2024 Articles

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Insurance Code. A group or individual accident and health insurance policy that provides dependent coverage and is issued, amended, delivered, or renewed after Jan. 1, 2026, must also provide dependent coverage for a qualifying dependent parent or stepparent of the policyholder.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Guardianship and Advocacy Act. The state’s guardianship training program, which covers the duties and responsibilities of guardians appointed under the Probate Act, must now include content regarding Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

On Aug. 26, 2024, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that no Equal Protection rights violation occurs when a sex offender who abuses a close relative receives a harsher punishment than they otherwise would have if they were unrelated to the victim.

The Department of Public Health adopted amendments to its Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Code. Within 60 days of the department’s request, hospitals must submit a plan to provide either transfer services to all sexual assault survivors, medical forensic services to all sexual assault survivors, or transfer services to pediatric sexual assault survivors; and medical forensic services to sexual assault survivors 13 years and older.

On May 23, 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court held that if a motion to reconsider conviction is untimely, a notice of appeal is also untimely.

On May 31, 2024, the Fifth District of the Illinois Appellate Court held a claimant may recover worker’s compensation benefits for nonscheduled losses that could affect earning capacity.

On May 31, 2024, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held the state’s use of peremptory challenges to exclude five black prospective jurors during jury selection violated the federal and Illinois constitutions’ respective equal-protection clause.

On March 7, 2024, the Third District of the Illinois Appellate Court held municipalities cannot appeal suppression-of-evidence orders in cases concerning municipal code violations.

On June 7, 2024, the Second District of the Illinois Appellate Court held a defendant’s motion for pretrial release must be heard in a timely manner.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Criminal Code of 2012. The amendments removed all references related to the imposition of a death sentence.

On Oct. 27, 2023, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that Illinois does not recognize a common-law peer-review privilege, but the Illinois reporter’s privilege statutes protect academic journals from disclosing their sources.

The Department of Revenue adopted amendments to the Part titled Income Tax. The Illinois earned income tax credit has been increased to 20 percent of the federal earned income tax credit for each taxable year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2023.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Unified Code of Corrections. The Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council must now study and identify discriminatory sentencing practices in Illinois.

Illinois will transition from the current Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange to a state-based exchange in two phases. In the first phase, Illinois will transition to a state-based health insurance exchange on a federal platform by 2025; during the second phase, Illinois will transition to a fully state-administrated exchange by 2026.

 The Department of Healthcare and Family Services adopted amendments to its Medical Assistance Programs. The countable monthly income eligibility threshold for children under age 19 to receive medical assistance is now raised from 133 percent to 313 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Office of the Secretary of State adopted amendments allowing individuals without a Social Security number eligible for a visa status or nonvisa status a temporary visitor’s driver’s license to apply for a standard driver’s license or identification card.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Vehicle Code. An automated license plate reader (ALPR) is an electronic device that can record data or take a photograph of a vehicle or its license plate and compare the collected data to existing law enforcement databases for investigative purposes.

On May 23, 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court held that insurance clauses prohibiting the stacking of liability coverage are allowed.

On June 21, 2024, the Fourth District of the Illinois Appellate Court held underinsured motorist coverage is not automatically required to be included in a bodily injury liability policy where the policy provides uninsured motorist coverage at the minimum limits required by law.

The Illinois General Assembly amended the Illinois Insurance Code. Any group or individual plan of accident and health insurance or managed care plan that is amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after Jan. 1, 2026, must now provide coverage for one wig or scalp prosthesis no less than once every 12 months.

On April 19, 2024, the First District of the Illinois Appellate Court held that an insurance policy’s exclusion for “knowing violation of rights of another” bars coverage when allegations of the complaint in the underlying matter allege malicious acts.