Boating safety measures signed into law included SB 3434 (PA 98-0699) which would allow law enforcement to seize boats or other watercraft under certain circumstances involving alcohol or drug use. Two related measures were also approved:
- SB 2731/98-0697 requires that any watercraft towing a person must display at the highest point of the area surrounding the boat's helm, a bright or brilliant orange flag visible from all directions, continuously, from the time the person gets out of the boat until they get back into the boat; and
- SB 3433/PA 98-0698 provides for new boating certification requirements, beginning Jan. 1, 2016, including restrictions on persons younger than 18 operating a motorboat.
A devastating tornado in Gifford and other communities prompted legislation intended to help businesses rebuild after such storms. Senate Bill 3259/PA 98-0702 provides a preferential property assessment for small business-owned commercial or industrial property, which is destroyed by a tornado disaster.
This preferential valuation would be valid for 15 tax years following the tornado, or until the property changes hands. This attempts to lessen the impact to a business that is rebuilding after a natural disaster and is similar to the Natural Disaster Homestead Exemption for homeowners.
Under the “Illinois Gives” initiative contained in HB 4590/PA 98-0700, state employees and retirees would be able to automatically have a portion of their pay or retirement benefits withheld as a contribution to Illinois chapters of the American Red Cross.
Helping persons learn more about their family histories and possibly better treat medical conditions is the goal of HB 5949/PA 98-0704. Under the measure, adult grandchildren of persons who were adopted will have greater access to original birth certificates and adoption registries and be able to meet with confidential mediators when seeking records related to their grandparents.
Also approved was HB 5755/PA 98-0968 which places the following question on the November 4, 2014 general election ballot: “Shall any health insurance plan in Illinois that provides prescription drug coverage be required to include prescription birth control as part of that coverage?”