New Illinois Laws 2020: Courts, Civil Rights

Professional Limited Liability Company Act (HB 88) - Lowers the annual interest rate on consumer debt judgments, valued at or below $25,000, from 9% to 5%.

Disputes Over Remains (HB 1455) - Requires disputes over the disposition of a decedent's remains to be resolved within 30 days.

Illinois Trust Code (HB 1471) - Creates Illinois Trust Code to consolidate existing statues and common law practices on trusts into one single act.

Juvenile Court-Special Immigrant Minor (HB 1553) - Changes various acts to allow for civil courts to make findings when determining the custody determination of a minor.

Amends the Illinois Notary Public Act (HB 2176) - Cracks down on notary fraud often targeted at Spanish-speaking communities by increasing fines and strengthening posting requirements.

Protective Orders - Suppress (HB 2309) - Provides that when various protective orders are filed against a person, they will not be made publicly available until the person they are regarding is served notice.

Removal of Private Compromising Images Act (HB 2408) - Creates the Removal of Private Compromising Images Act, which creates a private right of action against individuals for intentionally posting a compromising image of another online or the owners or operators of a website hosting the images.

Mortgage Act-Authorized Person (HB 2699) - It increases the coverage of the Mortgage Act to include persons authorized by the mortgagor, grantor, heir, legal representative, or assign.

Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month (HB 2832) - Dedicates the month of April of each year as Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month.

Juvenile Court-Service of Summons (HB 2934) - Provides that service under the Juvenile Court Act may be satisfied by leaving a copy of a summons and petition at the individual's usual place of abode with a family member or a person that is residing there.

Firearm Dealer-Repeal (HB 2935) - Allows for the court to vacate an appointment of counsel in a proceeding under the Juvenile Court Act.

Secretary of State Maintain List Notify ICC (HB 2992) - Makes changes to each of the five Business Organizations Acts for the Secretary of State.

Hotel-Casino Employee Safety (SB 75) - Sexual harassment, discrimination and ethics omnibus. Makes numerous changes to employment and civil rights laws to ensure that workers who experience sexual harassment and discrimination have a meaningful remedy under Illinois law.

Condos Default Written Notice (SB 220) - Provides that the IDHR can determine on a case-by-case basis whether to hold a fact-finding conference in housing cases and requires training in housing discrimination. The AG has 30 days to begin a civil action after IDHR has entered an administrative closure order on a case.

Court Reporters Act (SB 397) - Makes technical changes to the Court Reporters Act.
Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act - Disclosure of Address (SB 399) - Allows addresses to be omitted when documents are submitted to the courts during a child custody hearing if disclosure would risk abuse of the party or a family member.

Equitable Restrooms-All Gender (SB 556) - Requires single-occupancy restrooms in a public location to be identified as all-gender and designated for use by no more than one person at a time or for family or assisted use and requires exterior signage that marks the restroom as a restroom and does not indicate any specific gender.

Foreclosure Publication Notice (SB 1134) - If a notice of foreclosure cannot personally be served so a notice of foreclosure is served by publication, it is the duty of the clerk to mail to each defendant listed on the filed Affidavit for Service by Publication a copy of the published notice by first-class mail within ten days.

Civil Procedure Name Change Notice (SB 1191) - A person who wishes to change his or her name after a divorce does not have to provide notice by publication of the changed name or file a petition to change their name.

Juries-Unlawful Discrimination (SB 1378) - Prohibits anyone to be excluded from jury service on the basis of sexual orientation.

Evidence Immigration Act (SB 1429) - States that evidence of a person's immigration status is inadmissible in a civil proceeding unless it is essential to prove an element of case or is voluntarily given by the person.

Prepaid Burial Funds (SB 1464) - Outlines the timeline for when a funeral pre-need trust fund is considered abandoned and authorizes the transfer of presumably abandoned pre-need trust amounts to care funds held by the cemetery.

LLC - Inspection of Records (SB 1495) - If a company fails to provide information as demanded under law, then the person entitled to the request may file an action to compel accompany to provide the information and the company may be liable for court costs. Overrules Dass v. Yale 2013 IL App (1st) 122520.

Civil Remedies for Nonconsensual Dissemination of Private Sexual Images Act (SB 1507) - Creates the Civil Remedies for Nonconsensual Dissemination of Private Sexual Images Act, which allows victims of revenge porn to recover economic, non-economic, and punitive damages.

Civil Procedure-Prayer for Relief (SB 1526) - Provides that every count in every complaint must request specific remedies the party believes it should receive from the court.

Partition of Heirs Property(SB 1780) - Creates a civil rights violation for any person engaged in a real estate transaction that because of unlawful discrimination, familial status, or an arrest record does not act in good faith.

Source: Illinois State Democrats