Spotlight on New 2024 Illinois Laws: Construction and Contractors
Illinois law makers passed over a whopping 300 new laws that have recently taken effect or will take effect in 2024. Are you in the construction business? Here are some of the changes that may interest you.
The real estate market has been on the up and up the last few years with unprecedented home sales and a spike in prices fueled by a shortage in inventory. This situation has been a boon to the construction industry and spurred all kinds of construction-related work. Many people who wanted to move decided not to because of the hike in sales prices, leading to a rise in remodeling work. Contractors also realized that the current climate created a great market for new construction of residential properties. Various new laws recently passed in Illinois affect residential and commercial construction. If you are in the business of building, you should know the following:
- Bottle Filling Stations — If the plumbing code requires you to have a drinking fountain, you are now also required to have a bottle filling station. The bottle filling station may be separate from the drinking fountain, or a combination drinking fountain/bottle filling station may be installed. Many of you have probably already seen these convenient bottle filling stations at O’Hare or in other airports and commercial buildings. Many schools have implemented these also. Bottle filling stations are far more hygienic than standard drinking fountains. Please not that this rule applies to newly-constructed drinking fountains only. Existing drinking fountains need not be supplemented with a bottle filling station yet.
- Electric Vehicle Charging Capable Electrical Outlet — If you are building a new construction home or a residential building, there must be at least one electric vehicle charging capable electric outlet for each residential unit. Note that you are not required to install the charging station itself. Rather, you just have to make sure that the home’s electrical panel can handle the voltage load requires to charge a car and that there is 220-volt power supply to the garage. While traditional 110-volt power is capable of charging a car, it is just too slow. As more and more people switch to electric-powered vehicles, electric vehicle charging capability has become a selling point.
- Equitable Restrooms — The Equitable Restrooms Act has been amended to provide that any multi-occupancy single gender restroom may be identified as and converted to an all-gender restroom so anyone can use it. If an all-gender restroom is constructed, there are various requirements that must be met to accommodate male and female usage. For example, stall dividers must be floor to ceiling and there can be no open urinals.
Before you start your next project, make sure you are compliant with current Illinois law!