On August 9, 2001, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law House Bill 3179, which adds a new section to the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by restricting the deceptive sale or promotion of health-related discount cash cards.
On March 21, 2002, the Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the appellate court in ruling that a pharmacy owed a duty to warn either its customer or her physician that a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribed to her was contraindicated for a person with her allergies and that the learned intermediary doctrine did not apply to relieve a pharmacy of such duty to warn.
In August, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law Senate Bill 950, which amends the Illinois Public Aid Code, 305 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq., and provides that parents who owe more than $5,000 in child support and refuse to pay, could have their names added to a "deadbeats most wanted list" posted on the Internet.
On August 6, 2002, Gov. Ryan signed House Bill 5625, which amends the Humane Care for Animals Act by providing that no person may knowingly create, sell, market, offer to market or sell, or possess a depiction of animal cruelty.
On July 31, 2002, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law House Bill 4078, which creates the Lawyers' Assistance Program Act and amends the state Finance Act.
On July 25, 2002, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law Senate Bill 2049, which will replace the current Uniform Partnership Act with a new statute drafted by the National Conference of Uniform State Laws.
On August 22, 2002, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law House Bill 0136, which amends the Criminal Code of 1961 by creating the criminal offense of conspiracy against civil rights.
Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law Senate Bill 1638 to create the Juvenile Drug Court Treatment Act, which authorizes a diversionary drug court program for eligible minors.
Legislation recently enacted by the General Assembly's override of the governor's veto amends the Illinois Vehicle Code in order to better facilitate the charitable donation and transfer of motor vehicles to not-for-profit organizations for the purpose of providing vehicles to individuals in need of transportation.
On January 1, 2002, Gov. George H. Ryan signed into law Senate Bill 0647 to amend the Illinois Aeronautics Act, which increased the penalties for certain acts related to the operation and maintenance of an aircraft while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, a narcotic drug, or other controlled substances.
In August 2001, Gov. Ryan approved two pieces of legislation amending the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act and Illinois School Student Records Act.
New legislation signed into law by Gov. George H. Ryan helps in the fight against the spread of child pornography on the Internet and identifies the crime of cyberstalking. Public Act 92-0175 mandates the forfeiture of any computer containing a depiction of child pornography in any encoded or decoded format.
In July, new legislation amended the Unified Code of Corrections making drivers who are convicted of a fourth or subsequent DUI offense ineligible for probation.
