Laws fighting hair discrimination, allowing student mental health absences take effect Jan. 1

ILLINOIS (WAND) - Nearly 300 laws will take effect Jan. 1, 2022 in Illinois.

A list of some of the laws that could affect the public directly are below, as written by a press release from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus:

SB 1682: Requires pharmacies to post a notice informing customers they can request the retail price of brand name or generic prescription drugs.
HB 576/SB 1577: Gives Illinois students up to five excused absences to prioritize their mental health.
HB 0605: Requires state agencies and institutions to only purchase Illinois and American flags made right here in the U.S.A.
SB 817: Prohibits discrimination against natural and ethnic hairstyles – including locs, braids, twists and afros.
SB 119: Prohibits lemonade stands and other means of nonalcoholic sale operated by a person under the age of 16 from being regulated or shut down by public health authorities.
HB 3922: Recognizes June 19 – Juneteenth – as an official holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the U.S.
HB 168: Prohibits people who have a record of felony offenses like torture or animal fighting from owning or living with animals.
HB 122: Ends early termination fees on utility contracts for deceased residents.
SB 58: Lowers the registration fee for trailers weighing less than 3,000 lbs. from $118 to $36.
HB 226: Allows students to choose whether to submit their ACT/SAT score when applying to Illinois public institutions.