What's new in Illinois' legal code starting in less than 72 hours? More than 100 new laws, according to one tally.

Beginning January 1, 2011, Illinoisans won't be able to own chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, bonobos, gibbons, monkeys, lemurs, lorises, aye-ayes, and tarsiers, and other primates, according to Public Act 096-1219. "Synthetic marijuana" will be banned. HB 5764, which requires that hospitals have procedures in place to access a locked bathroom in a patient's room, will start, as will a compromise bill on licensing hair braiders. Nine new laws concerning sexual crime shall begin. 

A two-tiered pension system affecting some newly hired public employees will start (for background on the state's current pension system, which pays most beneficiaries less than $50,000 annually, click here).

New rules on political money mandated by SB 1466 will go into effect. Individuals will be limited to donating $5,000 to a candidate's political committee each election cycle, $10,000 to a party committee, and $10,000 to PACs; caps are placed on how much organizations and businesses can contribute too. All candidates and candidate committees must report their donations every three months instead of every six under the new law, and contributions of $1,000 and up must be made public faster than before. The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform has a briefing about SB 1466 available here (PDF).

Another bill that will go into effect next year is SB 1716 -- the civil unions bill. Gov. Pat Quinn plans to sign the legislation into law soon.