RIGHTER: NEW LAWS FOR 2006 TARGET METH-MAKING, BETTER CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

SPRINGFIELD - Cracking down on the illegal manufacture of the
dangerous street drug methamphetamine, better protecting consumers
from the devastating financial effects of identity theft, and
strengthening registration laws for convicted sex offenders are among
the hundreds of new laws that take effect in January, according to
State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon).

Senate Bill 273 limits the purchase of cold medicines containing the
powder form of pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient used to make
methamphetamine, and requires individuals to show identification and
sign a log when purchasing these medicines. Senate Bill 273 further
prohibits anyone younger than 18 from buying medicines that contain
pseudoephedrine.

The new Illinois law is based on a similar law in Oklahoma. Righter
says only two months after pseudoephedrine controls were enacted in
Oklahoma, the number of methamphetamine laboratories in that state
dropped by 50 percent, and by 80 percent eight months later. Other
states - including Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kentucky -
have had similar results. The new law takes effect Jan. 15.

Other meth-related laws take effect Jan. 1. House Bill 3507 provides
that methamphetamine restitution be made to cover costs incurred by
local law enforcement agencies and public agencies in securing a
methamphetamine site. House Bill 3504 provides for an additional $100
fine if a person is found guilty of a meth-related offense.

Several new laws taking effect Jan. 1 seek to protect consumers from
identity theft and make it easier to prosecute those who steal
personal information.

Senate Bill 445 prohibits state universities and community colleges
from printing an individual's Social Security number on any document
that is required to access services. House Bill 1565 makes it illegal
to use hardware or software that can decipher encrypted information
from bar codes on driver's licenses or identification cards.

House Bill 457 eliminates the statute of limitations for prosecuting
identity theft.

House Bill 2700 allows people on trial for identity theft to be tried
in any county where the offense occurred or the victim resides.

House Bill 1058 allows a victim of identity theft to place a security
freeze on his/her credit report.

Other bills that become law January 1 include:

E Drug-induced homicide (HB 1109/P.A. 94-0560) - Provides that a
person who unlawfully delivers a controlled substance and causes
another person's death as a result of the use of the drug commits the
offense of drug-induced homicide.

E DUI (SB 1495/P.A. 94-0609 and HB 1081/P.A. 94-0113) - Imposes
prison sentences on DUI offenders if the DUI violation was the cause
of the death of one or more persons, unless the court determines that
extraordinary circumstances exist and require probation. (HB
1471/P.A. 94-0329) - Provides that a person who drives while under
the influence is guilty of aggravated DUI if they have no valid
driver's license or were not covered by liability insurance. (HB
657/P.A. 94-0110) - Increases the penalties for DUI while
transporting a child. (HB 3816/P.A. 94-0116) - Increases penalties
for people found guilty of DUI three or more times. (HB 1351/P.A.
94-0115) - Subjects to chemical testing any person arrested for
leaving the scene of an accident involving death or personal injury.