Minimum wage up to $11 per hour
By JEFF LAMPE
Weekly Post Staff Writer
Despite COVID-19 restrictions that limited the Illinois General Assembly to four days of meetings last spring, there are new laws of note that take effect on Jan. 1, 2021.
• The minimum wage in Illinois increases from $10 to $11 per hour, the third increase in a plan that will boost the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025.
• Thanks to House Bills 246/2265, public school students will learn about the roles and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community while middle schoolers will receive a semester of civics education.
• HB 2386 stipulates that drivers involved in an accident that causes injury to someone will face a minimum fine of $1,000 and could have their license revoked.
• Another bill impacting drivers is SB 1786, which stipulates that failure to pay a fine for a non-moving violation will no longer result in loss of a driver’s license. The idea is you can’t pay a parking ticket or toll if you can’t drive to work.
• With the passage of SB 667, Illinois is now the second state to control payments for prescription insulin, capping out-of-pocket costs for patients at $100 for a 30-day supply.
• Under HB 2818, survivors of sexual assault or stalking can apply to keep their addresses confidential.
• HB 2708 sets up a process under which law enforcement officers can use DNA to try to locate and identify missing persons.
