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Sen. Cristina Castro

ELGIN – More workers, including those working for small employers, will have protection under a new law sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin).

“We have to ensure that every employee in the state has the same protections when it comes to discrimination in the work place,” Castro said. “Expanding the Illinois Human Rights Act is the right thing to do,” Castro said.

House Bill 252 expands the Illinois Human Rights Act to include employers with one or more employees. Current law only applied to workplaces with 15 or more employees. This new law will give these employees a remedy for work-related discrimination and retaliation, including claims for discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, marital status, military status and sexual orientation.

Castro worked closely with many advocacy groups while carrying the bill through the Senate, including Equality Illinois. Michael Ziri, Director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois, pointed out the crucial timing of the bill being signed.

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close up hearing aid

PLAINFIELD – Illinois seniors may soon be better able to cover the cost of hearing aids, due to a new law championed by State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood).

Bertino-Tarrant’s measure, House Bill 3503, requires insurance companies to offer optional coverage for hearing instruments and any related services for all individuals when they are prescribed by a hearing care professional. It was signed into law on Friday.

“There have been recent studies that have shown important links between hearing loss and feelings of depression or isolation.” Bertino-Tarrant said. “However, hearing aids are often a burdensome expense to seniors who are on a limited income to begin with. The goal of this legislation is to ensure this medically necessary equipment is financially accessible to Illinois residents.”

According to Health Affairs, more than 26 million adults aged 50 years and older with hearing loss reside in the US. Lack of hearing aid uptake is a public health concern because untreated age-related hearing loss, with its accompanied reductions in speech understanding, is associated with increased risk of social isolation, falls, hospitalizations, and cognitive decline.

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Assistant Majority Leader Terry Link

SPRINGFIELD – A comprehensive proposal by State Senator Terry Link (D-Indian Creek) aimed at ending the stigma surrounding mental health issues among firefighters and law enforcement officers was signed into law today by Gov. Pritzker.

“The men and women who dedicate their lives to the protection of their neighbors do so under extremely stressful situations that few others can truly understand,” Link said. “Ensuring there are services available when needed shows our brave first responders that even if they face these tough working conditions, they aren’t alone.”

Link’s new law – contained in House Bill 2766 – ensures individuals tasked with providing peer support counseling to law enforcement and firefighters are properly trained. Individuals who seek out mental health treatment will be protected under the law without fear of termination or adverse employment action.

In addition, the new law will create a task force to study recommendations to help reduce the risk of suicide among first responders.

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smokestacks\SPRINGFIELD – A decades-old law that prevents Illinois from taking action to address harmful greenhouse gas emissions was repealed thanks to State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville).

“By repealing the Kyoto Protocol Act, we're sending the signal that Illinois is ready to get serious about climate change,” Ellman said after her bill repealing the measure was signed into law today by Gov. JB Pritzker. “It's an outdated law that only served to tie lawmakers’ hands and it never should've been passed in the first place.”

House Bill 3481 repeals the Kyoto Protocol Act of 1998, which was intended to prevent the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Pollution Control Board from proposing rules to reduce greenhouse gases to address climate change.

“The Kyoto Protocol Act of 1998 was basically a gag order designed to prevent Illinois lawmakers from taking action to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions,” Ellman said. “Repealing this outdated law allows us to consider new options to cut greenhouse gas emissions and protect our environment.”

  1. Morrison law to study potential threat of microplastics
  2. Governor signs Holmes’ animal welfare, cosmetics testing laws
  3. Steans law will update state’s suicide prevention strategy
  4. Murphy’s new law adds extra protection for domestic violence victims

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