New laws emphasize public safety

A new state law that went into effect Jan. 1 gives firefighters the authority to close lanes of traffic in emergency situations if no law enforcement or highway officials are present. In this file photo, taken July 17, 2008, roads were shut down on Route 23 near Baseline Road after a two-vehicle accident injured three people. Chronicle file photo

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Tougher drunken driving penalties, expanded health care coverage for eating disorders and the authority for firefighters to shut down roadways during accidents are just a few of the dozens of new laws that went into effect Thursday.

The Daily Chronicle compiled a list of some new laws and how they may affect local law enforcement agencies, schools and the election process. A list of 81 new laws is available on the Web site of state Rep. Robert Pritchard, R-Hinckley.

AED

Public and private outdoor facilities that focus on cardiovascular exertion must have an Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, on site. A trained user must also be on the premises during all physical fitness activities.

Campus safety

All Illinois college campuses must develop and exercise an all-hazards emergency response plan and a campus violence prevention plan.

State Rep. Robert Pritchard, R-Hinckley, who sponsored the legislation, emphasized the need to have emergency measures in place after a shooting happened last year on the campus of Northern Illinois University. Shortly after 3 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008, a former NIU student walked into a Cole Hall classroom and opened fire, killing five students and injuring at least 16 others before turning the gun on himself.

“It was proven with the Feb. 14 incident that that kind of practicing and coordinating between agencies was so helpful,” Pritchard said. “Because not all universities were doing that, we felt it was necessary.”

Though NIU had an emergency plan in place, the school was given a $1 million grant in September to improve the plan, NIU spokeswoman Melanie Magara said.

Domestic violence

A new law increases protection for domestic violence victims by mandating that offenders who violate an order of protection be ordered to wear a GPS tracking device.

“It’s a great tool to alert law enforcement,” DeKalb County Sheriff Roger Scott said. “It doesn’t prevent someone from going into that safety zone; it just alerts law enforcement,” so they can respond.

DUIs

Motorists convicted of their first drunken driving charge will now have to give a breath sample whenever they get behind the wheel. Those convicted of a DUI must install a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device in their vehicle and must blow into it before their car will start.

“It’s another significant step in cutting down on drunk driving on our roads,” Scott said. “It’s significant because it applies to first-time offenders; usually a lot of laws don’t apply until they’re repeat offenders.”

Fire department

Firefighters now have the authority to close lanes of traffic in emergency situations if no law enforcement or highway officials are present. The law also increases penalties for those failing to abide by these closures.

The law ensures that “there’s always someone on the scene” with the ability to close traffic, Genoa Fire Chief Bruce Kozlowski said. “I believe it will be [a good law], because sometimes we need to shut roads down.”

Insurance coverage

The definition of “serious mental illness” now includes eating disorders anorexia and bulimia, allowing people with those illnesses to obtain related insurance coverage.

Sex crimes

Convicted sex offenders may no longer be election judges.

“Part of it is because a lot of jurisdictions use schools as polling places,” DeKalb County Clerk Sharon Holmes said. DeKalb County no longer uses schools, and other counties are trying to use schools less, too.

Other laws to protect against sex offenders include notifying victims when a sex offender is released from prison or is on work release and making it a crime to travel to meet a minor for the purpose of engaging in a sex offense with the child.

In addition, schools must teach Internet safety at least once a year to all students in third grade and up, and sexual assault awareness must be taught in high school and college.