Welcome to the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus

Affordable housing initiative for DuPage and Will counties to be greenlit under new Ellman law

SPRINGFIELD — A new law from State Senator Laura Ellman is set to give counties additional tools to support affordable housing development and address growing housing affordability challenges facing working families and middle-income residents.

“As housing costs continue to rise faster than incomes, more families are finding themselves priced out of the communities they work and live in,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “This law will help local governments create more housing options while supporting mixed-income communities and long-term affordability.”

House Bill 4571 allows counties with populations between 750,000 and 2 million, as well as counties with executive forms of government and populations between 650,000 and 2 million, to take additional actions to support affordable housing development and preservation.

Read more: Affordable housing initiative for DuPage and Will counties to be greenlit under new Ellman law

Cervantes law updates nursing education standards

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes led a measure revising requirements for nursing programs, aligning standards with other states.

“Ensuring patients receive top-notch medical care starts with provider education,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Bringing Illinois’ nursing standards in line with other states will give nurses the proper training to work anywhere in the country – Illinois or any other state.”

Since Dec. 31, 2022, a national nursing accrediting body licenses registered nurses across the country. Cervantes’ law standardizes this process by having the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation’s Board of Nursing oversee all Illinois nursing education programs, including new program creation, curriculum and simulation use in education.

Read more: Cervantes law updates nursing education standards

Guzmán law protects minors’ access to contraception in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s legislation to preserve contraceptive services or supplies for minors was signed into law Friday.

“Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own body, their own health, and their own future,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “No young person should lose access to contraception because politicians decided they know better than patients and their health care providers. Illinois is protecting the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions and ensuring that access to contraception remains available for those who need it.”

Read more: Guzmán law protects minors’ access to contraception in Illinois

“Forever chemicals” to be removed from beauty products, thanks to Hunter

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans are one step closer to knowing the cosmetics on their bathroom shelves won’t make them sick long term thanks to a new from State Senator Mattie Hunter to ban such items from containing polyfluoroalkyl substances – known as PFAS, or "forever chemicals."

“For too long, the cosmetics industry has operated without the kind of oversight we apply to food, medicine and drinking water,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “We are closing that gap and putting Illinois at the forefront of a national movement to hold manufacturers accountable for what goes into their products and onto our skin.”

Read more: “Forever chemicals” to be removed from beauty products, thanks to Hunter