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Florida State continues torrid star with rout of UMassTo subscribe, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To pitch a ‘My Turn’ guest column, email jdalessio@news-gazette.com . Want to purchase today’s print edition? Here’s a map of single-copy locations. Sign up for our daily newsletter here It’s what’s not in any of the nearly 300 pieces of legislation about to become law in the Land of Lincoln that irks Mahomet Republican state Sen. Chapin Rose to no end. “What should have become law is (Champaign Democratic) Senator ( Paul ) Faraci 's and my bill to protect the Mahomet Aquifer from carbon sequestration,” Rose said Friday for the umpteenth time since a plan to ban the practice fell flat in Springfield last month, putting the sole source of drinking water for hundreds of thousands of central Illinoisans at risk. Plenty of other bills, on topics ranging from corporal punishment to catalytic converters, cleared both the House and Senate and will soon take effect statewide. Here’s an overview, winners and losers, style from Editor JEFF D'ALESSIO . The ‘Fight for $15’ is over — starting Wednesday, legislation signed six years ago by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will take full effect, with Illinois’ minimum wage increasing by $1 an hour. WINNER: Minimum-wage workers Come Wednesday, only Washington state ($16.66), California ($16.50), Connecticut ($16.35) and New York ($15.50 to $16.50) will guarantee workers a higher hourly rate than Illinois’ $15. It’s the seventh (and final scheduled) raise in six years in Illinois, part of a staggered scale put in motion in 2019 by then-new Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who raised the state’s minimum wage from $8.25 to $9.25 in 2020, by 75 cents six months later and by a buck on every New Year’s Day since. To help small businesses with 50 or fewer employees get by, the state provides a tax credit through 2027 for wages paid to minimum-paid workers. For too long, insurance companies asked Illinoisans to fail first — denying or delaying necessary treatment for profit. No longer is that the case. Today, I'm proud to sign into law the Healthcare Protection Act that puts power back into the hands of patients and their doctors. pic.twitter.com/cx9Njcvwtu LOSER: Health-insurance providers No industry received as many mentions on the laundry list of new laws in the Land of Lincoln than health insurers. Among the new must-covers for insurance companies doing business in Illinois: medically prescribed hearing aids for all (not just those under 18); medically necessary prosthetics or custom orthotic devices; at-home pregnancy tests; genetic cancer screenings for high-risk patients; annual prostate-cancer screenings, cervical smears and Pap smears; and mental-health care for first responders. The state also put limits on the total price of medically necessary epinephrine injectors ($60 or less for a two-pack) and life-saving inhalers ($25 for a 30-day supply). WINNER: Stressed-out students Senate Bill 2872 gives schools the option of dedicating 20 minutes a week to activities aimed at reducing students’ anxiety and prioritizing their mental and physical health. Like yoga, for one. Stretching. Meditation. Quiet time. There’s just one catch, area superintendents say. “One of the main issues will be where to find the time in the day for an extra 20 minutes,” Villa Grove’s Carol Munson says. Carol Munson “We know that brain breaks, or what this law calls relaxation time, is important,” acknowledges Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley’s Jeremy Darnell , adding that his district already carves out time daily for P.E. and recess for all K-8 students. “The amount of time and structure of activity is variable according to development needs by age, but we do believe that play and relaxation are important. Jeremy Darnell "To many people, carving out 20 minutes of time seems simple but spanning 14 years of age difference with anything mandated is actually quite difficult. Legislation like this is well-intended, along with the countless other mandates that come out of the General Assembly, but the school day is still only seven hours and every mandate carves time away from something else.” Cute little bottles of shampoo and other toiletries are being phased out by hotels across the country, including Illinois. LOSER: Travelers who don’t pack toiletries Here’s one less thing the staff at Urbana's Hotel Royer will have to deal with when it opens on who-knows-what-date: SB 2960 prohibits establishments from providing those mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash and other personal-care products often found in guests’ bathrooms. The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association backed the bill, which is designed to cut down on waste from single-use plastic products. It takes effect on July 1, 2025 for hotels with 50 or more rooms and on Jan. 1, 2026 for hotels with less than 50. WINNER: Those who chose “lose 25 pounds” for a New Year’s resolution, only to lose steam by February The good news: That one-year gym membership you signed up for will be easier to get out of at this time next year, thanks to House Bill 4911. It mandates that all gyms and fitness centers must allow customers to cancel their memberships by email or online. Another consumer-friendly change that kicks in on New Year’s: Businesses that lure in customers via free trials or promotional periods must notify them at least three days before their subscription is automatically renewed at the paid rate. A pile of stolen catalytic converters. LOSER: Catalytic converter thieves Best of luck finding a recycler to buy your stolen loot after Tuesday. In an effort to curb a trend that was already on the decline, sellers will be required to provide a vehicle title that proves ownership and dealers must keep records of every vehicle title and identification number from which the part was taken. This 80-foot majestic green ash at 604 