McHenry Times

There are nearly 300 new laws taking effect on Jan. 1 in Illinois, ranging from raising the minimum wage to allowing students to take mental health days.

Several of the new laws are aimed at service members, veterans, and their families, including Senate Bill 505, which will allow a state flag to be presented to the next of kin of a deceased Illinois National Guard member. 

“As a small gesture of appreciation to our servicemen and women, upon their death, their next of kin will be presented with a State of Illinois flag,” Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) said on Facebook.

According to ABC7 Eyewitness News, the laws include increasing the minimum wage to $12 per hour, with subsequent hikes on Jan. 1 each year until the rate hits $15 per hour in 2025.

A new law also allows for five excused absences for mental health days for students. 

Another is the Jett Hawkins Act, which prohibits discrimination against natural and ethnic hairstyles including locs, braids and afros. It was brought on after a 4-year-old boy from Chicago  was discriminated against over his braids in preschool.

NBC5 Chicago reported that another new law offers free Gold Star license plates to widows, widowers and parents who survive a loved one that was killed in the armed forces. Previously the plates had a $151 registration fee.

Another law will recognize June 19 as Juneteenth, an official holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. 

A new law also allows students to choose whether they want to submit ACT and SAT scores when applying to Illinois public colleges.