New Illinois Laws 2017: ETHICS, TRANSPARENCY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

More than 200 new Illinois laws scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1. Here are the new laws governing Ethics, Transparency and Local Government:

Ethics and Transparency

• SURS Union Pension Membership (SB 2155/PA 99-0691): Requires State Community College board to create an advisory committee for oversight.
• Community College Audits (SB 2159/PA 99-0694): Limits contract lengths for college and university presidents and chancellors to four years and limits severance packages to one year salary plus benefits.
• Higher Education Transparency ( (SB 2159/PA 99-0897): Overtime, living allowances and other types of extra payments to employees of colleges or universities do not count as part of base compensation for purpose of calculating pension.
• Indemnification/Tort Immunity ((SB 1102/ PA 99-0461): Prohibits the state or any local government from indemnifying or providing legal representation for any employee in a criminal proceeding arising out of the employee's government employment.
• Government Travel Expense Control Act ((HB 4379/PA 99-0604): Requires non-home run units of local government, school districts and community college districts to regulate travel expenses .

Government

• Amends Public Construction Bond Act. Provides that verified notice shall be deemed filed on the date personal services occurs or the date when (rather than where) the verified notice is mailed (HB 5660/PA 99-0673).
• Vital Records Act (HB 5775/PA 99-0675): Brings certain paternity acknowledgement/denial forms into compliance with federal data requirements (HB 5775/PA 99-0675).

• Allows local governments to consult a highway design publication outside of IDOT's bureau of local roads and streets manual (HB 6226/PA 99-0727.
• Realtor Continuing Education (HB 6245/PA 99-0728): Removes the restriction that managing brokers and brokers can earn no more than 6 hours of continuing education credit in one calendar day (HB 6245/PA 99-0728).
• Amends the Counties Code (SB 2833/PA 99-0739): Allows rulings related to violated county codes to be enforced by hearing officers (SB 2833/PA 99-0739).
• Eliminates the Center for Comprehensive Health Planning (HB 4517/PA 99-0527).
• Requires that health carriers submit reports to Director of Insurance by June 1 instead of March 1 (SB 2787/PA 99-0537).
• Allows US savings bonds to be declared abandoned after being unclaimed and unreedemed 5 years after final maturity and allows the treasurer to obtain a judicial determination that the bond has been reverted to the state (HB 5607/PA 99-0556).
• Provides no unlawful discrimination occur in the Illinois National Guard and clarifies duties of offices in the National Guard (HB 5756/PA 99-0557).
• Changes reporting requirements for Treasurer reporting warrants to Comptroller (SB 2260/PA 99-0562).
• Changes the statute of limitations for wrongful death claims (HB 6083/PA 99-0587).
• Requires DCFS to provide information on respite care, etc. when an investigation of alleged child abuse does not result in the placement of a child outside the home (HB 4327/PA 99-0599).
• Allows an association to correct any of its community instrument law inconsistencies by way of a two-thirds vote of the board of directors, without a membership vote (SB 2741/PA 99-0627).
• Makes changes to the Electrologist Licensing Act (SB 2984/PA 99-0632).
• Requires tax preparers to provide their PTIN on any return they prepared and filed with the Department of Revenue (HB 5527/PA 99-0641).
• Requires IDES to monitor the employment progress of minorities and women in the workforce; Requires nursing agencies to perform background checks on nurse aides through the Health Care Worker Registry; shall issue biennial report rather than annual (HB 5930/ PA 99-0652).
• Allows public bodies to have closed meetings when discussing subjects protected by patient privacy laws (SB 0384/PA 99-0687).
• Requires National Guard members to undergo pre and post-deployment testing for depleted uranium (HB 6123/PA 99-0719).
• Extends repeal date of River Edge Redevelopment Zone Act (SB 0321/PA 99-0733).
• Compels the executive director of a water reclamation district board to appoint an administrative services officer (SB 2533/PA 99-0736).
• Requires mortgagees to use the term "plaintiff" rather than "landlord" in an action brought by a mortgagee who assumes control of the residential real estate in foreclosure through state means (SB 3166/PA 99-0753).
• Allows specified counties to hold admin hearings for county or local gov ordinance violations under certain circumstances (SB 3284/PA 99-0754).
• Designates the second full week of April as National Public Safety Telecommunicators' Week, honoring 911 operators (HB 5018/PA 99-0808).
• Establishes a new type of license for organizations providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities (SB 2610/PA 99-0892).
• Requires HFS to create an algorithm to automatically assign Medicaid enrollees in a managed care entity (SB 2306/PA 99-0898).
• Creates a National Guard military justice system (SB 2861/PA 99-0796).
• Prohibits members of certain organizations from being considered an employee for purposes of collecting a pension benefit through IMRF, SURS or TRS (HB 4259/PA 99-0830).