(This story has been updated).
A bill that will increase the amount of interest personal injury plaintiffs can collect if successful in court easily passed the House early in the morning Wednesday, 69-42.
House Bill 3360, sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville) and Rep. Marcus Evans, Jr. (D-Chicago), will lengthen the pre-judgment interest accrual period to when an alleged wrongdoer has notice of the injury versus when a plaintiff files suit. Because of the state s statute of limitations law, that could add as much as two years of interest at 9 percent a year owed by defendants.
The bill was among a few controversial proposals rammed through just before the legislature s lame duck session ended Wednesday and before members elected in November were seated.