New Year, New Laws: Part 3 – Law Enforcement/Public Safety & Vehicular
With the law enforcement and vehicular round-up, this concludes our three-part series on the new laws that will impact Illinoisans in the new year. Stay tuned as we talk to area leaders about how some of the new bills will affect their agencies and organizations.
Law Enforcement/ Public Safety
Numerous statutes will go into effect to better protect the public's safety, particularly in regard to sexual assault and domestic violence.
Under HB 1302, procedures are bolstered and rights expanded for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. Under the bill, law enforcement officers cannot discourage or try to stop a victim from filing a police report about abuse, sexual assault, sexual abuse, neglect or exploitation. It also clarifies victims’ rights to receive timely notice of court hearings, requiring that victims get at least seven days’ notice before most court proceedings.
HB 2602 eliminates the statute of limitations for involuntary servitude or human-trafficking, while House Bill 2690 will close legal loopholes related to grooming charges. HB 2774 will require the Illinois Department of Human Services to create one, easyto- use phone number for access to information and referral services for victims of domestic violence.
Furthermore, HB 3671 allows the prosecution of nonconsensual sexual image distribution.
State lawmakers passed a bill in response to the murder of Springfield resident Sonya Massey, who was killed in 2024 when former Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputy Sean Grayson shot her in her kitchen while investigating a reported prowler. Grayson, who had a history of serious reprimands, was convicted of second-degree murder in October. Under Senate Bill 1953, a police department or sheriff's office making a hire would be required to request employment personnel files from the applicant's previous employers, including other law enforcement agencies.
The previous employer would be required to share the information within 14 days. Law enforcement applicants will be required to sign a document authorizing the release of information, including military service records, police discipline databases, employment and criminal history and more.
To better protect minors and at-risk individuals in a home, the Safe Gun Storage Act (Senate Bill 8) requires secure firearm storage to prevent access by children or individuals who are at-risk.
SB 8 also shortens the window for reporting lost or stolen firearms to police from 72 hours to 48 hours.
Scott's Law, aka the Illinois Move Over Law, will be expanded in 2026 to further strengthen protections for roadside emergency workers, pedestrians and others who step in to help during traffic incidents. The expanded measure ensures people are safe at active emergency scenes - not only when vehicles are stopped.
Scott's Law requires drivers to slow down and change lanes (if possible) when approaching any stopped vehicle with flashing emergency lights, including police, fire, EMS, tow trucks and road maintenance vehicles, to protect first responders and roadside workers. The law is named after Chicago Firefighter Lt.
Scott Gillen, who died in the line of duty.
Senate Bill 1563 aka 'The Squatter Bill' gives more leeway to police in removing squatters from properties in which they have no rights to. The new statute will allow police more authority to remove squatters, making it possible for police to remove them immediately upon receiving a complaint. The new bill supersedes what had previously been a possible lengthy eviction process, which also permitted the squatters to remain on the property during the court process.
Senate Bill 24 ends waiting periods for filing missing person reports.
Police must take reports right away and cannot refuse to take a report because of the person’s age, mental health, possible foul play, where they went missing or because they may have left on their own. Police also cannot refuse to take a report because the person making it does not have all the information or is not a family member of the missing person.
Vehicular
Senate Bill 899 gives the Illinois Department of Transportation the authority to control vehicle length on state roadways, while SB 1883 will prohibit the use of tape or other devices to obstruct vehicle-registration plates.
For a full list of new laws taking effect Jan. 1, 2026, including how your representatives and senators, visit ilga.gov.
