Subject Index Constitutional Law

Public Act 91-649 permissively approves sales taxes for all nonhome rule municipalities. Previously, a nonhome rule municipality needed at least 130,000 inhabitants to pursue a sales tax, which effectively precluded most proposals.

On November 18, 1999, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court s finding that the sound amplification statute, known as section 12-611 of the Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5/12-611 (West 1999)), is an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.

On November 18, 1999, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the appellate court’s finding that the trial court did not violate a defendant’s constitutional rights by starting her trial in her absence.

On July 1, 1999, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision that found that Public Act 89-21 violated the single subject requirement of the Illinois Constitution.

The General Assembly recently passed the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act ("IRFRA'') over Governor Jim Edgar's amendatory veto.