The big new law in Illinois this year is rear facing car seats. Tami blogged about that here. There were 252 other laws that hit the books on January 1. From cats to carnivals here's five new laws that are worth knowing about.

  • 1

    Active Shooter Safety Drills

    Every Illinois School must conduct one law enforcement led active shooter safety drill a year. It's sad we need to have these drills, however, learning how to be as safe as possible in an active shooter situation can save kids lives. Come to think of it, I'd recommend every adult go through some law enforcement led training on how to be as safe as possible in an active shooter situation.

  • 2

    Taking Work With You

    If your boss requires you to use your personal phone or computer for work, Illinois now requires employers to have a reimbursement plan. I like this law because my job does require me to have a smart phone. It would be nice to have that perk. Too bad our office is on the Iowa side.

  • 3

    Does the Tilt - A -Whirl Operator have a criminal past?

    Carnival companies are now required to do background checks on employees. I'm surprised that already isn't a thing everywhere.

    Want to know how safe a show is? I read an "ask me anything" on Reddit with a former carny who said to look at the show. Are the rides clean? Do they look nice and maintained? The concession wagons inviting enough you'd want to order something from them? Usually shows that take care of their stuff and look good, take things like ride safety and employee background checks seriously.

  • 4

    Helping Threatened Pets

    Along with the new car seat law, this one got some ink too. Police can now take temporary custody of pets like cats and dogs exposed to weather conditions that could cause the pet harm or death.

  • 5

    Blaze Pink Now Official Hunting Color

    If you're a hunter, you know being visible to other hunters is important for your safety. If you're not a fan of the bright orange clothing you now have a second option. Blaze pink. Now you can stun whatever critter you're aiming at with two colors!

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