A number of new laws were passed in the recently completed legislative session. The noteworthy laws include:
Dog Breed Insurance Underwriting Protection Act: The Act, which took effect June 9, 2023, prohibits insurers from canceling, charging an increase in premiums, or refusing to issue or renew homeowner’s or renter’s liability insurance policies based solely on the breed of dog owned by the insured. The Act does not restrict insurers’ actions where they are based on their determination that an individual dog is dangerous.
School Bullying Notification Requirements: The School Code has been modified to require that schools notify parents of incidents of bullying within 24 hours of the school administration becoming aware of the incident. Schools must also notify parents within 24 hours of learning a student is engaging in self-harm. The amendments also expand the definition of bullying to the additional bases of physical appearance, socioeconomic status, academic status, pregnancy, parenting status, and homelessness. Schools must also keep statistical data that does not contain personal identifying information on bullying incidents and report the data to the State Board of Education. The amendments took effect June 9th, 2023.
Zooming while Driving: The Vehicle Code has been amended to prohibit the use of video chat apps such as Zoom or Facetime while driving. The prohibition takes effect January 1, 2024.