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Springfield -The Senate welcomes its newest member last week: Patrick Joyce from Essex. Joyce was sworn into office Friday Nov. 8, at Kankakee Community College.

Joyce replaces Toi Hutchinson, who resigned to become Governor JB Pritzker’s cannabis czar, as state senator for the 40^th Legislative District.

“It is an honor to follow the outstanding Senator Hutchinson. I would like to thank her for the excellent job she has done for Kankakee and the South Suburbs,” Joyce said. 

SPRINGFIELD - Amid life-threatening increases in the cost of prescription insulin, Steve Stadelman, a State Senator and father to a diabetic son, voted with fellow lawmakers today to cap insulin copayments. The legislation will cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply.

“I have seen the struggle that diabetics face every day,” said Stadelman, a Rockford democrat. “Diabetes is a lifelong affliction for those who have it. It shouldn’t also be the cause of financial stress for their families.”

There are currently over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. An individual with Type 1 diabetes, a lifelong condition that often begins at birth, will spend an average of $5,705 per year on insulin alone.

“Without adequate insurance, many people with diabetes can’t afford the insulin they need to survive,” Stadelman said. “Rationing insulin leads to further health problems and more expensive health care costs in the long term. This legislation will provide medical and financial relief for thousands in the Rockford area and across the state of Illinois.”

The price of insulin has tripled between 2002 and 2013, which has led to many patients rationing their insulin and sacrificing other daily needs to pay for the medication.

Senate Bill 667 passed with a vote of 48-7 and would make Illinois the second state in the nation to cap prescription insulin co-payments.

SPRINGFIELD – Student athletes at Illinois colleges and universities would receive compensation from the use of their name, image or likeness under a measure sponsored by Senator Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey). Currently, college athletes cannot receive compensation for participating in the sports other than scholarships.

"I played college football for four years, and I remember the many times when my family couldn’t afford things we needed and wanted," Harris said. "However, on game days, the stadiums were packed, and the university was making millions of dollars."

SPRINGFIELD – An initiative to reign in the soaring cost of insulin for diabetes patients moved forward today.

Senate Bill 667, sponsored by State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), would cap co-payments for insulin at $100 per month for all patients regardless of the supply they require. The cap would only apply to commercial insurance plans regulated by the state. The legislation was approved 15-3-1 by the Senate Insurance Committee.

“For over a million Illinois residents, insulin is an absolute necessity. Without it, they will die,” Manar said. “Pharmaceutical companies are leveraging that fact in order to maximize profits. It’s time we hold them accountable.”

CHICAGO – Amid life-threatening increases in the cost of prescription insulin, Steve Stadelman, a state Senator and father to a diabetic son, joined other lawmakers at a press conference this morning to urge the passage of a measure that would cap the medicine’s cost at $100 per 30-day supply.

“My teenage son is diabetic, and as a parent, I have seen the struggle that diabetics face every day,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “Diabetes is a lifelong affliction for those who have it. It should not also be the cause of financial stress for their families.”

There are currently over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. An individual with Type 1 diabetes, a lifelong condition that often manifests at birth, will spend on average $5,705 per year on insulin alone.

“Many people do not have adequate insurance, and because of that, they cannot afford the insulin they need to survive,” Stadelman said. “Rationing insulin leads to further health problems and more expensive health care costs in the long run.”

If passed, Senate Bill 667 would make Illinois the second state to cap prescription insulin co-payments.

The bill is expected to be heard in the upcoming legislative session that begins Oct. 28.

Impacted individuals call for further reforms

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) and State Representative Carol Ammons (D-Champaign) gathered with community advocates to announce a step forward in the passage of Senate Bill 1786, which would protect upwards of 50,000 Illinoisans whose driver’s licenses are suspended every year due to non-moving violations like an inability to pay parking and compliance tickets, fines and fees. Legislators and advocates made a commitment with the mayor of Chicago to continue to work together through the summer in the effort to secure passage of the bill during veto session this coming fall.