Welcome to Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus

Preston measure expands speech therapy coverage for stuttering

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Willie Preston is spearheading a measure that would require health insurance companies to provide coverage for rehabilitative speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering.

“Stuttering is something that a lot of people deal with, especially children,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “I want to make sure those people do not have to go through their speech troubles on their own and can get the help they need.”

The measure would expand coverage for speech therapy to include rehabilitative services. Coverage currently applies to habilitative services for any child under 19 years of age with an early-acquired disorder that is diagnosed as a speech-language disorder, including stuttering.

Read more: Preston measure expands speech therapy coverage for stuttering

Johnson outlines stronger protections for domestic violence survivors

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson stood alongside advocates from the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence at a press conference Tuesday to outline legislation aimed at uplifting survivors, addressing emerging forms of digital abuse and expanding access to legal protections.

“The internet has opened new avenues for digital harassment, but not all of our laws and protections reflect that,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “This legislation is about updating our laws to reflect the digital era and addressing the real, tangible needs of survivors.”

Senate Bill 3020 would update the state’s criminal laws to better reflect the ways abuse can occur in the digital age and to ensure survivors have greater access to court protections. Johnson’s legislation would expand the definition of harassment to include conduct such as electronic tracking, doxing and the nonconsensual creation or dissemination of digitally altered sexual images and other harmful online content.

Read more: Johnson outlines stronger protections for domestic violence survivors

Villanueva and Cervantes announce new Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Service Center

Highlighting the importance of investing in resources for communities within the state, State Senators Celina Villanueva and Javier Cervantes announced the ribbon cutting of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council’s new service center. This facility will be another resource available for families throughout the Southwest side of Chicago.

“For years our community members have demanded a space that is not only safe, but also inclusive of all people and groups, and the opening of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Service Center will meet residents’ demands tenfold with a facility supported by, built by and run by other community members,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Today’s ribbon cutting marks a pivotal moment – for our youth, for working families and for this neighborhood as a whole – and I have been honored to act in partnership with the BPNC, stakeholders, community members and other elected officials to ensure our residents have an equitable, welcoming space to offer them holistic support.”

Read more: Villanueva and Cervantes announce new Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Service Center

Peters presents plans to protect Illinois consumers from surveillance-based pricing

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Robert Peters outlined a plan he’s spearheading that would ban companies from collecting personal data from Illinois consumers for the purpose of price discrimination during a subject matter hearing Wednesday.

“The Surveillance-Based Price Discrimination Act is commonsense legislation that would protect all of our state’s consumers from price gouging and data privacy threats,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “Our residents have already endured years of inflation, and now we are facing an affordability crisis while some of the biggest corporations rake in record profits. We cannot sit back and watch the unjust targeting of the finances, privacy and equality of Illinoisans.”

Read more: Peters presents plans to protect Illinois consumers from surveillance-based pricing