Two new laws affecting mosquito abatement went into effect in Illinois on New Year’s Day among the nearly 300 new laws passed in the state. State Sen. Steve McClure, a Republican from Springfield, sponsored Senate Bill 3342, which mandates a 24-hour notice be given before state or local governments apply pesticides to a public right-of-way. The House sponsor of the bill, Democratic state Rep. Laura Fine Dias from Grayslake, outlined the penalties that local governments would face for non-compliance. “For the first violation, a fine of $250, $500 for the second violation, and $1,000 for subsequent violations,” Fine Dias explained.
State Rep. Jeff Keicher, a Republican from Sycamore, raised concerns with Fine Dias about scenarios such as hornets nests that may require immediate action. Keicher sought clarification, asking, “If there’s an emergency that requires immediate attention, your intention as the sponsor is not to penalize government entities but to encourage proactive measures, correct?” Fine Dias confirmed Keicher’s understanding, stating, “Yes, there is specific language in the bill that addresses such situations, especially in relation to mosquito abatement district authority.”
The responsibility for enforcing this mandate falls on the Illinois Department of Agriculture, following approval from the General Assembly during the spring legislative session and subsequent signing by Governor J.B. Pritzker on August 9th.
Additionally, State Sen. Laura Fine, a Democrat from Glenview, sponsored Senate Bill 2938, aimed at expanding the territories in which a mosquito abatement district can annex additional territories. Democratic state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, also from Glenview, who sponsored the bill in the House, highlighted a case in Glenview where a previously rural area had transformed into a residential zone after the mosquito abatement district’s map was established. Gong-Gershowitz emphasized that the new law does not impose annexation on communities but leaves the decision-making process up to residents. “Communities still have the autonomy to decide whether they wish to expand the district boundaries,” Gong-Gershowitz emphasized.
Governor Pritzker officially signed Senate Bill 2938 into law on August 9th. This legislation is part of a larger package of 293 new laws that came into effect in Illinois on January 1st.
