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New laws for 2006 Cracking down on the illegal manufacture
of the dangerous street drug methamphetamine, better protecting
consumers from the devastating financial effects of identity theft,
and strengthening registration laws for convicted sex offenders are
among the hundreds of new laws that take effect in January.
Senate Bill 273 limits the purchase of cold medicines containing
the powder form of pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient used to make
methamphetamine, and requires individuals to show identification and
sign a log when purchasing these medicines. Senate Bill 273 further
prohibits anyone younger than 18 from buying medicines that contain
pseudoephedrine.
The new Illinois law is based on a similar law in Oklahoma. Only
two months after pseudoephedrine controls were enacted in Oklahoma,
the number of meth laboratories in that state dropped by 50 percent,
and by 80 percent eight months later. Other states -- including
Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kentucky -- have had similar
results. The new law takes effect Jan. 15.
Other meth-related laws take effect Jan. 1.
House Bill 3507 provides that meth restitution be made to cover
costs incurred by local law enforcement agencies and public agencies
in securing a meth site.
House Bill 3504 provides for an additional $100 fine if a person
is found guilty of a meth-related offense.
Several new laws taking effect Jan. 1 seek to protect consumers
from identity theft and make it easier to prosecute those who steal
personal information.
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Senate Bill 445 prohibits state universities and community
colleges from printing an individual's Social Security number on any
document that is required to access services.
House Bill 1565 makes it illegal to use hardware or software
that can decipher encrypted information from bar codes on driver's
licenses or identification cards.
House Bill 457 eliminates the statute of limitations for
prosecuting identity theft.
House Bill 2700 allows people charged with identity theft to be
tried in any county where the offense occurred or the victim
resides.
House Bill 1058 allows a victim of identity theft to place a
security freeze on his or her credit report.
Making sure more sex offenders register with local police is the
purpose of a new law that tightens the regulations of the Illinois
Sex Offender Registry and increases penalties for those offenders
who do not comply with registration requirements.
Senate Bill 1234 also requires the registering local law
enforcement agency to provide a copy of the completed sex offender
registration form to the principal of the school in which a juvenile
sex offender is enrolled. Under the previous law, juvenile sex
offenders were registered with local police, but their information
was not disclosed on the Sex Offender Registry and the law had not
provided for any direct notification to schools.
Happy holidays!
On behalf of my family and the staff at my legislative and
business offices, I wish you and yours a "Happy New Year!" The 44th
District update will return in 2006.
[From
Sen. Bill Brady] |
