SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) and other members of the Senate Commerce Committee questioned representatives from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and communicated concerns from their local business owners at Thursday’s subject matter hearing regarding the Business Interruption Grant program.

“Today’s hearing shed some light on the processes the department used to evaluate applications and distribute BIG funds, but our small businesses deserve complete transparency,” Murphy said. “We need access to all available information to properly evaluate how small business owners could be better served in the future.”

WHO: Senate Commerce Committee and representatives from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
WHAT: Subject matter hearing on the Business Interruption Grant program
WHERE: The virtual hearing can be viewed here. Blue Room Stream, a subscription-based service, will also stream the hearing.
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 11 at 9:30 a.m.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) will continue to serve as Deputy Majority Leader of the Illinois State Senate in the 102nd General Assembly.

“It has been an honor to serve as Deputy Majority Leader over the past year, helping guide our legislature through new challenges in light of the COVID-19 crisis,” Murphy said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue this work to help our state come back from the pandemic stronger and more resilient.”

SPRINGFIELD – Improving the state’s educational resources, restoring the public’s trust in government and fighting for middle-class families remain priorities for State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), who was sworn in to her second full term Wednesday, Jan. 13 at the Capitol.

“I’m honored to have the confidence of the people of the 28th District, and I pledge to continue representing them faithfully in the Illinois Senate,” Murphy said. “Over the past five years, I’ve made it my mission to push for government transparency and accountability, affordable education for all, and better support for working families in Illinois—and I have no plans to slow down.”

Murphy was appointed to the Illinois State Senate in 2015 and stood for election in 2016 and 2020. The 28th Senate District neighbors O’Hare International Airport and includes all or parts of Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Roselle and Schaumburg.

In 2020, she was appointed Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate.

“Working in the General Assembly means engaging in conversations and negotiations with my fellow lawmakers to come up with solutions we can all stand behind,” Murphy said. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to continue this work and make sure the Illinois government is truly serving the people of this great state.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure Illinoisans experience no gap in support during the continued COVID-19 crisis, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is sponsoring a bill to extend a number of state pandemic relief provisions put in place by the General Assembly last May.

“With the vaccine distribution process now underway, there is a light at the end of the tunnel—but the pandemic is by no means behind us, and many Illinoisans are still struggling,” Murphy said. “This bill allows Illinoisans to continue to depend on the relief measures already in place for as long as they are needed.”

DES PLAINES – To put a stop to price gouging and help more Illinoisans afford life-saving prescription medications, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) co-sponsored a new law that will cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply starting Jan. 1, 2021 for patients on state regulated insurance plans.

“No Illinois family should have to go into debt or skip meals to afford life-saving medications,” said Murphy. “I’m glad to see costs lowered for millions of Illinoisans with diabetes, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in the General Assembly to ensure that affordable prescription drugs are available to all.”

On Jan. 1, Illinois will become the second state in the nation to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $100 per month for all patients using a state regulated insurance plan, regardless of the supply they require.

Over 34 million Americans have diabetes, including 1.3 million Illinoisans, who rely on insulin to manage their blood sugar levels. Between 2009 and 2017, the price of insulin nearly tripled, leaving many patients struggling to pay for the drug and at risk of death without it.

The new law also requires the Departments of Insurance, Human Services, and Healthcare and Family Services to jointly issue an "insulin pricing report" to the public that details findings on insulin pricing practices and recommendations to control and prevent overpricing of prescription insulin drugs.

“This law is only the first step in a larger effort to rein in Big Pharma and curb corporate greed,” said Murphy. “It’s past time to put people’s health ahead of financial gain.”

Senate Bill 667, chief sponsored by State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), passed the General Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support in November 2019 and was signed into law in January 2020.

SPRINGFIELD – Members of the bipartisan, bicameral Restore Illinois Collaborative Commission met Tuesday to discuss the commission’s accomplishments and future goals during its final meeting of 2020.

“The RICC was created to help shape the state’s economic recovery plans after the COVID-19 crisis,” said State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), the Senate co-chair of the commission. “We’ve made progress in adapting our recovery strategy to the needs of people, businesses and communities across the state, but there’s much more work to be done."

SPRINGFIELD – To monitor the progress of Illinois’ economic recovery, the bipartisan, bicameral Restore Illinois Collaborative Commission met with representatives from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB) on Tuesday to discuss how the state is disbursing aid received through federal COVID-19 relief programs.

“Across the state, local governments, regional health departments, small businesses and residents are facing financial struggles as a result of the pandemic,” said State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), the Senate co-chair of the commission. “Federal funding is intended to help our communities stay afloat, and it’s critical that the aid is administered carefully and efficiently to ensure that purpose is fulfilled.”