Will County Gazette

Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. introduced HB2678 in the Illinois House on Feb. 4, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language providing that an owner may only apply for and receive 5 farm truck registrations, and only 2 of those 5 vehicles shall exceed 59,500 gross weight in pounds per vehicle. Provides instead that an owner may apply for and receive a total of 8 farm truck registrations; however, only 2 farm truck registrations may be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding farm truck registration (with a fee of $1,590 per vehicle registered) and the other 6 farm truck registrations must be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding flat weight taxes (with a fee of $2,890 per vehicle registered)."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill amends the Illinois Vehicle Code by altering regulations on farm truck registrations. It increases the number of farm truck registrations an owner can apply for from five to eight, with only two registrations permitted for trucks exceeding 77,001 pounds under farm truck registration provisions, carrying a fee of $1,590 per vehicle. The remaining six registrations must be under flat weight tax provisions, with a fee of $2,890 per vehicle. This change broadens the scope for farm vehicle registration, seemingly to accommodate larger farm operations or those requiring more heavy-weight vehicles.

Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr. has proposed another nine bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Lawrence "Larry" Waslh Jr. is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 86th House District. He replaced previous state representative Jack McGuire in 2012.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB2678	02/04/2025	Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Removes language providing that an owner may only apply for and receive 5 farm truck registrations, and only 2 of those 5 vehicles shall exceed 59,500 gross weight in pounds per vehicle. Provides instead that an owner may apply for and receive a total of 8 farm truck registrations; however, only 2 farm truck registrations may be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding farm truck registration (with a fee of $1,590 per vehicle registered) and the other 6 farm truck registrations must be registered as exceeding 77,001 pounds under provisions regarding flat weight taxes (with a fee of $2,890 per vehicle registered).
HB2519	02/03/2025	Amends the Civic Center Code. Provides that all contracts for the sale of property of the value of more than the small purchase maximum under the Illinois Procurement Code (rather than $10,000) shall be awarded to the highest responsible bidder, after advertising for bids. Provides that all construction contracts and contracts for supplies, materials, equipment and services, when the expense thereof will exceed the small purchase maximum under the Illinois Procurement Code (rather than $10,000), shall be let to the lowest responsible bidder, after advertising for bids except for specified circumstances. Makes conforming changes. Effective immediately.
HB1397	01/15/2025	Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Provides that quick-take powers may be used for a period of no more than 2 years after the effective date of the amendatory Act by Will County for the acquisition of certain described property for the purpose of road construction. Repeals the new provisions 3 years after the effective date. Effective immediately.
HB1364	01/14/2025	Amends the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority Act. Provides that the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority shall be abolished upon the last to occur of the following: (1) expiration of the 35-year (rather than 30-year) period that begins on the effective date of the Act; or (2) one year after all revenue bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the Authority have been fully paid and discharged or otherwise provided for. Provides that, upon the abolition of the Authority, all of its rights and property shall pass to and be vested in Will County (rather than the State).
HB1296	01/13/2025	Amends the Fire Department Promotion Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
HB1297	01/13/2025	Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning downstate firefighters.
HB1298	01/13/2025	Amends the Fire Department Promotion Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning definitions.
HB1299	01/13/2025	Amends the Illinois Pension Code. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning downstate firefighters.
HB1300	01/13/2025	Amends the Fire Protection District Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning annexation of territory.
HB1307	01/13/2025	Amends the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that if a full-time firefighter or firefighter/paramedic employed by a city, village, incorporated town, or township that meets certain requirements is not eligible to participate in a retirement fund created under the Downstate Firefighters Article of the Code, then he or she is eligible to participate, as a sheriff's law enforcement employee, under the IMRF Article of the Code. Specifies survivor and occupational disease disability benefits that are available to the qualifying firefighters. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.