* Capitol News Illinois…

Abortion remains legal as an emergency medical procedure in Idaho, for now, after a Thursday U.S. Supreme Court ruling, while a bill that would cement those protections in Illinois law awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature. […]

Pritzker, a longtime proponent of abortion rights, is expected to sign a bill sometime soon that would enshrine protections similar to the federal EMTALA law in Illinois statute.

The proposal, House Bill 581, would codify abortions as a “stabilizing treatment” that doctors must offer when necessary, in emergency situations such as ectopic pregnancy, preeclampsia, and fertility loss related to pregnancy complications. The measure passed on partisan lines.

Its chief sponsor, Rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, said on Thursday that the “primary reason” the bill was introduced was to preserve the status quo in case a Supreme Court decision casts doubt on EMTALA’s coverage of abortion procedures.

* Center Square…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker could soon sign a measure saying hotels with less than 50 rooms can’t provide single use plastic bottles containing things like shampoo.

Opponents say Senate Bill 2960 targets small business owners and puts unnecessary mandates on them. Proponents argue the measure protects the environment. State Rep. Laura Fine, D-Glenview, sponsored the measure in the Senate.

“Plastic is one of the top sources of pollution in our country,” said Fine. “According to conservation.org, 26 billion pounds of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year. At this rate by 2050, plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean. This bill is part of the solution.” […]

If a hotel is caught using single use plastic, they will be issued a written warning. Upon a second offense, they will be fined up to $500.

* Advantage News…

A bill that had bipartisan support and is on the governor’s desk would remove eligibility requirements for individuals seeking to take a nursing assistant certification exam in Spanish.

House Bill 5218 requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer the exam and it prevents the department from implementing “impractical” eligibility requirements.

State Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, said the nursing assistant certification exam is currently available in Spanish but no individual has been able to take the exam due to the requirements needed to take the Spanish exam. […]

State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, urged a “yes” vote on the Senate floor. He pointed out that the Spanish CNA test costs more to take than the English test.

“We’ve got bilingual folks who are more comfortable taking written exams in Spanish, which makes sense,” said McClure. “We’ve got a lot of people who don’t speak English in our nursing homes and they need to be cared for. This is not an automatic entry into a position. After you take this test you still have to apply for a job and the nursing home needs to interview you to make sure you meet the requirements for this particular facility.”

* HB255 was sent to the governor last week…

Establishes the Illinois Youth and Young Adult Conservation and Education Pilot Program (rather than the Illinois Youth and Young Adult Conservation and Education Program). Provides that the Department of Natural Resources shall administer the Program. Provides that grants under this Act are limited to units of local government and non-profit entities located in the State of Illinois that provide conservation education and employment opportunities for youth and young adults of this State. Provides that the Program is subject to appropriation. Adds education and internships to purposes within the Program. Changes references to enrollees to references to interns. Defines terms. Changes references to the Director to references to the Department. Removes provisions that exclude contracts entered into for this Program from the Illinois Procurement Code. Removes changes to the Illinois Procurement Code. Makes other changes. Repeals this Act on June 30, 2029.

* Center Square…

House Bill 2161 is now on the governor’s desk. The bill seeks to prevent discrimination by an employer based on an employee’s family responsibilities.

During debate on the House floor last month, state Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, gave a real life example of the type of discrimination the bill aims to prevent.

“A woman who applied for a promotion at work and her boss asked, ‘you have kids at home right?’ She said, ‘I have four kids,’ and the boss said, ‘you’re a stellar employee but it sounds like you got a lot on your plate at home. So we’re going to give the promotion to someone else,’” said Guzzardi. “In that instance they gave the promotion to a man who also had kids and she had a gender discrimination claim, but had the employer given a job to a woman with no kids, that would have been perfectly legal. That kind of discrimination isn’t currently prohibited under the Human Rights Act.” […]

Guzzardi, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure simply closes a loophole in the state’s discrimination protections and mentioned other states that have passed similar legislation are seeing the number of lawsuits filed go down.

* HB307 sponsored by Rep. Kam Buckner has been sent to the governor…

Amends the Freedom of Information Act and the Student-Athlete Endorsement Rights Act. Changes the definition of “student-athlete”. Makes changes concerning compensation, including prohibiting the Act from being interpreted to consider a student-athlete as an employee, agent, or independent contractor of an association, a conference, or a postsecondary educational institution (instead of providing that a student-athlete shall not be deemed an employee, agent, or independent contractor of an association, a conference, or a postsecondary educational institution based on the student-athlete’s participation in an intercollegiate athletics program). Makes changes concerning publicity rights agreements. Provides that no postsecondary educational institution or employee acting within the employee’s course and scope of employment at a postsecondary educational institution is liable for damages related to the ability or inability of a student-athlete to earn compensation for the use of the student-athlete’s name, image, likeness, or voice. Provides that specified information that includes, reveals, or otherwise relates to the terms of an existing or proposed student-athlete publicity rights agreement is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. Provides that a postsecondary educational institution may provide intangible benefits as an incentive to individuals, companies, or other third parties that provide money, benefits, opportunities, or other services to an outside entity functioning primarily to support the creation and facilitation of publicity rights agreements for student-athletes.