This year, Municipal Minute will be counting down to the New
Year with updates on legislation that will be effective starting on January 1,
2026. Three "public safety" related Acts are summarized below:
Public
Act 104-0158 amends the Illinois Police Training Act to require applicants
for law enforcement positions at law enforcement agencies to direct all
previous employers to produce employment records including performance history,
investigations, examinations, and civil and criminal background investigation
materials. Previous employers receiving a request for an applicant’s records
must furnish a complete file of these records and, with limited exceptions for
financial and personal identifying information, cannot make redactions.
Any previous employer that receives a request for these
records must produce the records within 14 days of the request. If additional
time is required, a 14-day extension may be requested. The Act provides a
sample form for the consent and release for background investigation.
Public Act
104-0097 amends the Illinois Municipal Code and Counties Code to authorize
municipalities and counties to use utility poles or public rights-of-way for
public safety purposes, including, but not limited to, the placement of public
safety equipment. This equipment cannot be located on or interfere with
electric distribution systems, worker safety zones, or electric supply zones.
All use of public safety equipment in these areas must comply with applicable
codes or regulations that concern public safety.
Under this Act, a state agency or unit of local government
may, by rule, ordinance, or resolution, create a permitting process to allow a
utility pole or right-of-way to be used. However, any fee charged by the owner of
the pole or right-of-way must be at the lowest rate charged and cannot exceed
the owner’s costs.
Public
Act 104-0364 amends the Interstate Mutual Emergency Aid Act. The
Interstate Mutual Emergency Aid Act helps to extend a jurisdiction’s emergency
response capabilities by allowing local government bodies to enter into a
mutual aid agreement with units of government from another state. In this new amendment, any public safety
agency, including fire departments, municipal police departments, and emergency
medical response services, or public contractors of any such agency, may
provide assistance to any other public safety agency in the state or in a
bordering state at the time of a natural disaster.
Post authored by Alexis Carter, Ancel Glink
