Lawrence County and other Illinois drivers will notice a small increase in gas prices beginning in the new month of July. The state fuel tax will increase by more than 3%. According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, the tax on gasoline in the state will rise from $.454 cents per gallon to $.47 cents, an increase of a little over 3.5% and the tax on diesel fuel will also rise from $.529 cents per gallon to $.545 cents per gallon, an increase of a little over 3%. According to the IDR, the state fuel taxes are set on a schedule to increase annually and is indexed for inflation after legislation was passed in 2019 to change how the tax is figured and increased each year. The fuel tax is used to fund both state and local construction projects.