SPRINGFIELD – A new law spearheaded by State Senator Karina Villa will finalize the closure of Kerr-McGee, a rare earths facility in West Chicago, aiming to bring peace of mind to residents after radioactive material originating from the site contaminated hundreds of residences during the facility’s years of operation.

“This has been a battle that residents of West Chicago have been fighting for decades,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “The community needs to know that their health and safety is secured.”

From 1932 to 1973, Kerr-McGee produced large amounts of radioactive materials, which later contaminated 676 residential properties in West Chicago. Since 1994, the facility has been in the process of decommissioning and is currently in the final phase of remediation. This phase involves the treatment of groundwater at the location of the factory site, which is set to conclude by fall 2026.

SPRINGFIELD – Under the Language Equity and Access Act, a new law championed by State Senator Karina Villa, individuals whose primary language is not English will have access to essential state services.

“Our diverse communities have consistently shared their challenges when accessing essential state services due to language barriers that sometimes make an already confusing process much more difficult,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “State agencies should be equipped to provide services to any resident, regardless of their proficiency in English.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure championed by State Senator Karina Villa expanding protections against patient abuse passed the Senate on Sunday. This comes following an investigation into the issue conducted by the Chicago Tribune.

“Patients should be trusting of the health care professionals responsible for their care and well-being,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Before that trust is defied, laws must be in place to ensure patient safety.”

House Bill 3521 would require hospital affiliates to report suspected abuse of a patient at hospitals and facilities operated by a hospital affiliate, such as doctor’s offices and clinics. The measure would also explicitly prohibit employees of hospital affiliates from abusing a patient including medical staff, administrators, agents or other employees.

SPRINGFIELD – To promote healthy body image, State Senator Karina Villa passed a measure out of the Senate Thursday to facilitate practices for affordable access to laser hair removal treatment.

“Sense of worth and self-esteem may be correlated to a person’s appearance,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Many individuals living with hormone imbalances or skin conditions that cause unwanted hair growth may find appreciation for their bodies through laser hair removal."

House Bill 4357 would allow trained professionals, including registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, to perform a non-ablative laser hair removal procedure as long as a physician delegated it and supervision protocol is in place.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Karina Villa advanced a measure that would help promote healthy body image by facilitating practices for affordable access to laser hair removal treatment.

“Body image can affect a person’s mental health and self-esteem,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Providing greater access to these procedures will help thousands of individuals feel more comfortable with their appearance and allow them to decide how they wish to present.”

House Bill 4357 would provide that an on-site physician exam is not required prior to a non-ablative laser hair removal procedure under specific conditions.

SPRINGFIELD ­– A measure championed by State Senator Karina Villa aiming to protect tenants from different forms of landlord retaliation passed the Senate on Wednesday.

“With fear of retaliation, tenants would rather stay in inadequate living conditions than speak up – this cannot continue,” said Villa (D-West Chicago).  “Tenants spend their hard earned money on rent. At minimum, they should be confident when taking actions to ensure that their home is properly maintained.”

House Bill 4768 would protect tenants from a landlord who knowingly terminates their tenancy, increases rent, decreases services, brings or threatens a lawsuit or refuses to renew a lease after a tenant sought assistance to ensure their housing was safe and habitable.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa, allowing a higher volume of native plant species to be grown, passed the Senate on Thursday.

“Illinois is home to hundreds of native plant species that are crucial to the health of our state’s biodiversity,” said Villa. “By cultivating more native plants, we are protecting wildlife and embracing the one-of-a-kind landscape our state has to offer.”

House Bill 5296 would allow residents living in a community with a homeowners’ association to grow native plant species in their yards as long as the area is maintained. Homeowners’ associations would be prohibited from imposing height restrictions or impairing proper maintenance of native landscapes.

About 30% of homes in Illinois belong to a homeowners’ association. This measure would allow native landscapes to be planted in an additional 1.5 million homes across the state.

“Native plants support pollinators, birds and soil which are critical to our state’s agriculture,” said Villa. “This initiative is essential to maintain the health of our communities.”

House Bill 5296 passed the Senate on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure championed by State Senator Karina Villa to expand opportunities for Spanish-speakers to become certified nursing assistants passed the Senate on Thursday.

“Promoting the diversity of our health care workforce is crucial for increasing the quality of care in communities across Illinois,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “It is essential for patients to be able to connect with their health care providers without encountering a language barrier.”

House Bill 5218 would require the Illinois Department of Public Health to create rules to offer the nursing assistant certification exam in Spanish while preventing restrictions on eligibility for individuals seeking to take the exam in Spanish.

“We must remove barriers that prevent qualified and skilled workers from becoming certified nursing assistants, especially during our current health care worker shortage,” said Villa. “Supporting these individuals will help address this issue and will expand the skill pool in the health care field.”

House Bill 5218 passed the Senate on Thursday.