2021 Articles

This Act amends the Criminal Code of 2012 and repeals the statute that creates the offense of criminal transmission of HIV.

The Department of Transportation amended Commercial Driver’s License Standards; Requirements and Penalties. The amendment responds to the federal “No Human Trafficking on Our Roads Act” and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s added penalties for human trafficking.

On Feb. 16, 2021, the Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court remanded an attorney-client-privilege case to determine whether the crime-fraud or waiver exceptions to attorney-client privilege applied when a husband underreported his income during a marriage dissolution proceeding.

On June 18, 2021, the Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court reversed and remanded a circuit court’s holding that an individual must seek federal relief to a Form I-864 breach-of-contract claim.

This Act creates the Housing Is Recovery Pilot Program within the Department of Human Services’ division of mental health.

The Illinois Gaming Board adopted amendments to the part titled Video Gaming (General), which implements sections of the Video Gaming Act.

The Illinois Labor Relations Board adopted an amendment to authorize email service of unfair labor-practice charges by the charging party upon the respondent, with the respondent’s consent.

The Illinois Labor Relations Board adopted amendments to its general procedures allowing for remote hearings through video conferencing technology.

The Illinois Pollution Control Board adopted several new sections of its waste disposal regulations and created statewide standards for disposing of coal combustion residuals (CCR) in surface impoundments. CCR is commonly known as “coal ash” and is created when coal is burned at power plants.

The Illinois Human Rights Act was amended to prevent discrimination based on work-authorization status. The amendment defines “work authorization status” as an individual born outside of the U.S. who is not a U.S. citizen and is authorized to work in the U.S.

On Feb. 4, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court applied the First Amendment ministerial-exception doctrine to bar a whistleblower claim filed by a “lay principal” at a Catholic school.

On March 18, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the single-publication rule does not apply to defamatory material screened multiple times.

The defendant, age 14 at time of shooting, was convicted after jury trial of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder and sentenced to a 76-year aggregate term.

On March 18, 2021, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that admonishment requirements under 725 ILCS 5/113-4(c) apply only when a defendant pleads guilty at arraignment.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity adopted amendments to the Illinois Film Production Services Tax Credit Program. The amendments attempt to close a loophole tax credit that exploited the requirement that productions shoot at least one day of principal photography in Illinois to receive the credit.

On Sept. 14, 2021, the Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court reversed and remanded a trial court’s order requiring an insurance company to provide coverage.