ST. LOUIS – Just days away from the new calendar year, Missouri and Illinois are preparing for several new laws to take effect.
For the two states of the St. Louis metropolitan area, here are three key laws worth knowing…
Missouri
While new Missouri laws generally take effect in August of each calendar year, there are some new laws, updates to laws, and new provisions taking effect when 2025 begins. Here’s a closer look at three.
NEW PROVISION IN HANDS-FREE LAW
Starting on New Year’s Day, drivers caught violating Missouri’s hands-free phone law could face fines as opposed to only warnings.
The state’s “Siddens Bening Hands Free Law” itself took effect in August 2023 to prohibit drivers from distractions like holding a phone to text, call, or perform other tasks while behind the wheel.
For the first time in 16 months with the hands-free law, violations could result in citations. A first-time offense will result in a $150 fine, while penalties range from $250 to $500 for subsequent violations over two years, according to state statutes.
However, violating the hands-free law still remains a secondary violation, similar to the seat belt law. This means law enforcement can only write a citation for violating Missouri’s hands-free law after pulling the driver over for a primary violation, like speeding or weaving lane lines.
MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE AND SICK LEAVE
Starting on New Year’s Day, the state’s minimum wage is set to increase to $13.75 per hour for workers of “all private and non-exempt businesses,” according to the Missouri Department of Labor.
Missouri voters approved Proposition A in the November General Election to set the stage for minimum wage increases over the next two years.
When Proposition A takes effect, it will also require businesses with 15 or more employees to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
Starting on New Year’s Day, Missouri will revise its law on criminal expungements, allowing individuals with criminal records to apply for more expungements.
An expungement allows for criminal convictions to be removed from public record. The change aims to help individuals who have completed their sentences clear their records and move forward.
The revised state statute increases limits on expungements to three misdemeanors and two felonies. Previously, the state only allowed for expungements of two misdemeanors and one felony conviction.
Illinois
Nearly 300 new Illinois laws will take effect at the start of the 2025 calendar year. Here’s a closer look at three.
PAY TRANSPARENCY IN JOB LISTINGS
Starting on New Year’s Day, most employers in Illinois will have to disclose their pay scale and benefits in job postings.
The new law will require all Illinois employers with 15 or more employees to include information about their pay scale and benefits, both for internal and external job postings. This will also apply to remote work positions with operations based in Illinois.
Companies have two weeks from the start of the year to add salary and benefit information to job postings or could be fined up to $500 for violations.
The law comes in a broader effort for the state to address pay inequality and promote stronger transparency in hiring practices.
MEDICAL INSURANCE REFORMS
Starting on New Year’s Day, the Illinois Health Care Protection Act takes effect, which includes health insurance reforms that aim to improve accessibility and eliminate barriers to healthcare.
The new law will ban “step therapy,” a process that previously required patients to try and fail with lower-cost drug treatments before accessing more expensive care. The law also prohibits insurers from denying claims or persuading patients to choose cheaper alternatives that may not meet minimum standards established by the Affordable Care Act.
The law will also address “ghost networks” by providing by requiring insurers to maintain accurate, up-to-date directories of in-network providers.
HOTEL BANS FOR SINGLE-USE SHAMPOO BOTTLES
Starting on July 1, 2025, Illinois hotels will be banned from offering single-use plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other personal care products in guest rooms and public restrooms.
The upcoming law aims to reduce plastic waste by eliminating small plastic bottles, which are often used only once before being discarded. It will first apply to hotels with 50 or more guest rooms next year, then will apply to all hotels by 2026.
Hotels will still be allowed to offer some plastic bottles to guests upon request, though they could face up to $500 for violations if they fail to comply with the law’s general restrictions.