Corn Is King, Barack Obama Day, Food Handling, And 11 Other New Laws In Illinois

New laws in Illinois became effective 01/01/2018 and range from corn recognition to Barack Obama Day to food handling certification. These are 14 (of several) new laws for the Land of Lincoln.

• Makes corn the official State Grain of the State of Illinois.
• Allows motorists to pass bicyclists in no‐passing zones and allows bicyclists to drive on the shoulder.
• Allows an individual to change their sex designation on their birth certificate without undergoing a gender transition.
• Allows the Secretary of State to electronically verify auto insurance policies.
• Allows for the electronic delivery of auto insurance documents.
• Provides that consent protections for minors also apply to services performed by chiropractic physicians and licensed optometrists.
• Requires prisons to allow inmates to receive visitors in person or via video teleconference, with some exceptions for behavior.
• Removes the requirement that a psychiatrist be in the same room as a patient, thus allowing the use of treatment via teleconference.
• Bars health insurance companies from denying coverage to Illinoisans with pre‐existing conditions.
• Removes the statute of limitations on prosecution for aggravated DUI causing death.
• Eliminates a redundant food handling certificate from the state.
• Designates August 4 of each year as Barack Obama Day in honor of our 44th POTUS, to be celebrated throughout the state.
• Allows pet owners to create partial or joint custody for pets upon dissolution of a marriage.
• Bans African and Asian elephants in circuses and traveling animal acts.

The full list of new laws in Illinois can be found here.