Caucus News

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.

SPRINGFIELD – Digital coupons have become more common; however, not all consumers can easily access them. State Senator Laura Ellman is combatting this with a new law that will ensure eligible consumers receive the benefits of digital promotions when they meet the stated terms.

“People shouldn’t miss out on savings because a promotion isn’t accessible,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “If it’s offered, it should be usable to all, especially when a digital coupon can make a difference when buying in bulk with increasing grocery prices.”

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly one in four adults over 65 say they need help using digital technology, highlighting ongoing barriers to app-based only promotions. As retail continues to evolve, Ellman’s law will make everyday transactions more accessible.

SPRINGFIELD – Accurate gender identification is essential for daily life, yet, for many transgender individuals, barriers remain. To strengthen privacy protections, State Senator Laura Ellman championed a new law to codify Illinois’ existing policy, allowing gender marker updates on IDs through self-attestation.

“An ID should never put someone in a vulnerable position,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “This ensures people can safely and accurately reflect who they are.”

SPRINGFIELD — To provide greater flexibility for healthcare providers and businesses receiving prescription drug deliveries while maintaining safeguards for controlled substances State Senator Laura Ellman advanced House Bill 4953, reducing burdens for businesses operating across multiple sites while preserving accountability and safety standards.

“This is a commonsense update that reflects how many health care operations function today,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “We can improve efficiency without compromising patient safety or oversight.”

Current law generally requires wholesale drug distributors to deliver pharmaceuticals only to the address listed on a license and to individuals whose authorization to receive the drugs has been verified. Under the bill, non-controlled prescription drugs could also be delivered to a health care entity authorized by the license holder and reported to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

SPRINGFIELD – To combat climate change and environmental degradation as well as provide food for students, State Senator Laura Ellman spearheaded legislation aimed at helping schools reduce food waste and ensure more students have access to nutritious meals during the school day.

“This is a simple, practical solution that helps schools reduce waste while making sure more students have access to the food they need to learn and thrive,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “In a state where one in eight people face food insecurity, we should be doing everything we can to make sure good food doesn’t go to waste.”

SPRINGFIELD – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was the second leading cause of death among people ages 10-14 and 25-34 in the United States, underscoring growing concerns about the role online platforms and AI systems can play in vulnerable users’ mental health crises. To increase protections aimed at preventing self-harm, State Senator Laura Ellman moved legislation to establish safety standards for artificial intelligence companion chatbots, including sexually explicit interactions with minors.

“For many users, especially children and teens, these systems can feel deeply personal and emotionally real,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “People deserve transparency about when they are interacting with AI, and parents deserve reassurance that companies are taking reasonable steps to protect minors from harmful or sexually explicit content.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that more students can get ahead academically while maintaining strong instructional standards, State Senator Laura Ellman advanced House Bill 4239, which would expand access to high school-level coursework for seventh and eighth grade students.

“This is about removing confusion for schools and opening doors for students,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “By providing more clarity, we are helping districts confidently offer more opportunities that challenge students and support their long-term success.”

House Bill 4239 would clarify that middle school students may enroll in high school courses offered by the high school they would attend, so long as the course is taught by a properly licensed educator and can be taken at the student’s current school.

SPRINGFIELD — To provide greater flexibility for healthcare providers and businesses receiving prescription drug deliveries while maintaining safeguards for controlled substances State Senator Laura Ellman is advancing House Bill 4953, reducing burdens for businesses operating across multiple sites while preserving accountability and safety standards.

“Health care providers and businesses often operate across multiple locations, and outdated delivery rules can create unnecessary administrative hurdles,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “This measure provides flexibility for non-controlled prescription drugs while keeping important protections in place for controlled substances.”