SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a number of new laws into effect.

Roadside memorials OK'd

Illinois families who lose a loved one because of a fatal car accident will have a new way to memorialize the victim and the location of the crash under a new state law.

The memorial marker program would allow families to purchase signs that would be installed by the Illinois Department of Transportation near the site of the accident.

Families already often place informal, unofficial memorials at the site of accidents. If the memorial is small and not distracting, IDOT generally leaves it alone.

The new program signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn Wednesday, is similar to one already in place for victims of drunk driving accidents.

The legislation is Senate Bill 3803.

Smoking banned at private rooms in nursing homes

The state's smoking ban has been extended to include private rooms at nursing homes.

Legislation signed by Gov. Pat Quinn eliminates the exemption that allowed some nursing homes to offer in-room smoking to residents if certain conditions are met.

Under the new law, nursing homes can have a group area set aside for smoking as long as it does not interfere with non-smoking areas of the facility.

The legislation is Senate Bill 851.

Law calls for bed bug task force

A new law calls for a task force to plot a plan of action for attacking bed bugs.

Acting in response to an increase in complaints about the pests, lawmakers called for a panel of experts to recommend how the state work to eradicate them. The group also might recommend how the state conduct an educational campaign targeting bed bug management.

The work must be completed by Dec. 31, 2011.

The measure was approved unanimously in the Senate, but was ridiculed by some members of the House as unnecessary. It won approval on an 84-31 vote and was signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn Tuesday.

The legislation is House bill 6439.