SPRINGFIELD –  As the new year starts, a number of new laws will take effect. Over 300 new laws will officially be on the books Jan. 1 – from one that makes Illinois the first state in the nation to prohibit the banning of books, to another that waives pet adoption fees for our nation’s heroes.

The Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus outlined 10 of the most interesting laws that will take effect Jan. 1. Those include:

• House Bill 2789: Prohibits state-funded libraries from banning or removing materials due to religious or partisan disapproval
• House Bill 1541: Prohibits utility companies from discontinuing gas or electric services for residential users due to nonpayment of bills on days when the temperature exceeds 90 degrees or there is a heat watch, advisory or warning
• House Bill 2389: Clarifies that no vehicle can be stopped or searched solely on the basis of any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield that may obstruct the driver’s view
• House Bill 2245: Requires Illinois car manufacturers to establish a vehicle theft hotline to facilitate the location of stolen vehicles via their existing global positioning systems
• House Bill 3924: Requires high schools to teach students about the dangers of fentanyl in all state-required health courses
• House Bill 1540: Prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes in public places and within 15 feet of entrances
• House Bill 3516: Allows employees up to 10 days of paid leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ donor
• House Bill 2431: Provides people operating a motor vehicle may not use an electronic device to participate in video conferences or access social media sites
• Senate Bill 380: Provides a civil cause of action for fertility fraud against health care providers who knowingly or intentionally use their own human reproductive material without the patient’s informed written consent for assisted reproductive treatment
• House Bill 2500: Requires animal shelters and animal control facilities to waive the adoption fee for military veterans in Illinois

Dozens of other laws will also take effect Jan. 1, 2024. A full list can be found at https://www.illinoissenatedemocrats.com/2024NewLaws.