Tagged: illinois

It’s now illegal for Illinois employers to ask job-seekers to hand over passwords to their social networking accounts. Governor Pat Quinn signed the measure into law Wednesday during an event at the Illinois Institute of Technology. In their efforts to vet job applicants, some companies and government agencies ask to log in to a prospective employee's accounts on sites like Facebook and Twitter. The Illinois law does allow bosses to view public information not restricted by privacy settings on a site. Several other states are considering similar bans. Two U.S. senators have asked the U.S.

Illinois health officials are calling attention to an increase in whooping cough cases this year as they remind parents about required immunizations for children. Approximately 1,200 cases of whooping cough have been reported in the state so far this year. That's compared to 468 cases reported as of last August. Sixth- and ninth-grade students are now required to show proof of receiving the Tdap vaccine for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, better known as whooping cough.

Ameren Illinois said it made an additional $500,000 available to its neediest Central and Southern Illinois customers to help them pay their energy bills during the summer heat wave. Ameren Illinois President and CEO Richard Mark said the money comes as extreme heat in recent weeks has made life difficult for many of the utility's customers. The latest funds will be distributed through local support agencies, and eligible customers must meet federal low-income guidelines. For a four-person household, the maximum gross annual income is $49,500.

A new pest threatens Kentucky’s hardwood trees.  This one is called the Asian Longhorned Beetle and has destroyed tens of thousands of trees in the northeastern United States, Ohio and Illinois.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed new laws over the weekend aimed at protecting the elderly by increasing caregiver oversight and making it easier for authorities to respond to cases of abuse or neglect. One of the new measures allows prosecutors to ask a court to freeze a suspect's assets if they are charged with financial exploitation of an elderly person. It’s meant to keep a defendant from spending stolen money before restitution is collected. Another new law allows police and fire departments access to reports of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation against the elderly.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed three new environmental laws yesterday aimed at protecting ecosystems from invasive species, improving recycling and promoting green technology in plumbing.  

Illinois health and education officials are reminding parents to update their children’s immunizations before school starts this fall.