That law was an artifact of 1961. Recorders were not common in private hands then, and the idea of almost everybody carrying one in a pocket or purse was about as ridiculous as flying to the moon. For the record, the moon landing came first.

I have no idea why Illinois enacted such a restrictive eavesdropping law while most other states found one-party consent acceptable. I cannot shake the thought that maybe Springfield saw it as a little insurance to help lawmakers on the take not get caught on the tape.

Whatever the inspiration, that law could not forever withstand the pressure of modern-age electronics, especially when it came to using cellphone cameras to record activities of the police. An ACLU suit, intended to protect its operatives assigned to document officers’ misconduct, led a federal appeals court to nullify part of the law in 2012.

Earlier this year, the Illinois Supreme Court voided the law altogether. As of now, there are no limits. Today, I believe, I could legally record that lawyer.

But what about tomorrow? Well, that depends on when — or whether — Gov. Pat Quinn signs a replacement bill that passed the House 106-7 and the Senate 46-4. Senate Bill 1342 may be better, but it’s hardly perfect.