* Illinois Review…

Several suburban Republican senators are calling for legislative action on a bill that would put stricter consequences on those who are behind the bothersome robo-calls and scam calls, which seem to keep cell phones ringing non-stop.

Senate Bill 2573 was announced last week, aiming to address the growing problem of robo-calls throughout the state. Several suburban lawmakers came together to co-sponsor the legislation, noting that these types of fraudulent calls are an ongoing form of harassment for many throughout the state.

The legislation strengthens the Illinois Automated Dialers Act by making the act of “spoofing,” where callers disguise their real number by showing up as a different number from the recipient’s caller ID system, a separate violation. The bill also requires prior written consent before callers can use an auto-dialer to initiate a telemarketing call. Both of these changes would align Illinois law with federal law, and would also make the unlawful practices subject to enforcement by the Attorney General. […]

“Now, more than ever, callers are able to easily afford these mass phone calls, and the low cost of auto-dialers is allowing them to makes thousands of calls daily, putting so many people at risk of falling for their deceitful tactics,” said State Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Naperville). “This is good legislation that protects Illinois’ most vulnerable citizens.”

* Not mentioned in the glowing account is that the amendment actually deletes existing statutory language allowing consumers to sue…

(c) Enforcement by customer. Any customer injured by a violation of this Act may bring an action for the recovery of damages. Judgment may be entered for 3 times the amount at which the actual damages are assessed, plus costs and reasonable attorney fees.

(c-5) In addition to the damages authorized under subsection (c), a consumer may obtain statutory damages in the amount of $500 per violation.

* Other stuff…

* Illinois eye doctors at odds over who can perform procedures: Patients’ health would be put at risk if optometrists in Illinois are successful in their quest for state approval to remove benign nodules and lesions, drain cysts and take tissue samples on the eyes and eyelids, according to physicians who are fighting the proposal. “These procedures are clearly surgery and will clearly jeopardize patient safety if done by someone who hasn’t attended medical school and a residency,” said Dr. Chris Albanis, an ophthalmologist in the Chicago area and a past president of the Illinois Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons. But Effingham optometrist Dr. Matthew Jones said statements by Albanis and other ophthalmologists are “a gross hyperbole of the truth.” Jones, a trustee of the Illinois Optometric Association, said ophthalmologists — medical doctors specializing in eye care — are overreacting.

* Reduced court fees could ease debt: One stops the state from suspending a driver’s license when someone stops paying a ticket. Another allows someone to have records sealed or expunged even if they still owe court fees. The third would reduce some costs overall. At least one traffic attorney says he’s happy to hear the state making the changes. All three bills are the result of a 2013 task force. It was created to find solutions for excessive court fees and fines.

* Illinois officials to address lack of sexual-assault nurses: The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is working with state lawmakers to draft legislation that would require hospitals to have a specially trained medical provider available to examine a sexual-assault victim. Of the more than 196,000 registered nurses in Illinois, only 32 are certified by the International Association of Forensic Nurses to work with adult sexual-assault patients, the Chicago Tribune reported. A dozen of the sexual-assault nurse examiners are certified to treat children. The draft legislation would require hospitals to have a trained medical professional available within 90 minutes of a patient’s arrival. Hospitals would be required to implement the change by 2023.