Litterbugs, be on notice. Two new Illinois laws could cost you. IPR'S Amanda Vinicky reports.
Before Deborah Mell became a Chicago alderman last month, she pushed two pieces of legislation through the Illinois House, both trying to crack down on people who litter. The first:
"simply adds cigarettes to the definition of litter."
The other creates a minimum, $50 fine for anyone who tosses trash, cigarettes or otherwise, out their car window.
A bunch of Republicans, including Rep. David Reis, who's from Jasper County in Southern Illinois, opposed both measures.
"This is almost unbelievable -- $50 fine for throwing your cigarette butt on the ground. And I don't like that. I think it's distasteful, I don't smoke. But where are we going to stop with this? And is the second fine going to be higher? Is there going to be jail time? I mean what's coming with this? I think most of these cigarette butts are biodegradable."
The litter laws will take effect at the start of 2014.