* Sen. Laura Fine…

Working with advocates for patients with chronic pain and the State Medical Society, State Senator Laura Fine advanced legislation authorizing prescribers to make chronic pain health treatment decisions for their patients. In 2016, states began instituting policies severely restricting the prescription of certain opioids, however, for some patients this is a life-saving treatment.

“Chronic pain patients who cannot access the proper treatments may turn to self-medicating with dangerous alternatives. These alternatives can put a patient’s physical and mental health at risk,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative allows for healthcare professionals to make medical decisions based on their patient’s needs.”

House Bill 5373 reflects new guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the prescribing of opioids for chronic pain. The legislation allows physicians to make necessary prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids, without strict limitations based on dosage amounts except as provided under federal law.

Additionally, Fine’s bill protects patient confidentiality by preventing the release of opioid prescription and treatment information without a legal order verified by the Illinois Department of Human Services or an administrative subpoena from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

“Patients who need prescriptions that don’t conform to current recommended guidelines continue to suffer from chronic pain or risk health complications from lack of proper treatment,” said Fine. “This legislation will ensure medical professionals can provide the necessary, life-saving services to suffering patients.”

House Bill 5373 passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday.

* Rep. Sonya Harper introduced HB5914 yesterday…

Creates the Enslavement Era Disclosure and Redress Act. Requires each contractor that participates in a competitive bid with the State to review its records for evidence of the contractor’s or a related party’s participation in slaveholding or the slave trade and to make certain disclosures with respect to that participation. Contains notice concerning public hearings following the disclosures. Provides that the Illinois Office of Equity shall appoint an administrator to oversee the program. Provides that each contractor that has disclosed participation in slaveholding or the slave trade shall provide the State with a statement of financial redress at the time of submitting its bid. Contains provisions creating a Redress Fund. Amends the State Finance Act to make conforming changes.

* Yesterday, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie filed HB5915…

Amends the Unified Code of Corrections. Provides that 90 days before the scheduled discharge of a person committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections, the Department shall provide the State’s Attorney of the committing county with the sentence calculation conducted by the Department, including documentation of completed programs or services that earned the person sentence credit for successful completion of those programs or services while the person was in custody of the Department. Provides that the State’s Attorney may challenge the calculation and request that the Department recalculate the sentence. Provides that upon recalculating the sentence, the State’s Attorney may request the Prisoner Review Board to review and approve the calculation.

* G-PAC CEO Kathleen Sances…

When Illinois lawmakers convene this week for their last days of session in 2024, they must act on Karina’s Bill and Safe at Home legislation to prevent tragedies that result when guns fall into the wrong hands.

We’ve seen the headlines when children and teens or at-risk people access deadly weapons in their homes and use them to inflict tragedy on themselves and others. Or in the case of Karina Gonzalez and her daughter, when a known domestic violence abuser used a gun to end their lives.

Legislators must act on Karina’s Bill to remove guns from known domestic abusers when an order of protection is filed against them. They must pass the Safe At Home package to enhance what it means to safely store weapons and strengthen reporting requirements when firearms are lost and stolen to prevent them from being trafficked to commit crime and violence. The Safe At Home package has two proposals: the Safe Gun Storage Act and the Lost & Stolen Firearms Reporting Bill.

At a time when there are more guns in our country than people, and when one in three children lives in a home with a gun, we need our laws to better prevent minors, at-risk people, domestic abusers and criminals from accessing these deadly weapons.

* WJOL…

In an attempt to address growing concerns about Illinois’ energy demands and potential national security risks, State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) has introduced legislation to prohibits data centers owned by foreign adversaries from operating in Illinois unless they generate their own power on-site, ensuring they do not strain Illinois’ energy infrastructure.

“With Illinois already facing an increased demand on our energy grid due to rapid data center expansion, we must take action to secure our infrastructure and prevent potential threats,” said Sen. Rezin. “This legislation ensures that foreign-owned data centers from known adversaries do not compromise our energy stability or burden Illinois residents with increased utility costs.”

Senate Bill 3890, also known as the Data Center Construction by Foreign Adversaries Act, requires Illinois’ regulatory agencies to jointly assess any proposed data center’s energy impact before allowing the construction of the center if it will be owned by a company tied to a foreign adversary. This assessment aims to confirm that the facility’s energy consumption is fully self-sustained, whether by on-site natural gas generation, battery storage, or renewable sources, so that no additional burden is placed on Illinois’ energy grid. The bill responds to a concerning trend of foreign entities acquiring land in the Midwest for industrial purposes, a trend that experts warn could jeopardize national security.

“Senate Bill 3980 is a necessary safeguard for Illinois and our national security,” continued Sen. Rezin. “We have to be vigilant about protecting our state’s resources and shielding our energy infrastructure from unnecessary risks.”

Sen. Rezin introduced HB3980 earlier this month.