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Beagle Freedom Act (SB 1884) which would require public research institutions in Illinois to have an adoption policy in place for dogs and cats used in testing rather than euthanizing them immediately.
The new law requires publicly-funded institutions to have an adoption plan for animals deemed eligible by a veterinarian before euthanasia is an option.
Safe Pets Act (Senate Bill 1882) establishes best practices and consistent regulations to protect dogs and cats throughout Illinois.
Illinois now has standards to protect the health and well-being of animals sold within the state.
The primary components of this regulatory standard for pet stores:
- Prohibits pet stores from purchasing animals from large commercial breeders that are USDA-licensed and does not have direct non-compliance citations over a two-year period.
- Pet stores are required to microchip dogs or cats prior to sale.
- Requires pet stores to obtain copies of USDA inspection reports either from the USDA website (if posted online) or directly from the breeder prior to purchasing the cat or dog and must be available to consumers prior to sale.
House Bill 2897 will create a new program to allow Illinois military veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression who are eligible for service dogs through a special program
The new law expands the list of eligible recipients of service dogs through the Helping Paws program to include veterans with PTSD or depression.
The Illinois Department of Corrections operates the Helping Paws Service Dog Program out of the Logan Correctional Center women’s prison. Offenders train dogs that go on to assist people who are visually impaired, use wheelchairs or have a variety of other disabilities. Dogs are provided at no charge.
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ELGIN- The Illinois General Assembly will soon have a new tool to help encourage female, veteran and minority businesses to relocate to Illinois, thanks to Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin).
Castro’s measure, Senate Bill 1567, which requires each EDGE credit claimant to submit to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity an annual report containing supplier diversity information, was signed into law today.
“It’s important for legislators to form a complete picture before implementing policies to tackle business development and diversity,” Castro said. “This small step will give us a better look at our state’s strength and weaknesses in attracting veterans, minority and female business owners to encourage economic diversity.”
The EDGE program provides special tax incentives to encourage companies to locate or expand its operations in Illinois when there is active consideration of a competing location in another state.
“I’m here to represent the people of our communities,” Castro said. “It’s my duty to ensure we take all necessary steps to grow our economy and create new jobs for local residents. This new law will help accomplish that.”
The program allows companies to reduce the costs of doing business in Illinois when compared with similar costs in other states where operations could have been located.
Senate Bill 1567 passed the Senate and House with bipartisan support. The new law goes into effect immediately.
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ELGIN- Active duty military members will now be able to cancel internet and television services with greater ease, thanks to Elgin Democratic State Senator Cristina Castro.
“Illinois’ heroes should not be burdened with unnecessary fees while serving our country,” Castro said. “They have answered the call for duty and it’s our job to make their relocation easier.”
House Bill 2449 was signed into law today.
This measure allows any service member who receives orders to relocate for a period of service of at least 90 days to terminate or suspend contracts for internet services, television and cable services, athletic club or gym memberships and satellite radio services.
“This one small update will eliminate unnecessary hurdles for our active duty military,” Castro said.
The termination or suspension can be completed by delivering a written or electronic notice to the service provider and delivering a copy of the official military orders to the service provider that calls him or her to military service.
House Bill 2449 passed the Senate and House with bipartisan support.
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ELGIN- The Illinois Environmental Council released their 2017 Environmental Scorecard today.
State Senator Cristina Castro joined a bipartisan group of 12 senators in recieving a 100% environmental rating from the Illinois Environmental Council.
Some of the bills on the 2017 Environmental Scorecard include:
HB2831: PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY ACT
HB2831 allows local governments to create their own property-assessed clean energy programs and issue low interest bonds to finance clean energy projects.
SB71: NEW PUBLIC UTILITY WIND PROJECTS
SB71 removes certification requirements for new, utility-scale wind projects, which makes it easier to build these projects under the Future Energy Jobs Act.
SB1029: NATURAL AREAS STEWARDSHIP ACT
SB 1029 promotes stewardship of Illinois’ natural resources by allowing Natural Areas Acquisition Funds to be used on stewardship activities in addition to land acquisition.
HB3399: BOBCAT HUNTING
HB3399 bans the hunting and trapping of bobcats in many parts of Illinois, and limits the number of bobcats that can be killed in the parts of the state where it’s allowed.
SB1417: RECYCLING E-WASTE
SB1417 requires manufacturers to provide e-waste programs to transport and recycle residential electronic devices through a convenience-based standard. These programs are to start in 2019.
SB1420: COOKING OIL COLLECTION
SB1420 exempts non-profit organizations and government entities that collect cooking oil in collection drives from the public from registration, licensing, fee, and reporting requirements.