SPRINGFIELD – A longstanding champion of ethics reform in Illinois, State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) helped pass a measure to hold elected officials, lobbyists and insiders to the highest standards.

“Ethics needs to be taken seriously and members of the General Assembly need to be held accountable,” Bush said. “This measure is about adopting ethics changes that will address the systemic culture within Illinois government.”

Senate Bill 539 makes a number of changes to current ethics laws, including prohibiting elected officials from lobbying other units of government for entities that lobby them, instituting a revolving door for executive branch elected officials and legislators becoming lobbyists and pro-rating salaries of General Assembly members who leave office prior to the end of their term, among other items.

SPRINGFIELD – To expand access to birth control – especially for women with limited financial resources – State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) passed a measure to allow people to receive contraceptives without visiting a doctor.

“Birth control is a basic health care service and should be treated as such,” Bush said. “Providing greater access to contraceptives is providing a more equitable health care system.”

Many women struggle to access hormonal contraceptives, which historically have only been prescribed through a physician. They may not know where to go, or are unable to afford doctor’s appointments. Pharmacists, however, are typically much more accessible than a physician.

To give women easier, more affordable access to birth control, Bush championed a measure to allow pharmacists to issue hormonal contraceptives, including oral tablets, vaginal rings and topical patches.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has more lead lines that bring drinking water into homes than any other state, but under the Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act passed by Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake), that will change.

“Lead service lines are a health threat that poisons our children, undermines our residents’ confidence in our municipal government and costs billions of dollars,” Bush said. “This is a feasible and equitable path forward that would require all cities in Illinois to tackle a problem that we know harms Black and Latinx communities the most.”

Contained in House Bill 3739, the Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act requires water utilities statewide to replace all lead service lines and creates a low-income water assistance program to help fund financial assistance and water projects that include lead pipe replacement.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has more lead lines that bring drinking water into homes than any other state. To make sure communities have the money to replace those lines and keep drinking water safe, State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) has spearheaded the Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act in the Senate.

“Lead service lines are a health threat that poisons our children, undermines our residents’ confidence in our municipal government and costs billions of dollars,” Bush said. “This measure is a feasible and equitable path forward that would require all cities in Illinois to tackle a problem that we know harms Black and Latinx communities the most.”

SPRINGFIELD – To expand access to birth control – especially for women with limited financial resources – State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) is championing a measure to allow people to receive contraceptives without visiting a doctor.

“Birth control is a basic health care service and should be treated as such,” Bush said. “Providing greater access to contraceptives is providing a more equitable health care system.”

SPRINGFIELD – More than 20 years ago, a nuclear plant in the district State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) represents shut its door. People lost jobs and the community was eviscerated.

To help provide jobs in areas where coal plants, coal mines or nuclear plants have closed and to foster the development of green energy across the state, Bush passed a measure Thursday to create the Energy Transition Zone Act.

“To protect our environment and stop global warming, we need to close coal plants – that’s not up for debate,” Bush said. “But, as we make strides toward green energy, we can’t forget about the families who rely on these plants to put food on the table or the communities that need their tax dollars to function.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure restaurants aren’t being taken advantage of by third-party delivery services, State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) is sponsoring a measure to prohibit such services from profiting through deceitful means. 

“During a time when restaurant owners are already struggling with a loss of business due to the pandemic, they do not deserve greater loss from perceived bad service,” Bush said. “Mutually beneficial partnerships between delivery services and restaurants is possible, and I hope this legislation will foster an environment where that can happen.”

The measure prohibits a third-party delivery service – such as DoorDash, UberEats or PostMates – from posting or advertising a menu of a restaurant or bar without written consent from the business.

SPRINGFIELD – People who are prescribed opioid drugs would also be given opioid overdose reversal medication under a measure spearheaded by State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake).

“Opioid overdoses have been occurring at alarming rates in Illinois,” Bush said. “Expanded access to overdose reversal drugs – like naloxone – will save lives.”

The measure requires a prescriber to offer a co-prescription for naloxone hydrochloride – or a similar drug – to patients given an opioid drug. Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose.

More than 2,000 people in Illinois lost their lives to opioids in 2019 alone, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Furthermore, Cook County has recently seen more than double the number of overdose deaths – potentially caused by isolation and lack of support during the pandemic.

Since first entering the General Assembly, Bush has been a steadfast advocate on fighting the ongoing opioid crisis. In 2015, she championed legislation to make naloxone more accessible and affordable to law enforcement agencies. Senate Bill 2535 is another step toward saving lives from the deadly effects of opioids.

“The opioid epidemic is a serious and complicated issue that only continues to get worse,” Bush said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed vulnerable populations – such as those with opioid use disorders – and we must tackle this crisis head on.”

Bush’s proposal awaits consideration before the full Senate.