* WHBF…

Price limits could be imposed on some of the most expensive prescription drugs in Illinois.

Under House Bill 1443 and Senate Bill 66, medications that qualify would need to cost more than $60,000 a year or have acquisition costs that increase by more than $3,000 dollars a year. Some generic medications with significant price increases would also be capped. Maximum prices would be determined by a prescription drug affordability board.

The House bill passed its third committee hearing.

PhRMA spokesperson Will May…

PhRMA Statement on Illinois HB1443, attributable to Will May, PhRMA spokesman:

“Prescription drug boards put unelected state bureaucrats, many with little to no clinical experience, between patients and their doctors and risk reducing access to critical treatments. These boards often fail to address the real drivers of patient costs, such as insurers and PBMs. Illinois should focus on protecting patient access and affordability by addressing the abusive practices of insurers and PBMs.”

* Reps. Daniel Didech and Rep. Mary Beth Canty…

Rep. Daniel Didech (D - Buffalo Grove) and Rep. Mary Beth Canty (D - Arlington Heights) released the following statement regarding e-bike legislation:
“Getting the e-bike issue right is literally a matter of life and death in our districts. Our priority is passing legislation that protects children and gives local law enforcement the tools they need to effectively enforce the law.

We are encouraged that our colleagues in the Senate have prioritized this issue by passing SB 3336. We also appreciate the Secretary of State’s willingness to work with us in good faith on an amendment that reflects the feedback of mayors and police chiefs from the northwest suburban communities we represent.”

* Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz…

A measure by state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, to better protect children online passed the House of Representatives on Thursday.

House Bill 5511 would place new restrictions on children’s social media accounts and allow parents to have greater control over their children’s online actions. […]

The bill would have parents input their child’s age while setting up a new device. When new software is installed or a new website is visited, a number of settings will trigger by default, unless a parent authorizes otherwise. These settings include:

- Prohibitions against social media companies using addictive algorithms and limiting social media notifications to daytime hours.
- Requiring apps to obtain parental consent for in-app purchases or any transaction between children and unknown users.
- Requiring companies to apply default privacy settings based on a user’s age to protect the user’s location data and profile information.

Parents would be able to tailor these restrictions to meet their child’s needs and better monitor their online activity.

* Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea and Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter…

For working families, retirees, tradespeople, service workers, public employees and everyone living paycheck to paycheck, these surprise increases force impossible choices: paying the mortgage, filling the gas tank, or keeping legally required car insurance.

That’s why Senate Bill 1486 is such important legislation for working families and organized labor. In March, the Illinois House approved the legislation. The measure is currently under consideration in the Illinois Senate.

SB 1486 brings long-overdue accountability to an industry that has operated for too long without meaningful oversight in Illinois, which is only one of two states that does not require state regulators to review rates set by insurance companies. The bill requires insurance companies to provide 60 days’ notice before raising premiums by more than 10 percent, giving families time to plan instead of being blindsided.

Just as important, it prohibits excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory rates — helping ensure workers are charged based on real risk – like their driving record. If consumers get overcharged, the measure requires insurance companies to issue a rebate.

* Tribune…

That inaction is why Peden and families of other victims from across Illinois are pushing lawmakers to pass a bill mandating that students who commit sexual assault or attempt to do so at school, school-sponsored events or events with a “reasonable relationship to school” receive a minimum one-year expulsion.

Springfield Republican Sen. Steve McClure, the bill’s main Senate sponsor, said when enough schools are unwilling to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable, the legislature needs to step in. […]

The legislation was introduced last year but did not receive a vote. Sponsors returned this session with a revised version that sharpens the bill’s definitions and broadens its protections.

The updated bill more clearly defines sexual assault to include nonconsensual sexual activity that occurs when a victim is unconscious, asleep, drugged or intoxicated. The revised legislation also clarifies that individuals with severe disabilities who are unable to understand the nature of a sexual act or who are incapable of resisting cannot consent.

The proposal would allow school superintendents to modify the length of expulsions, with school boards able to revise the superintendent’s decision. Students expelled for sexual assault would also be eligible for alternative school placement.

* Attorney General Kwame Raoul…

Attorney General Kwame Raoul applauded the Illinois House’s passage of his legislation to support his office’s efforts to combat workplace rights violations.

House Bill 4725, sponsored by Rep. Jay Hoffman, was approved with bipartisan support and will now be considered by the Senate. […]

Attorney General Raoul’s Workplace Rights Bureau protects and advances the employment rights of all Illinois residents, particularly the state’s most vulnerable residents and immigrant populations. The bureau investigates and litigates cases involving serious or persistent wage law violations or other significant employment practices. Over the last year, the Attorney General’s office has recovered more than $15 million for Illinois workers.

However, some bad actors exploit procedural gaps to evade accountability, stall investigations, and force the bureau into lengthy and expensive court battles to access basic records. Currently, the bureau lacks standard investigative tools, common to other agencies, that would assist in resolving investigations. Raoul’s proposed measure will help ensure that the Workplace Rights Bureau has the necessary tools to defend workers’ rights and a level playing field for law-abiding businesses.

The legislation will:

· Clarify the jurisdiction of the Workplace Rights Bureau.
· Streamline the subpoena process to prevent stalling practices and expensive court battles.
· Grant the Workplace Rights Bureau the same investigative tools as the Illinois Department of Labor and the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor, including the ability to conduct confidential interviews conducted at worksites.
· Create penalties for employers who intentionally destroy evidence or refuse to comply with the law.

* Sen. Laura Ellman…

Senate Bill 3333 would allow individuals held in county jails prior to trial to receive sentence credit for completing certain programming such as work assignments, parenting programs, volunteer activities, and supervised community work. Currently, similar programming can earn credit for individuals incarcerated in Department of Corrections’ facilities, but not for those in pretrial detention due to gaps in statutory language.

The bill would also allow individuals in pretrial detention to receive up to half a day of sentence credit for each day they participate in self-improvement programming, volunteer work, or work assignments not currently eligible under existing law. […]

Senate Bill 3333 passed the Senate on Wednesday.

* Sen. Graciela Guzmán…

State Senator Graciela Guzmán is working with Planned Parenthood to preserve contraceptive services or supplies for minors through legislation that recently passed the Executive Committee. […]

Senate Bill 3341 would provide that any minor may give effective consent for contraceptive services or supplies and the consent of no other person is required. According to KFF, several states require parental consent to obtain contraceptive care and many states do not guarantee the rights of minors to consent to contraceptive services.

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care for all people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. […]

Senate Bill 3341 has passed the Executive Committee and heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

* Home for Good coalition…

The Home for Good coalition issued the following statement after the House Housing Committee approved HB624, HFLA2 which will reduce homelessness, strengthen communities and advance public safety by creating a comprehensive strategy to improve housing and support services for people returning from prison:

“Today’s action is an important step toward fixing Illinois’ broken reentry system and building stronger, safer communities for all. Everyone deserves a home, but for decades Illinois has failed to create a statewide strategy to support those returning from prison, essentially forcing homelessness and poverty on thousands of people a year. Home for Good is designed to break this cycle by creating a comprehensive strategy to ensure successful reentry in a humane and cost-effective manner,” said Ahmadou Dramé, director of the Illinois Justice Project. “We appreciate the support of the House Housing Committee and thank Rep. Maurice West and Sen. Adriane Johnson for their leadership on this important issue. We look forward to full approval by the General Assembly.”

* Sen. Laura Ellman…

Senate Bill 3815 would prohibit health insurance companies from denying new coverage to individuals or employers solely because they owe premiums from a previous policy. The measure maintains that insurers may still pursue collection of unpaid balances, but ensures that outstanding debt does not act as a barrier to accessing care.

Additionally the bill would create a payment plan option for consumers to pay off past due premiums before the insurer may deny or cancel a new policy for health insurance.

The measure does not apply to grandfathered health plans, those established prior to the Affordable Care Act’s enactment in 2010, which are exempt from certain federal requirements and are no longer available for purchase.

“Health care coverage shouldn’t be out of reach for someone simply because they’ve fallen behind on a previous payment,” said Ellman. “This legislation is about protecting access to care and making sure families can get insured when they need it most.”

Senate Bill 3815 passed the Senate on Wednesday.

* Rep. Natalie Manley…

With some children waiting years to receive an autism diagnosis due to a lack of available authorized clinicians, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, advanced a plan Thursday that would enable qualified speech-language pathologists to diagnose autism spectrum disorder if the child is under age three and has no co-occurring medical conditions.

“Getting a diagnosis sooner so that a child can access effective, specialized autism interventions during early brain development can make a difference that lasts a lifetime,” Manley said. “This legislation will help to remove a bottleneck, give parents the answers they need and ensure our children receive the best support possible without costly delays.”

Currently, too few psychologists and pediatricians are trained in early autism diagnosis, creating shortages that have caused statewide delays and prevented children from accessing behavioral therapies, insurance coverage and special education support.

Under Manley’s House Bill 5225, a qualified speech-language pathologist would be empowered to diagnose autism spectrum disorders if the child is under age three and has no co-occurring medical conditions, such as seizures, gastrointestinal problems or sleep disorders. The licensed speech-language pathologist would need to have an active autism evaluation credential issued by the Illinois Early Intervention Program, and the diagnosis must occur as part of the program.

A child that is diagnosed must be referred to appropriate medical personnel for further evaluation or management for services outside the scope of practice of a speech-language pathologist.

“This is going to get Illinois’ kids the services they need quicker,” Manley said. “I appreciate the support from parents, advocates and health professionals to get us to this point, I’m excited to push for the passage of this important bill in the Senate.”

