Will County Gazette

State Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) is calling attention to the state’s nearly 300 new laws.

“New year, new laws,” Batinick posted on Facebook. “Here are some new Illinois laws to know in 2022.”

Batinick posted a link to The Caucus Blog list that highlights everything from addressing confidentiality for victims of human trafficking to lowering fees for trailer license plates.

Other new laws include Public Act 101-0001, which increases the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. In 2022, wage requirements will rise to $12 an hour for standard workers and $9.25 an hour for workers under the age of 18 who work less than 650 hours per calendar year and Senate Bill 1682, which amends the Pharmacy Practice Act and erases limits imposed on consumers looking to find out the retail price of brand name or generic prescription drugs.

Among the Veteran/Military legislation passed during the 2021 spring session is House Bill 20, which stipulates that “no registration fee for a Gold Star license plate shall be required of a surviving widow, widower, or parent of a deceased member of the Armed Forces if that member lost his or her life while in service while in wartime” and House Bill 1290, which expands “the state definition of honorable discharge to include veterans who were discharged due to sexuality or gender identity.”

According to military data, over 13,000 enlisted members of the LGBTQ community were discharged while the policy was in effect.

The new legislation opens the door for impacted veterans to upgrade their service records to an honorable status, thereby entitling them to benefits like medical care and a military burial.