W. Pennsylvania Ave. is among the trees that earned "legacy" status in Urbana. WINNER: Trees Taking a cue from Urbana — a proud Tree City USA designee every year since the mid-‘70s — the state signed off on its own Legacy Tree Program, which includes a task force that “shall establish recommendations to promote the identification, awareness, commemoration and preservation of significant trees within the state.” LOSER: Paddle-wielding private school principals Believe it or not, corporal punishment is still permissible in private schools in all but a handful of states. The exceptions: Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and now Illinois, courtesy an edit to HB 4175. It amends Illinois School Code to expressly prohibit employees at nonpublic schools from engaging in "slapping or paddling a student, the prolonged maintenance of a student in a physically painful position or the intentional infliction of bodily harm on a student." WINNER: Child actors No more 12-hour shoots for 12-year-olds with two lines in a network pilot. Illinois' Child Labor Law of 2024 puts limits on how many hours in a 24-hour day a child is permitted to work and be on set of a TV, movie or related entertainment production. The on-set limits, broken down by age: two hours for babies between 15 days and six months; four hours for seven months to 2 years; five hours for ages 3-5; seven hours for ages 6-8 if it’s a school day (eight hours if not); and nine hours for ages 9-15. Kam Cox LOSER: Fans who long for the old days of college athletics For an explanation of HB 307 — the latest twist in name, images and likeness and a win for student-athletes — we turned to the area’s foremost authority on the topic: Kam Cox , assistant athletic director for strategic initiatives at the University of Illinois. The bill’s main purpose, he says, “was to realign Illinois law with the most immediate and important changes to the NCAA's NIL rules. Since our state law amendments in summer 2022, there have been several key areas where injunctions, lawsuits or otherwise have encouraged the NCAA to adjust its NIL policies, but our state law remained stable during that time.” In response, the state legislature made three key adjustments, which Cox took time to outline for us on Friday: 1. “Prohibitions against third-party use of NIL opportunities as a recruiting inducement were removed from the state law. Following the injunction against enforcing this NCAA rule in a case involving the collective supporting the University of Tennessee, the NCAA announced that it would not enforce the third-party recruiting inducement prohibitions nationwide. The new state law removes the old provisions to mirror the new NCAA policy and also to anticipate similar changes that will come next year after the settlement of a major lawsuit, as explained below. 2. “Additional language was provided to allow Illinois student-athletes to earn NIL compensation directly from their institutions. In anticipation of next year's final certification of the House class-action settlement, the legislature wanted to make sure that Illinois law was not an inadvertent barrier to institutions that choose to provide increased benefits for student-athletes. 3. “Old law was amended to make clear that Illinois institutions may help facilitate student-athlete NIL activities. NCAA legislation regarding the permitted level of institutional support in NIL activities has repeatedly changed, but a new NCAA bylaw allows greater institutional support under certain conditions. The new law merely aligns with this approach.” Said Cox: “At DIA, we are looking forward to seeing the law become effective in January.” 🚨🚨 BIG NEWS! Legislation enabling Illinois residents to start using mobile driver’s licenses and state IDs was signed into law today by @GovPritzker . New technology will ensure privacy and safety for Illinois residents. #HB4592 pic.twitter.com/jECizGqhuT WINNER: Illinois motorists It could be a year or two before SB 0275 is put into action but no later than on July 1, 2027, you’ll have the option of purchasing a driver’s license that’s good for eight years — twice as long as is currently allowed — at a one-time cost of $60. LOSER: Word watchers Those who believe law enforcement lingo is fine as is won’t like an amendment to the Illinois Crime Reduction Act. It outlaws the term “offender” and replaces it with “justice-impacted individual” when describing those in the Adult Redeploy Illinois program, which is aimed at keeping non-violent offenders from going to prison. Posters like this one, from DCFS, will soon be required at a variety of establishments statewide. WINNER: Child abuse victim advocates Per the terms of the Child Abuse Notice Act, all hotels, motels, bus stations, hospital emergency rooms, tattoo and body piercing establishments and indoor entertainment or sporting facilities with a capacity of at least 5,000 will be required to post — “in a conspicuous place” — a DCFS notice with information on what constitutes physical and sexual abuse and how to report such abuse. It must be at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches in size and written in a 16-point font. Heads up #Illinois landlords: New law kicks in Jan 1. LL can't take 'retaliatory action' vs tenant-- can't evict, increase rent, decrease service, or even file lawsuit in many situations. Read attached law--it's not long. #CRE #RRE #RealEstate @vjeannek https://t.co/A3ocKwy6VL pic.twitter.com/aJ8gqivlN3 LOSER: Retaliatory landlords Effective Wednesday, landlords will be strictly prohibited from "knowingly terminating a tenancy, increasing rent, decreasing services, (or) bringing or threatening to bring a lawsuit against a tenant for possessing or refusing to renew a lease or tenancy" if the tenant has “filed a government complaint about code violations, complained of specific code violations to media or local organizations or complained or asked for repairs related to health ordinances, building code, the renter’s lease or other regulations.” WINNER: Journalism