* Capitol News Illinois…

Lawmakers passed more than 200 bills this week ahead of their scheduled May 24 adjournment.

Many of the measures will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, including a bill that changes how damages accrue under Illinois’ first-in-the-nation biometric data privacy law.

The Illinois House on Thursday approved Senate Bill 2979 with several Republicans joining supermajority Democrats in its passage. The Senate last month also OK’d the measure on a bipartisan vote.

The measure is a response to an Illinois Supreme Court ruling last year that “respectfully suggest(ed)” lawmakers clarify the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act. That ruling found fast food chain White Castle violated BIPA each time its employees used their fingerprints in the course of performing their jobs, as the company never obtained permission under the law. […]

The legislation would change BIPA’s violation accrual so that each initial collection of a fingerprint or other biometric data would amount to one violation, rather than a violation occurring for each individual scan. Employees might scan their fingerprints dozens of times per shift if they’re unlocking doors or cabinets with those scans.

* SJ-R…

With unanimous support, two bill protecting artists from having their content stolen through the means of artificial intelligence passed in the Illinois Senate.

Sen. Mary Edly-Allen, D-Libertyville, led both bills — House Bill 4762 and House Bill 4875. Since they were amended in the Senate, both pieces of legislation will return to the House on a concurrence vote.

The former would order an artist to be represented by legal counsel or labor union when negotiating terms, thus avoiding the potential for a contractor to replace them with AI-generated content in the artist’s likeness. […]

HB 4875, on the other hand, would grant artists the right to seek legal action if their content is replicated without their consent.

* Covers…

Illinois lawmakers are giving serious thought to ensuring any skeeball betting stays nice and friendly, not part of someone’s business plan.

The gaming committee of the Illinois House of Representatives met Thursday and advanced legislation that will prohibit establishments like Dave & Buster’s from “facilitating wagering” on their games at their place of business.

The legislation would also ban a “family amusement establishment” from promoting gambling on its games, namely those that require inserting a coin or token to activate. […]

Didech claimed he had yet to hear any opposition to his legislation, which he suggested will still be tweaked before it goes for a full vote in the House. He mentioned Golden Tee and pool tournaments at bars as examples of what he does not want to see banned. […]

The gaming committee voted unanimously to adopt an amendment to House Bill 394 by a 15-0 margin. It was then reported to the House floor for further action.

* WICS…

A new bill is moving throughout the General Assembly that would protect forensic pathologists from being liable for civil lawsuits after government jobs.

Forensic pathologists help local governments determine what caused a person’s death. Some say they are liable for lawsuits for their opinion if there’s a mistrial or a conviction is overturned.

Currently, if a forensic pathologist gets sued over a government job, they are financially liable. This bill would require local governments to cover their legal fees. […]

If this bill passes, forensic pathologists would receive the same financial backing from local governments like coroners and police do during lawsuits. […]

The bill passed a Senate Committee with no opposition. It will now go to a vote on the senate floor.

* WTAX…

A lengthy, heated debate in the Illinois Senate Friday was about a bill requiring Illinois foster parents to have a “hair care plan” to assist in allowing the foster child’s hair to be worn in a way reflecting the child’s culture. State Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Cherry Valley) spoke against it.

“I think if we really want to help these children, we should give these same dollars – potential millions of dollars this is going to cost – to helping foster parents with extra help for tutoring or for counseling,” Syverson said, “so they learn what’s important, so they actually learn to read and write and do math. […]

State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) recalled his childhood in South Dakota, where Native American children were taken away.

“The first thing that was done is they cut their hair,” said Koehler. “Think about that. Think about the culture of the Native Americans and what their hair meant to them. This is a racial discussion, and I choose not to be racist. and I’m going to vote for this bill.” […]

HB 5097 has passed the Senate, 49-9, and goes to the House.

* Tribune…

Illinois lawmakers are considering several measures aimed at addressing the opioid overdose crisis and putting a greater emphasis on harm reduction, though some of the more controversial proposals with that approach have stalled.

With one week left in the legislature’s scheduled spring session, at least three bills addressing the crisis have passed through one chamber of the General Assembly.

One measure has the potential to broaden access to fentanyl test strips, expanding on legislation from last year that allowed the drug testing supplies to be sold over-the-counter and distributed by health departments. […]

The bipartisan bill, a product of work by an intern in the office of Democratic sponsor Sen. Laura Ellman, passed without any no votes in the Senate and in a House committee, and now awaits consideration by the full House.

* Shaw Local…

A proposed state law could mean that parents of babies born opioid-positive are not immediately reported to county state’s attorney’s offices. Instead, the decision to alert law enforcement would be discretionary and based on investigations by the Department of Children and Family Services.

Senate Bill 3136 has passed through the state Senate and awaits a final vote in the House before next week’s deadline of the General Assembly’s spring session. It would take effect Jan. 1.

Proponents have said the new law would help keep moms struggling with substance use disorder alive and keep families together. […]

The proposed change would mean that, should a baby be born opioid-positive, rather than reporting the mother to the state’s attorney’s office, DCFS would first conduct a full investigation and then make that determination, said Charles Golbert, the Cook County public guardian.

* WAND…

A plan heading to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk would improve access to Alzheimer’s treatment in Illinois.

The bill requires the State Employees Group Insurance Program to cover medically necessary FDA-approved treatments or medications to slow progression of the disease.

Senate Bill 3318 would also require coverage for diagnostic testing from doctors to determine the best treatment or medication. […]

The proposal passed unanimously out of the House Friday afternoon. It previously gained unanimous support in the Senate.

* WMBD…

Illinois doctors will soon no longer have to worry about prior authorizations when treating patients with blood clotting disorders.

Right now, doctors have to seek prior authorization to administer certain drugs or procedure to a patient. Prior authorization is a form of approval used by insurance companies to determine coverage of medications and procedures

House Bill 4055 would end prior authorization for FDA-approved medications for hereditary bleeding conditions for up to six months. The bipartisan bill passed the House and Senate unanimously.

“It’s part of the governor’s overall program to try to eliminate pre-existing conditions where they just don’t make any sense,” said State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria)

* WAND…

The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a plan Thursday to enhance the quality of public drinking water.

This proposal calls on the Illinois Department of Public Health to work with the Pollution Control Board to update drinking water standards to establish new limits on maximum levels of forever chemicals.

Senate Bill 727 would also require the Illinois EPA to bring together a group of environmental stakeholders within a year to identify any other contaminants or chemicals that should be regulated by the state. […]

The plan could also codify new rules issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that set the maximum contaminant levels on six forever chemicals.

* WGEM…

Daycare centers in Illinois may soon be able to operate 24 hours per day. The state House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill Friday allowing daycares to operate 24 hours and provide care for children up to 12 hours at a time if their parent has a job requiring regularly scheduled shifts.

After 12 hours, there must be a 10-hour waiting period before the kid can return to the daycare center.

The bill’s sponsors, state Rep. Randy Frese, R-Quincy, and state Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, said the goal is to provide flexibility to shift workers. […]

The state Senate passed the bill unanimously on April 12. It now heads to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk.