Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

New laws

Posted in:

Illinois

* Some of these are just a bit dated. This one’s from today, though…

Governor JB Pritzker today signed two pieces of legislation that allow for the expanded use of expressway cameras, empowering law enforcement agencies to investigate criminal activities along expressways and State highways.

“There is nothing more important than keeping Illinoisans safe—in our schools, in our parks, and on our expressways,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “The tragic incidences of gun violence on our highways requires aggressive and intentional action. By signing this bill, law enforcement agencies will have the tools to respond to criminal activity in a timely and efficient manner—ensuring the safety and security of our residents, while holding perpetrators accountable.”

“Automated license plate readers play a growing, critical role in ISP investigations and arrests in the Chicagoland area,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP now routinely uses this technology to track down expressway shootings and carjacking suspects, so the expansion of this technology across Illinois expands our ability to protect our interstates and bring violent criminals to justice.”

House Bill 4481 increases the number of cameras along expressways and State highways in the counties of Boone, Bureau, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Madison, McHenry, Morgan, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will, and Winnebago. The state’s FY23 budget included $20 million to expand the technology. This legislation is effective immediately. […]

House Bill 260 allows for the use of expressway cameras along Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive. This gives law enforcement agencies the ability to use images from expressway cameras to investigate vehicular hijacking and other criminal activities, detect highway conditions and facilitate highway safety and incident management services. This legislation is effective immediately.

* Sen. Ellman…

Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) to make naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, more accessible was signed into law Thursday.

“Opioids are permeating our communities, and people are dying at record rates. By making naloxone more accessible, we can prevent more deaths as we work to address the root of addiction,” Ellman said. “Naloxone saves lives. You can’t put a price on that.”

House Bill 4408 prohibits insurers and Medicaid from charging a copay for naloxone, an opioid suppressant. Naloxone can be lifesaving for people overdosing on opioids, but can often cost up to $140 for two doses.

According to the CDC, more than 100,000 people in the United States died from an opioid overdose in 2020 – and in one out of three cases, a bystander was present who could have saved the person’s life if naloxone had been accessible.

“Naloxone is a safe and effective medication that saves lives. Many of our communities continue to struggle in the midst of the opioid epidemic. It is important that we take steps to meet our friends, neighbors, and family members where they are at,” said State Representative Deb Conroy (D-Villa Park), House sponsor of the bill. “By eliminating the insurance copay on this essential drug, the General Assembly is doing just that.”

The legislation goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.

* Sen. Simmons…

To better inform and raise awareness for health issues that particularly effect men, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) led a measure to create the division of men’s health within the Illinois Department of Public Health Office of Health Promotion.

“We know that men are less likely to go see a doctor or other healthcare professional when they are not feeling right,” Simmons said. “They may end up missing their body’s signs of sickness and eventually progress to disease – especially if they are not educated on signs to lookout for.”

Life expectancy of men remains more than five years less than women, and men lead in nine of the top ten causes of death in the United States. Simmons’ measure would raise awareness of health issues particular to men that are not currently or adequately addressed by IPDH, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, smoking cessation, heart disease, and mental health.

“This law will raise awareness of health issues millions of men suffer from each day,” Simmons said. “I am proud to help usher in a new era of communication and prevention for men across the state.”

House Bill 4589 was signed into law last week and takes effect next January.

* Sen. Bush…

A career-long advocate for the fight against the ongoing opioid epidemic, State Senator Melinda Bush fought during the spring legislative session to make opioid overdose reversal drugs more accessible and provide people with more education surrounding the consequences of opioids.

“We all know someone who has a friend or family member that struggles with addiction — and the thought of that person losing their battle with opioids when lifesaving medication is available is devastating,” said Bush (D-Grayslake). “We must put an end to the red tape and hurdles people have to go through to receive naloxone so we can tackle the crisis head on.”

Bush’s law – House Bill 4408 – prohibits insurers and Medicaid from charging a copay for naloxone – an opioid suppressant. Naloxone can be lifesaving for people overdosing on opioids, but can often be inaccessible with a cost of up to $140 for two doses.

“It’s simple: naloxone saves lives,” Bush said. “The more accessible naloxone is, the better.”

Senate Bill 2535 – also championed by Bush and signed into law Thursday – requires pharmacists to inform the patient that opioids are addictive and offer to give the patient naloxone – a common opioid reversal medication.

More than 75,000 people died from an opioid overdose in 2020 – and in one out of three cases, a bystander was present who could have saved the person’s life, had naloxone been accessible.

Since first entering the General Assembly, Bush has been a steadfast advocate on fighting the ongoing opioid crisis. In 2015, she championed legislation to make naloxone more accessible and affordable to law enforcement agencies. Both measures signed Thursday are another step toward saving lives from the deadly effects of opioids.

“The opioid epidemic is a serious and complicated issue that only continues to get worse,” Bush said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the opioid crisis, especially amongst vulnerable populations. We must tackle this crisis head on.”

House Bill 4408 and Senate Bill 2535 were both signed into law Thursday.

* Sen. Peters…

A measure to help medical professionals get more tests into the hands of individuals who battle opioid addiction was signed into law thanks to the efforts of State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago).

“This reform will help save lives,” Peters said. “We still have a long way to go, but removing penalties organizations face when they have access to test strips is a responsible way to address the opioid crisis and to create real public safety for all instead of continuing the misguided policies of the past.”

The new law is designed to expand on the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act of 2019. This measure will increase the number of persons and professions in the medical community who would not be penalized for possessing a limited residual amount of a controlled substance as part of the drug testing process.

Additionally, the supplies will be required to be stored at a medical office with limited access and would be available to designated workers such as an advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant.

“We need to ensure that all communities in our state are protected and that they know what is going into their body,” Peters said. “I’m glad that we are taking this important step to make sure that people will not be left to the wolves of the fentanyl overdose crisis.”

The measure was signed into law on Thursday and takes effect immediately.

* Gov. Pritzker…

Governor JB Pritzker signed HB4165 into law today, marking the creation of the Lake Michigan Rescue Equipment Act. The act, introduced by Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy (D-Chicago), is a crucial step towards addressing recent drownings in Lake Michigan and preventing future accidents by requiring public rescue equipment on all piers or drop-off points on the lake. The act also lays out new guidelines for reporting drowning events and establishing water safety guidelines.

“The stories of recent drownings on Lake Michigan are both tragic and preventable,” said Governor Pritzker. “This law will protect countless families from experiencing those same terrible losses and ensure a safer Lake Michigan for the thousands of Illinoisans who enjoy it every year.”

The act requires both private and government-owned piers and drop-off points to be outfitted with public rescue equipment such as flotation devices. Beyond requiring easily accessible flotation devices, the act also requires local governments to post warnings in high-incident areas and standardizes reporting of drowning incidents to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

The Lake Michigan Rescue Equipment Act was proposed following the death of 19-year-old Miguel Cisneros, who drowned in Lake Michigan in August of 2021. Cisneros’ family and activists in Rogers Park advocated for increased water safety measures after the tragic accident and several other incidents in the neighborhood in recent years.

2020 was one of the deadliest summers on Lake Michigan in years with 56 drowning deaths recorded, prompting legislators and community groups to advocate for laws like the Lake Michigan Rescue Equipment Act. The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, a water safety advocacy group, cites Lake Michigan as the Great Lake with the highest rate of drownings. Drownings often happen quickly and with little noise. Public safety officials recommend using wearable flotation devices, closely monitoring children at play, and assessing weather conditions carefully before swimming.
“Governor Pritzker’s partnership advancing thoughtful and impactful legislation remains a hallmark of his administration,” said State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago). “Today’s signing of this community-driven problem-solving initiative continues to illustrate his belief in empowering our communities to seek solutions that work. I’m grateful all to the advocates, especially the Cisneros family, who turned their grief into action and brought us to this day.”

“We have had too many tragic and, in many cases, preventable deaths on Lake Michigan,” said State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago). “Simple rescue equipment like lifesavers are an effective way to help people get to safety in case they fall or find themselves struggling in the water.”

“The passage of this law is an example of how democracy should work,” said 49th Ward Alderman Maria Hadden. “Thank you to the community leaders who implored us to do more to prevent further tragedies at our lakefront. Having this new standard for saving is the right thing to do to save lives.”

“This is great progress toward a safer Lake Michigan shoreline, with so many more life rings becoming available,” said Jamie Racklyeft, Executive Director, Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium. “This successful bill can now serve as a template for other Great Lakes states, counties, communities, and parks interested in ways to keep their residents and visitors safer around the water.

“In 2018 on a Chicago beach we frantically searched for something that could float while helplessly watching a child fatally submerge and witnessing several would-be-rescuers turn into victims needing rescuing themselves,” said Halle Quezada Rasmussen, Founder of Collective Resource Compost. “This weekend, I stood in front of a life ring at that same spot and whispered to the 13-year girl we lost, ‘this is for you.’ Of course, it is too late for her and I will never stop wishing this could bring her back, but her legacy will live in this law, ensuring that when the unthinkable unfolds, we will have a fighting chance at survival. I am so grateful to everyone who made this progress possible—if we can reduce preventable deaths, we should and now, we are.”

* SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley…

We are pleased to commend our legislative leaders, Gov. JB Pritzker, Sen. Ann Gillespie and Rep. Anna Moeller for the passage and signing of the Illinois Nursing Home Rate Reform bill into law.

Today, as a result of the outspoken voices of our members, allies, and supporters, including former nursing home worker and SEIU Healthcare member, Rep. Lakesia Collins, we are now able to address the nursing home industry’s failure to invest public funds into the most critical component of our care industry, our health care staff. This law will ensure that nursing home funding has a path through to those that provide direct care and crucial services to our most vulnerable populations.

As a union of over 90,000 members with over 12,000 being nursing home workers in hundreds of facilities throughout the state, it is imperative we uplift the necessity of investing in a care economy that supports safe staffing and retention as well as livable wages so that the workforce remains viable and most importantly sustainable. This law will establish a culture of accountability that will benefit skilled workers such as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) who provide the majority of direct care to residents and have been underpaid and undervalued for far too long.

We look forward to the life changing impact this groundbreaking law will have on the quality of life for direct care providers and nursing home residents throughout Illinois for generations to come.

* Sen. Fine…

Universities will no longer be able to withhold transcripts from students who have not yet paid off their tuition balance, thanks to a new law led by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview).

“As a former professor, I have witnessed firsthand the immense sacrifices, including taking on debt, students undertake to earn their degree and pursue a fulfilling career,” Fine said. “The practice of withholding transcripts can make it harder for students to find the necessary employment to pay off their debts. This law will ensure students have access to the documents they have earned through hard work, regardless of outstanding debt.”

Under Fine’s legislation, universities will be prohibited from withholding unofficial transcripts as a means of debt collection. Employers will be able to request official transcripts of those students seeking employment. Fine’s legislation will also require colleges and universities to institute a hardship policy, which will help students who have to drop out of a school due to an illness or significant financial burden the ability to re-enroll at a later date. Lastly, SB 3032 ensures debt collection agencies cannot use a past due debt with a college or university against a student’s credit rating.

“Students often go into debt with the expectation that their degree will give them the opportunity to get a well-paying job, which will help them pay off their loans,” Fine said. “Withholding transcripts, a practice that disproportionately impacts low-income or minority populations, creates additional barriers to financial independence. This law will give a pathway for students to pursue a career with the degree they earned while working to repay their debts.”

Senate Bill 3032 was signed into law May 27, 2022. It will go into effect immediately.

* Sen. Simmons…

Youth in Illinois will now begin to receive specialized education on mental health resources after a measure championed by State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) becomes law.

“This measure addresses a critical gap in the support systems that we need to offer our youth to be able to remain emotionally well,” Simmons said. “Our youth have been so resilient during these past few years, but many of the broader issues amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic have put a severe strain on the mental health of our young people. It’s imperative that we prioritize the mental health and well-being of our young people and center the experiences they are voicing and actually living through.”

Senate Bill 4028 will ensure that the curricula for elementary and secondary schools would be required to include how and where to find mental health resources in the state. The measure helps make students aware of mental health services that are available to them and helps erase the broader stigma behind mental health.

The measure was in part inspired by two of Simmons’ Youth People’s Legislative Councils, where Simmons discussed with young people themselves the issues that are salient to them such as violence and access to mental health as part of his mission to empower young people to become more involved in policy making.

“The struggle to find adequate resources for mental health is an issue that I hear time and time again when I meet with young people in the district I represent,” Simmons said. “I am pleased that we will begin to deliver practical resources to support our youth directly in our schools.”

Senate Bill 4028 was signed into law and takes immediately.

* Sen. Fine…

–An initiative led by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), will protect pollinators like bees and butterflies by setting guidelines on the spraying of certain pesticides.

“Pollinators are essential to the health of our environment and our agriculture,” Fine said. “This law guarantees that they are not unnecessarily killed by pesticides targeting mosquitos, allowing them to continue to play their vital role in our ecosystem.”

The legislation restricts when commercial pesticides, also known as “mosquitocides,” can be applied to surfaces where mosquitoes feed, such as plant leaves, turf or mulch. As many other insects often feed on these areas, pollinators can be unintended victims of pesticides during colder seasons when the mosquito population is lower. This law intends to limit the harm to pollinators at the hands of these pesticides.

“Pollinators are a key element of the circle of life. When our young constituent, Scarlett Harper, brought this problem to my attention I knew I had to do something,” said Rep. Gabel. “This bill protects bees and butterflies by ensuring that yard workers are educated about the best and worst times to spray for mosquitos and limiting the time for spraying. Thank you to Scarlett for her organizing and to Senator Fine for helping to shepherd this bill through the process.”

In the event of a public health emergency, like a virus transmitted through mosquito bites, the law allows for pesticides to be sprayed to stop such an emergency. Until then, this law prohibits spraying pesticides from October 16th through April 14th every year. This legislation will also require additional notification for when mosquitocide is sprayed in residential areas and would also prevent it from being sprayed on windy days, preventing pesticide drift. Fine is hopeful that this initiative will set an example for more environmental stewardship in lawmaking.

House Bill 3118 was signed into law May 27, 2022. It will take effect Jan. 1, 2023.

* Sen. Collins…

State Senator Jacqueline Collins sponsored a new law addressing the collateral consequences of cannabis use criminalization.

“People looking to correct their criminal record should not be stopped from meaningfully participating in society because of a positive drug test for cannabis,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “We have to stop treating its use as grounds for dismissal with respect to jobs and petition-filing.”

Individuals seeking to expunge or seal a felony conviction were previously required to take and pass a drug test to show the absence of illegal substance, including cannabis. House Bill 4392 will now allow petitioners to continue the filing process despite a positive test for cannabis. The new law was signed Friday.

Expungement and sealing are ways of allowing individuals to hide or clear their record, expanding their access to job opportunities and certain spaces. Before the signing of Collins’ law, despite cannabis’ legality in Illinois, a positive test would affect petitioners’ filing outcome prior to case consideration.

“People deserve second chances, and it is important that we afford this opportunity to those whose circumstances may have led them to crime,” Collins said. “This legislation is especially meaningful for our communities of color, who face disproportionate disparities in the criminal justice system.”

The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2023.

* Finally, a press release from a state Representative…

Children with autism spectrum disorder on Medicaid in Illinois will soon have access to a life-changing form of therapy.

Two years ago, Representative Conroy was responsible for the Illinois General Assembly’s decision to appropriate funds to cover Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy under Medicaid. But because ABA therapists and technicians were not licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the money set aside to help children who have autism on Medicaid sat in state coffers unused.

ABA therapy can be extremely helpful for children with autism. To make Medicaid-covered ABA therapy a reality, Representative Conroy passed House Bill 4769 to update Illinois’ licensure practices and accommodate the analysts who engage in this important work.

The bill successfully passed both the Illinois House and the Illinois Senate and was signed by Governor Pritzker on May 27th, 2022. This legislation requires the IDFPR to license the behavior analysts, assistant behavior analysts, and behavior technicians that perform this life-changing therapy. As a result, ABA therapy will finally be covered under Medicaid. The legislation went into effect immediately after being signed by the governor.

This essential initiative is the result of over four years of work. Proponents of the new law include Autism Speaks, Mid-State Special Education, and the Illinois Autism Insurance Coalition, among others.

Representative Conroy is committed to promoting a high quality of life for everyone with autism. Those interested in learning more about this legislation are encouraged to contact Representative Conroy’s Villa Park office by calling 630-415-3520 or emailing RepDebConroy@gmail.com.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 3, 22 @ 3:02 pm

Comments

The Ellman and Bush releases on the same bill are kind of interesting. Ellman included the chief House sponsor in her release, which makes sense since it’s a House bill. Conversely, Bush just calls it “Bush’s law.” Probably minor stuff, but it leapt out at me.

Comment by vern Friday, Jun 3, 22 @ 4:24 pm