Coming as soon as the 2025-26 school year: Illinois Student Assistance Commission-awarded scholarships for students who commit to working for a local news organization in the state for a period of no less than two years. LOSER: Employers that advertise salary as being “commensurate with experience” From here on out, businesses with 15 or more employees must include a pay scale and benefits information in every job posting. WINNER: Crime victims With the exception of some coroner or medical examiner investigations, DNA collected from victims of crimes to aid in investigations cannot be entered into any DNA database. E-cigarettes are now by far the most commonly used tobacco product among middle- and high-school students. The electronic devices, which can appear harmless, are not a safe alternative to cigarette smoking. LOSER: Deceptive vaping businesses Now against the law in Illinois, per a change to the Preventing Youth Vaping Act: advertising, marketing or promoting electronic cigarettes “in a manner that is likely to cause a (young) person to mistake the electronic cigarette for a product that is not a tobacco product.” WINNER: Those who conduct training for a living They’ll do big business in Illinois, with new laws requiring law enforcement and correctional officers to be trained on the best procedures and techniques when engaging with individuals with autism, and teachers, administrators and other school personnel to be schooled on emergency procedures, including the Heimlich maneuver, hands-only CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator. The Teamsters took to social media to try to convince Gov. J.B. Pritzker to sign the Worker Freedom of Speech Act. LOSER: Bosses who cross the First Amendment line Under the Illinois AFL-CIO-backed Worker Freedom of Speech Act, no employee can be made to attend work meetings where politics or religion are the topics of discussion if neither is part of their job. Nor can a boss discipline them for opting out or reporting a violation of the act. Exempted: non-profit and advocacy organizations where politics or religion may be in the job description. WINNER: Electric scooter riders On any road, sidewalk or trail where bicycles are allowed, low-speed electric scooters can now be, too — provided a municipality or park district approves of it. NEWS: IL is the 5th state to require climate change education in public schools!🤓 Thanks to @GovPritzker & bill champs Rep @jyangrohr , @StateRepKim & @SenALJohnson , students will learn about the environmental impacts of climate change as well as the solutions that mitigate it. pic.twitter.com/3Ex7QISKuw LOSER: Climate change deniers This ought to go over well in some of the redder sections of Illinois: A law that kicks in during the 2026-27 school year will require public schools to provide “learning opportunities on the impacts of climate change and solutions for addressing the crisis.” According to the Illinois Environmental Council, ours is the fifth state to embrace climate change education, joining California, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.
2 / 8 Bitcoin price might stall in 2025, but the good news is the risk of recession is low, strategist says Bitcoin price might stall in 2025, but the good news is the risk of recession is low, strategist says Off English Jason Trennert, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Strategas, spoke with Quartz for the latest installment of our “Smart Investing” video series. Read More 3 / 8 Bitcoin, Bitget, Dogecoin, Solana, and more: Cryptocurrencies to watch this week Bitcoin, Bitget, Dogecoin, Solana, and more: Cryptocurrencies to watch this week The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a decline as the holiday season begins. With many investors pausing their usual spending and investment activity, the market is experiencing a temporary lull. However, this slowdown is likely temporary, and investors are expected to return with renewed energy as the new year brings fresh opportunities. Read More 4 / 8 GameStop gets a holiday boost as Roaring Kitty’s festive post surges stock price GameStop gets a holiday boost as Roaring Kitty’s festive post surges stock price Shares of the popular meme stock GameStop ( GME ) (GME) increased on Thursday afternoon after Keith Gill, the investor popularly known as “Roaring Kitty,” shared an image of a wrapped Christmas present on X. Read More 5 / 8 AI ignited a private market boom. Now wealthy investors want more AI ignited a private market boom. Now wealthy investors want more Wealthy investors are flocking to artificial intelligence startups — and fueling a private market renaissance. To get a piece of today’s pioneering AI firms, investors have to go through private markets, where most tech startups still reside. Waves of new technology have long meant new companies and eager investors hoping to be among the first to pour money into the next big thing. But the AI boom comes at a time where there are significantly more private companies, and they are tending to wait longer to go public. The draw of getting in on AI is serving as a gateway for well-heeled investors to pour more money into a wider array of private companies, wealth managers and others say. Read More 6 / 8 What Santa’s tax returns would look like, according to H&R Block What Santa’s tax returns would look like, according to H&R Block For as long as children have dreamed about Santa Claus, they’ve also bombarded their parents with a flurry of questions about the magical man: How does he travel around the world in one night? If I stay up late enough, will I catch him? Does he really exist? Read More 7 / 8 Bitcoin’s rapid rise could stall as the dollar gains strength in 2025, strategist says Bitcoin’s rapid rise could stall as the dollar gains strength in 2025, strategist says Off English Jason Trennert, CEO and Chairman of Strategas, makes big predictions for the stock market, Bitcoin, gold, and treasuries for the new year 8 / 87.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning
