SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) recently honored 959 Naperville-area high school students who were named 2021-22 Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Illinois State Scholar winners rank in approximately the top 10% of the state’s high school seniors from 676 high schools in all 102 counties. Selection is based on a combination of standardized test scores and class rank or unweighted GPA at the end of the student’s junior year. ISAC works in conjunction with the students’ high school guidance counselors to determine the winners.

“It’s no secret the last two school years have been tough,” Ellman said. “That is why I’m so proud of these students for earning this award. Not only did the students perform admirably, but they did it during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. I want to recognize their support systems as well. The school staffs across the district have done an exceptional job.” 

The scholars from the Naperville area include students from nine area high schools, including Benet Academy, Lisle, Naperville Central, Naperville Christian, Naperville North, Neuqua Valley, St. Francis, Wheaton North and Wheaton Warrenville South high schools.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure introduced by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would begin phasing out toxic PFAS chemicals used in firefighting foam passed the Illinois Senate on Friday.

“Evidence shows that exposure to PFAS can have serious health consequences, including kidney issues and cancer,” Ellman said. “We need to step in now if we want to decrease the public’s exposure, especially firefighters.”

Per-and polyfluoradlkyl substances, frequently called PFAS, are a large group of toxic chemicals that have the ability to repel oil and water, reduce friction, and put out fires. For these reasons, they are especially prevalent in firefighting foam.

There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to negative health effects, like cancer, reproductive issues, and liver and kidney problems, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would require insurers to cover important tests for people with or at risk of developing diabetes passed the State Senate on Thursday.

“Diabetes is a serious, often preventable condition,” Ellman said. “People have the right to know if they’re at risk, and insurance providers should cover the tests.”

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, identified risk factor for people who have or may have prediabetes and diabetes are vitamin D deficiency and low blood sugar levels. Ellman’s measure would require insurers to cover A1C and vitamin D tests that are recommended by health care providers for people who may have or have prediabetes, type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

The A1C test, also known as the hemoglobin A1C, is a simple blood test that measures the average blood sugar levels of an individual over the three months prior to the test being administered. It’s one of the most common tools used to diagnose prediabetes.  

The idea for the measure was brought to Ellman by a constituent.

“Managing diabetes is not an easy task, and unchecked diabetes can lead to serious health issues later in life,” Ellman said. “Insulin is costly. We need to make preventative tests as accessible and affordable as possible.”

According to the National Conference of State Legislators, as of 2014, nearly 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes, and an additional 86 million are considered to have prediabetes.

Senate Bill 1854 passed the Illinois Senate with a vote of 57-0 and now heads to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) designed to recognize the historical and present-day contributions of Muslim culture in the state of Illinois passed the State Senate on Wednesday.

“This legislation is meant to raise awareness of the contributions made by the Muslim community across the nation and the state of Illinois,” Ellman said. “It’s our responsibility to ensure all Illinoisans feel represented in this state, and that begins by making sure students learn about people like them in school.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would make the retirement process fairer for many Illinois firefighters passed the State Senate Wednesday.

“This legislation levels the playing field for all of Illinois’ firefighters,” Ellman said. “The current law doesn’t address an oversight that could cause hundreds of firefighters to lose out on time they’ve served when they retire.”

Currently, firefighters outside of Chicago who began work after 2011 are not allowed to purchase service credit after changing employers. This measure would ensure that all firefighters, would be able to purchase service credit if they move to a new employer who is covered by a different fire pension fund.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure introduced by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would reduce PFAS chemicals used in firefighting foam passed committee on Thursday.

“Evidence shows that exposure to PFAS found in firefighting foam can lead to numerous health issues, including cancer and kidney problems,” Ellman said. “We need to act now if we want to reduce the risk to the public, including our firefighters.”

Per - and polyfluoradlkyl substances, commonly called PFAS, are a large group of toxic chemicals that have the ability to repel oil and water, reduce friction, and put out fires. For these reasons, they are especially prevalent in firefighting foam.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would make the retirement process fairer for many Illinois firefighters passed committee Wednesday.

“I introduced this measure to level the playing field for all of Illinois’ firefighters,” Ellman said. “The current law does not address a significant oversight that causes hundreds of firefighters to lose out on time they’ve served when it comes time for them to retire.”

Currently, firefighters outside of Chicago who began work after 2011 are not allowed to purchase service credit after changing employers. This measure would ensure that all firefighters, would be able to purchase service credit if they move to a new employer who is covered by a different fire pension fund.

Members of a pension system earn service credits for time they’ve worked. A purchased service credit is an additional amount of service that pension system participants can purchase-or essentially move from one pension system to another-which can be used to calculate the amount a person will receive when they retire. Many firefighters outside of Chicago can purchase credit when they switch employers, so their service at their prior employer will be factored into their retirement earnings. For example, a firefighter who moves from Peoria to Rockford might purchase their time in Peoria to move it to the Rockford system.

“We ask our firefighters to put their lives at risk day in and day out,” Ellman said. “They serve our communities to keep us safe. The least we can do is make sure they all receive the money they’ve earned and deserve when they retire.”

Senate Bill 167 passed the Illinois Senate Pensions Committee with a vote of 9-0 and now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman’s (D-Naperville) measure to remove an outdated law that prohibits drinking alcohol on trains, which hasn’t been enforced in nearly a century, was signed into law on Friday.

“When I learned people have technically been breaking the law by ordering drinks on the Amtrak, I decided it was time to remove that law,” Ellman said. “Responsible adults should be able to legally enjoy these types of drinks on a train, and now they can.”

House Bill 3878 of the 101^st General Assembly repeals the Railroad Intoxicating Liquor Act of 1911, which prohibits drinking alcohol on trains and around train stations, and gives conductors the ability to arrest violators and charge them with a Class C misdemeanor.

“Laws that aren’t generally enforced are still laws and technically still can be enforced,” Ellman said. “For years now, many trains have included alcoholic beverages on their menus. Now they won’t technically be breaking a law that was put in place during Prohibition.”

Ellman encourages people to use safe transportation, such as Metra, as an alternative to driving under the influence.