Lake County Gazette

Adriane Johnson introduced SB1192 in the Illinois Senate on Jan. 24, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, according to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the Illinois General Assembly site, the legislature summarized the bill's official text as follows: "Amends the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004. In the provision that a veterinarian who, on his or her own initiative or other than at the request of the owner, gives emergency treatment to a sick or injured animal shall not be liable for damages in the absence of gross negligence, includes giving emergency treatment to a dangerous animal, as defined in the Criminal Code of 2012. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that "dangerous animal", in addition to the other animals listed in the dangerous animals statute, includes a serval, caracal, kangaroo, wallaby, or any hybrid, intergrade, or cross of such an animal. Provides that no person shall have a right of property in, keep, harbor, care for, act as custodian of or maintain in his or her possession any dangerous animal or primate except at or by a: (1) federally licensed facility, (2) veterinary hospital, or (3) permitted hound running area and only for possession of coyotes. Provides that the exemptions listed in the provision do not exempt persons from having to be in compliance with the Wildlife Code or the Endangered Species Act, including, but not limited to, prohibitions on possession of any dangerous animal. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to apply to a motion picture, television, or digital media production company employing or contracting with a dealer or exhibitor licensed under the federal Animal Welfare Act or with a carrier, intermediate handler, or unlicensed exhibitor registered under that Act for the transportation, purchase, exhibition, or use of animals in its motion picture, television, or digital media production. Provides that it is an affirmative defense for a prosecution under this provision if a person had lawful possession of a feline crossbreed between a serval cat and a domesticated cat and the possessor of the animal proves that the possessor possessed the animal before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Defines "federally licensed facility"."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004 to protect veterinarians from liability when providing emergency treatment to dangerous animals unless gross negligence is involved. It also expands the definition of "dangerous animals" in the Criminal Code of 2012 to include servals, caracals, kangaroos, wallabies, and hybrids thereof. It prohibits individuals from possessing dangerous animals or primates except at federally licensed facilities, veterinary hospitals, or permitted hound running areas, with certain exemptions for prior ownership and those assisting individuals with disabilities. The bill clarifies that these provisions do not override compliance with the Wildlife Code, Endangered Species Act, or exempt film productions working with federally licensed personnel. Violations of these provisions constitute a Class C misdemeanor, with offenders responsible for costs related to animal seizure and confiscation.

Adriane Johnson has proposed another eight bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Johnson graduated from Colombia College with a BA and again in 2006 from Loyola University Chicago School of Law with an MJ.

Adriane Johnson is currently serving in the Illinois State Senate, representing the state's 30th Senate District. She replaced previous state senator Terry Link in 2020.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
SB1192	01/24/2025	Amends the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 2004. In the provision that a veterinarian who, on his or her own initiative or other than at the request of the owner, gives emergency treatment to a sick or injured animal shall not be liable for damages in the absence of gross negligence, includes giving emergency treatment to a dangerous animal, as defined in the Criminal Code of 2012. Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that "dangerous animal", in addition to the other animals listed in the dangerous animals statute, includes a serval, caracal, kangaroo, wallaby, or any hybrid, intergrade, or cross of such an animal. Provides that no person shall have a right of property in, keep, harbor, care for, act as custodian of or maintain in his or her possession any dangerous animal or primate except at or by a: (1) federally licensed facility, (2) veterinary hospital, or (3) permitted hound running area and only for possession of coyotes. Provides that the exemptions listed in the provision do not exempt persons from having to be in compliance with the Wildlife Code or the Endangered Species Act, including, but not limited to, prohibitions on possession of any dangerous animal. Provides that nothing in the provision shall be construed to apply to a motion picture, television, or digital media production company employing or contracting with a dealer or exhibitor licensed under the federal Animal Welfare Act or with a carrier, intermediate handler, or unlicensed exhibitor registered under that Act for the transportation, purchase, exhibition, or use of animals in its motion picture, television, or digital media production. Provides that it is an affirmative defense for a prosecution under this provision if a person had lawful possession of a feline crossbreed between a serval cat and a domesticated cat and the possessor of the animal proves that the possessor possessed the animal before the effective date of the amendatory Act. Defines "federally licensed facility".
SB0246	01/22/2025	Amends the State Treasurer Act. Provides that the State Treasurer may establish and administer a non-profit investment pool and an electronic payment processing program to supplement and enhance investment opportunities and secure electronic payment options otherwise available to not-for-profit corporations in the State. Provides that the Treasurer may receive funds paid into the pool for the purpose of holding and investing those funds. Provides for surety bonds payable to not-for-profit corporations who participate in the pool. Provides that the Treasurer shall adopt rules for the efficient administration of the pool.
SB0247	01/22/2025	Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the filing fees for specified petitions shall be $250 (rather than $75).
SB0248	01/22/2025	Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Provides that a petitioner for post-conviction relief who was convicted of a felony offense committed when that person was under 21 years of age who seeks leave to file a successive post-conviction petition claiming that his or her sentence violates the proportionate penalties clause of the Illinois Constitution does not have to demonstrate cause. Effective immediately.
SB0078	01/17/2025	Amends the Community Mental Health Act. Authorizes any public library district to construct, repair, operate, maintain, and regulate community mental health facilities. Provides that a public library district authorized to levy an annual tax under the Act shall establish a community mental health board whose members are appointed by the president of the public library district's board of trustees.
SB0079	01/17/2025	Appropriates $4,500,000 to the State Board of Education for grants to school districts to contract with organizations that directly provide students and school-based staff with mental telehealth services that are billed to Medicaid and commercial insurance plans. Effective July 1, 2025.
SB0080	01/17/2025	Amends the School Code. In a provision concerning evidence-based funding for student success, allows the Professional Review Panel to study, at the discretion of the chairperson, any proposed legislation by the General Assembly impacting the provision or the distribution of Tier funds through the evidence-based funding formula or the adequacy targets of organizational units funded through the evidence-based funding formula.
SB0130	01/17/2025	Amends the General Provisions Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Act. With regard to the retirement systems established under the General Assembly, State Employees, State Universities, Downstate Teachers, or Judges Article of the Code and the Illinois State Board of Investment, prohibits direct investment of any additional pension assets in the stocks, securities, or other obligations of any fossil fuel company or any subsidiary, affiliate, or parent of a fossil fuel company. Provides that each board of trustees of a pension system shall ensure the pension system does not make further indirect investments unless, upon exercising due diligence, the board of trustees is satisfied that the investment vehicle is unlikely to have more than 2% of its assets invested in fossil fuel companies. Requires pension system trustees to identify the pension system's holdings, whether directly or indirectly invested, including private investments. Requires pension system trustees to identify holdings that are invested in the stocks, securities, equities, fixed income, corporate bonds, prime commercial paper, or other obligations of fossil fuel companies. Requires pension systems to, in accordance with sound investment criteria and consistent with fiduciary obligations, divest any fossil fuel holdings, which must be completed by January 1, 2030. Requires pension systems to adopt an update to their written investment policies if necessary. Requires each pension system to disclose the analytic methods used, if any, in determining the climate-related financial risks posed by its fossil fuel investments (both publicly traded and private investments) and the results of the analysis. Sets forth provisions concerning definitions, de minimis exposure to fossil fuel securities, and annual reporting. Effective immediately.
SB0131	01/17/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. In the statutes concerning the offenses of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, criminal sexual abuse, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, increases the age of consensual acts of sexual penetration or sexual conduct from 17 years of age to 18 years of age. In those statutes, increases from 17 to 18 years of age for which more enhanced penalties may be imposed for violations of those provisions.