Kane County Reporter

Barbara Hernandez introduced HB2410 in the Illinois House on Jan. 31, 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 Animal Welfare Act. Provides that nothing in the Act permits the euthanization of a dog or cat or other pet in an animal shelter except in accordance with the requirements under certain provisions of the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. In the definition of "humanely euthanized", provides that "humanely euthanized" does not include euthanization of a dog, cat, or other pet in an animal shelter for any reason other than health reasons, attitude issues, or aggressiveness. Amends the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of any law, no person may euthanize a cat, dog, or other pet in an animal shelter unless the euthanization is for health reasons, attitude issues, or aggressiveness. Effective January 1, 2026."

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 Animal Welfare Act, Humane Care for Animals Act, and Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act to regulate the euthanization of pets in animal shelters. It stipulates that animals can only be euthanized for health reasons, behavioral issues, or aggressiveness, aligning with specified humane standards. Shelters must report stray animals to local authorities and make efforts to contact identified owners before proceeding with adoption, transfer, or euthanization. Euthanasia must occur on the licensed premises with certain exceptions for emergencies. The bill becomes effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Barbara Hernandez has proposed another seven bills since the beginning of the 104th session.

Hernandez graduated from Aurora University in 2014 with a BA.

Barbara Hernandez is currently serving in the Illinois State House, representing the state's 50th House District. She replaced previous state representative Linda Chapa LaVia in 2023.

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
HB2410	01/31/2025	Amends the Animal Welfare Act. Provides that nothing in the Act permits the euthanization of a dog or cat or other pet in an animal shelter except in accordance with the requirements under certain provisions of the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. Amends the Humane Care for Animals Act. In the definition of "humanely euthanized", provides that "humanely euthanized" does not include euthanization of a dog, cat, or other pet in an animal shelter for any reason other than health reasons, attitude issues, or aggressiveness. Amends the Humane Euthanasia in Animal Shelters Act. Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of any law, no person may euthanize a cat, dog, or other pet in an animal shelter unless the euthanization is for health reasons, attitude issues, or aggressiveness. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB2366	01/30/2025	Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that the Agency shall (rather than may) adopt rules requiring the electronic submission of any information required to be submitted to the Agency pursuant to any State or federal law or regulation or any court or Board order. Requires the rules adopted under this provision to take effect no later than January 1, 2030.
HB2367	01/30/2025	Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Eliminates provisions that a person must serve various percentages for particular offenses. Provides that the rules and regulations of the Department of Corrections shall provide that the individual in custody shall receive one day of sentence credit for each day of service in prison other than when a sentence of natural life imprisonment has been imposed. Provides that each day of sentence credit shall reduce by one day the incarcerated person's period of incarceration set by the court. Provides that within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Department of Corrections shall recalculate each incarcerated person's release date by crediting each person one day sentence credit for each day the incarcerated person has spent in prison on the current sentence. Provides that an incarcerated person serving a term of natural life imprisonment shall be eligible to accumulate sentence credit so that in the event that his or her sentence is reduced to something less than a sentence of natural life imprisonment, it can thereafter be credited toward his or her new sentence. Makes technical changes. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1821	01/28/2025	Amends the Highway Advertising Control Act of 1971. Provides that the Department of Transportation shall adopt rules specifying the standards for registration of certain signs under the Act. Adds the failure of the Department to act upon any permit within the designated time limit under the Act or the rules adopted by the Department to reasons a person can appeal a decision by the Department. Provides that a hearing for an appeal shall commence within 30 days after the receipt of the appeal request. Adds requirements for a hearing conducted under the Act and requires an administrative law judge to present a written proposal that contains findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations for a final decision to the Secretary of Transportation within 30 days after conclusion of a hearing. Adopts and incorporates the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Requires the Department to adopt rules regarding the implementation and enforcement of the Act (rather than permits the Department to establish rules and regulations). Effective immediately.
HB1842	01/28/2025	Amends the Administrative Adjudications Division of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that an ordinance established under the Division to establish a system of administrative adjudication shall allow hearing officers presiding over adjudicatory hearings to enter orders prohibiting further code violations or compelling the remediation of existing code violations.
HB1776	01/27/2025	Amends the Illinois Municipal Code and the Fire Protection District Act. Provides that an individual who is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law is authorized to apply for the position of firefighter, subject to all requirements and limitations, other than citizenship, to which other applicants are subject. Effective January 1, 2026.
HB1598	01/22/2025	Creates the Operating Room Patient Safety Act. Provides that each surgical technologist hired or contracted by a health care facility on or after January 1, 2027 shall meet specified educational, certification, or experiential requirements. Provides that nothing in the Act prohibits an individual from performing surgical technology services if the individual is acting within the scope of the individual's license or registration or is a student or intern under the direct supervision of a licensed health care provider.
HB1375	01/15/2025	Amends the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Creates emergency rulemaking procedures for the student teaching stipend program. Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Authorizes a person to establish optional credit for periods of service as a student teacher under a specified provision of the Board of Higher Education Act. In provisions requiring an additional employer contribution for certain salary increases greater than 6%, provides that the System shall exclude any stipends paid to an eligible cooperating teacher under the Board of Higher Education Act. Provides that any benefit increase that results from the amendatory Act is excluded from the definition of "new benefit increase". Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Creates the student teaching stipend program. Defines terms. Provides that an educator preparation program shall notify the Board of Higher Education of all eligible students and eligible cooperating teachers who qualify for the stipend program. Creates requirements for the disbursement of stipend funds under the program. Provides that an educator preparation program may not prohibit an eligible student from participating in the stipend program or from receiving a stipend from the stipend program. Requires an eligible cooperating teacher who receives a stipend to complete specific training. Requires the Board to issue a report in collaboration with the State Board of Education evaluating the impact of the stipend program. Permits the Board to adopt emergency rules regarding the administration of the stipend program in certain circumstances subject to the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act. Effective immediately.