

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Legislation News

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Legislation

List of weapons regulated by Protect Illinois Communities Act; Registration required by Jan. 1

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
The registry for Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s weapons ban opened on Oct. 1; and, unless the Constitutional challenges are successful, all newly regulated firearms must be registered by Jan. 1.

Legislation

New IL anti-doxing law could be used by 'powerful' to silence critics with lawsuits, threats

By John Sammon |
Supporters say a new Illinois law is needed to give people the recourse to go after those who might 'dox' them, or publish their private info online with the intent to make them a target of hate, threats and harassment. Critics say it goes far beyond that

Legislation

New IL law opens employers, others to risk of massive punitive damages in wrongful death cases; Law could face challenges

By Michael Carroll |
HB219, signed by Pritzker, is another controversial state law that appears to have been enacted while ignoring by Democratic state lawmakers who ignored constitutional rules governing how laws must be approved

Legislation

IL lawmakers OK law to force Illinoisans who wish to challenge state laws, official actions to only file suit in Chicago or Springfield

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The law would restrict lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of state laws and actions by Gov. JB Pritzker and other state officers to courts in Cook County and Sangamon County. It could yet, in turn, also be challenged as unconstitutional, critics say

Legislation

IL lawmakers poised to expand ability of personal injury plaintiffs to demand bigger paydays in wrongful death suits

By Jonathan Bilyk |
Legislation backed by Illinois' powerful trial lawyers has moved rapidly to approval in Springfield. The new law would allow plaintiffs to demand punishing punitive damages from most private companies in personal injury lawsuits alleging wrongful death, while exempting governments and other favored entities from the same risk

Legislation

Federal suit challenging ‘assault weapons’ ban filed in Southern District; Suit: Banned guns do not meet ‘dangerous’ or ‘unusual’ threshold

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
A St. Clair County veteran joined a group of nonprofit organizations and two gun stores in their legal battle against state and local officials for having the authority to enact House Bill 5471, which bans “assault weapons” and “high capacity” magazines.

Legislation

Illinois gun ban bill advances, poised to pass before end of lame-duck

By Greg Bishop, The Center Square |
Illinois lawmakers are moving forward with a proposed ban on future sales of certain semi-automatic guns and magazines with more than 12 rounds.

Legislation

'Truth in Politics' bill would criminalize 'false' political advertising; Plummer calls it an assault on free speech

By The Cook County Record |
A bill that criminalizes "libel and defamation" in Illinois political advertising has State Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) calling the proposal an attack on the right to free speech.

Legislation

Fourth District Appellate Court affirms Cadagin's dismissal of judicial subcircuit challenge

By Heather Isringhausen Gvillo |
The Fourth District Appellate Court affirmed Sangamon County Circuit Judge Ryan Cadagin’s order dismissing a lawsuit challenging the controversial judicial subcircuit law, finding that the Illinois Constitution does not prohibit the legislature from eliminating countywide judicial elections.

Legislation

IL legislation would OK 'predatory lending practices' in third-party lawsuit funding, boost costs for all, biz groups warn

By Jonathan Bilyk |
SB1099, the so-called Consumer Legal Funding Act, would produce even more lawsuits, that take longer to settle, while allowing lawsuit investors to charge 18% interest rates, assessed every 6 months, to people borrowing money to fund lawsuits, business groups say

Legislation

Lawsuit lenders say biz opposition to regulation law 'disingenuous' effort to block lawsuit lending in IL

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A trade association representing lawsuit lenders in Illinois says business groups' push for greater transparency and disclosure rules for lawsuit lending would unfairly harm plaintiffs

Legislation

Constitutional challenge may thwart new law banning out of state and anonymous contributions to judicial candidates

By Ann Maher |
A new Illinois law prohibiting judicial candidates from accepting out-of-state and so-called "dark money" anonymous contributions is being called unconstitutional by a First Amendment advocacy group.

Legislation

'Why risk it?' Steep hikes in penalties under new IL law could prompt employers to reevaluate policies, perks

By Jonathan Bilyk |
New legislation would increase penalties Illinois employers face in certain employment lawsuits by 150%

Legislation

Lake County chief judge: No one 'made any requests' for lawmakers to redraw the county's judicial lines

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The origin and purpose of new legislation to redistrict Lake County's court system remains shrouded in questions, as the county's chief judge says it wasn't needed to solve any problems.

Legislation

Politicizing courts is 'last thing we should be doing in dark of night,' GOP senator says; Meier says 'very bad bill' intended to pack St. Clair Co

By Ann Maher |
SPRINGFIELD - A bill redrawing judicial circuits in the Metro-East and Chicago suburbs passed the Illinois Senate at 3 a.m. on June 1, without public hearing or input from stakeholders.

Legislation

Pritzker has days to take action on pre-judgment interest bill opponents say will drive up costs of goods, services

By Ann Maher |
Governor JB Pritzker has a May 31 deadline to take action on a bill that would allow plaintiffs in lawsuits accusing hospitals, health care providers and other businesses and defendants of personal injuries or wrongful death to collect interest calculated from the time the lawsuit was filed, not just from the time judgment was entered.

Legislation

IL lawmakers OK revised law allowing prejudgment interest in personal injury cases; Biz groups still fear huge costs

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The measure establishes 6% prejudgment interest in personal injury lawsuits, and was still opposed by Illinois doctors, manufacturers and others who fear it will hammer businesses with inflated costs from lawsuits.

Legislation

Courts faced with deciding ‘absurd’ damages under BIPA, while lawmakers ponder the cure

By Steve Korris |
CHICAGO – The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals must decide whether years of failure to protect privacy of biometric data should count as a violation of Illinois law worth $1,000 or many violations that could add up to $1 million.