Measure to clarify ephedrine prescription exemptions passes the Senate, thanks to Ellman

SPRINGFIELD – Establishing transparent guidelines for prescriptions, State Senator Laura Ellman passed a measure out of the Senate to give patients and pharmacies clarity regarding restrictions on medication containing ephedrine.

“People with common health issues like allergies or low blood pressure may need ephedrine medication and might not have any alternative treatment options,” said Ellman. “Both providers and patients are at risk of violating existing restrictions on ephedrine medications due to a lack of clarity within current law.”

Read more: Measure to clarify ephedrine prescription exemptions passes the Senate, thanks to Ellman

Lightford: Resident dumping is a betrayal of trust

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford led the charge to put an end to “resident dumping” – an inhumane practice in which a nursing facility discharges a resident and refuses to readmit them after a hospital stay.

"Resident dumping is a betrayal of trust at life's most vulnerable moment,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “Seniors have made these places their sanctuaries, their communities and their final homes. To deny them return is to strip away their belonging, security and dignity when they need it most.”

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Turner: AEDs save lives

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner spearheaded a measure through the Senate that would require AEDs in nursing homes.

“AEDs save lives,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Having them at nursing homes will increase the chances of survival during cardiac arrest.”

House Bill 1287 would require nursing homes to have an automatic external defibrillator by Jan. 1, 2030. Additionally, Turner’s measure requires all facility staff certified to use an AED to have completed courses in CPR and AED usage.

Read more: Turner: AEDs save lives

Johnson champions Eddie’s Law to bring dignity to end-of-life care in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD — After an incarcerated man named Eddie Thomas died alone in a prison infirmary without receiving any end-of-life care, State Senator Adriane Johnson is championing legislation to bring dignity, compassion, and transparency to hospice and palliative care services in Illinois correctional facilities.

“This bill is about basic human dignity,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “No one should die in pain, in isolation or without the comfort of care — no matter who they are or where they live. House Bill 2397 brings transparency to a system that too often leaves people to suffer silently.”

Hospice and palliative care programs are designed to relieve suffering, manage symptoms and honor the values of individuals facing serious or terminal illness. Yet, of the more than 1,500 state prisons across the country, fewer than 5% offer any hospice care at all.

Read more: Johnson champions Eddie’s Law to bring dignity to end-of-life care in Illinois