House Bill 5225 passed the House with bipartisan support, and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

* More…

* WTTW | Advocates Push for Wage Increases for Home Care Workers in Illinois: Home care workers with SEIU Healthcare Illinois and state legislators gathered Thursday in front of the Illinois Capitol Building in Springfield to rally in support of a bill that would raise wages for home care workers serving seniors through the state’s Community Care Program. […] The proposed bill would increase rates for in-home services provided through the state program in order to increase hourly wages for home care workers by $2, making it $20.75 per hour, according to advocates.

* WAND | Home for Good: IL bill expanding housing, support services for people returning from prison heads to House floor: House Bill 624 passed out of the House Housing Committee on a partisan 11-4 vote Wednesday. It now heads to the House floor for further consideration. “Home for Good ensures there is a bridge between the Department of Corrections and back into our community,” said Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford). “That’s how we reduce recidivism. That’s how we are in a position to reduce crime and increase our tax base so we can talk about lowering taxes.”

* WAND | IL Senate passes bill requiring insurance coverage for seizure detection devices: This bill requires group insurance companies to provide coverage for medically necessary devices with a maximum cost-sharing amount of $50 per year. “Expanding access to these devices is a critical step to ensuring longer and healthier lives for everyone,” said Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “By requiring coverage through health insurance plans, we’re creating new pathways for those who suffer from a seizure disorder to get the care they deserve.”

* WAND | IL House Democrats pass plan requiring K-12 Latin American history: The plan requires school districts to include Latin American history curriculum in social studies classes starting with the 2027-2028 school year. Rep. Eva Dina-Delgado (D-Chicago) said students could learn about Latino contributions to the economic, cultural, social and political development of the United States and Illinois.

* Press release | Ford Measure to Repeal Punishing Anti-Borrower Student Loan Rules Passes the House: “At a time when Washington is deprioritizing education and dismantling social safety nets, we cannot sit by while hardworking people lose their livelihoods because of financial hardship,” said Ford. “The law as it is written today disproportionately harms lower-income state employees and undermines the government’s ability to recover repayment when those in default lose their jobs.” Ford’s House Bill 4687 passed the House with unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans, reflecting a shared understanding of the harm caused by the current law, which stems from the more than 30-year-old Education Loan Default Act.

* WCIA | Illinois bill aims to improve worksite conditions for menstruating, lactating people: bill which would improve working conditions on construction sites in Illinois — particularly for those who are menstruating or lactating — is one step closer to becoming law. State Senator Graciela Guzmán (D-Chicago) said Senate Bill 3465 focuses on providing sanitary conditions, reasonable accommodations and menstrual products on job sites. The bill passed the Senate on April 15 and now moves on to the House.

* Press release | Fine advances stronger PFAS monitoring for Illinois: Currently, PFAS oversight falls largely within the existing regulatory framework of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. However, inconsistent reporting requirements have made it difficult for the state to fully understand the scope and sources of PFAS contamination. Senate Bill 3917 would establish new monitoring requirements for PFAS in wastewater discharges, sludge, and biosolids at major facilities and land application sites. The legislation would strengthen environmental protections by requiring periodic sampling and reporting under certain water control permits.

* Press release | Ortíz Passes Bill Increasing Tuition Assistance to Community College Students: Ortíz’s House Bill 5135 removes the maximum reimbursement rate per credit hour for community colleges, allowing for more tuition assistance to flow to in-state adult learners pursuing their education. Currently, state adult education fund rules unnecessarily reflect federal requirements found in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and other regulations. Ortíz’s plan would remove the state from this self-imposed restriction, providing greater flexibility to prioritize adult learner funding.

* Press release | Joyce measure to expand mental health counseling to coroners passes Senate: State Senator Patrick Joyce passed a measure through the Senate that would ensure county coroners and medical examiners are able to receive mental health counseling if needed. “Coroners are critical in assisting law enforcement and our judicial system,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “By taking care of these employees we can prevent turnover and burnout.” Senate Bill 2770 would add coroners, deputy coroners, county medical examiners and deputy county medical examiners to the definition of first responders for the purpose of providing them mental health counseling without any cost-sharing.

* Press release | Hastings: ‘Storm chasers’ have no place in Illinois: Senate Bill 3029 would prohibit a contractor from offering home repair or remodeling services while a loss-producing event, such as a fire or storm, is occurring at the premises; while the fire department or emergency personnel are engaged at the premises; or between the hours of 7 p.m. and 8 a.m. The measure would still allow consumers to initiate solicitation with contractors during these scenarios.
Additionally, for a minimum of 72 hours after a disaster proclamation is issued, a contractor would be prohibited from soliciting a contract with a consumer in person for home repair or remodeling services, unless the consumer initiates the solicitation.

* WAND | IL Senate passes bill expanding access to menopause treatment, addressing healthcare provider bias: Healthcare professionals in Illinois are already required to complete a one-hour implicit bias training during their license renewal period. However, this bill would allow a course covering perimenopause and menopause to satisfy the requirement. “These are real medical experiences that deserve informed, evidence-based responses,” said Sen. Adriane Johnson (D-Waukegan). “When providers are equipped with better knowledge, patients receive better healthcare.”