SPRINGFIELD — In response to the federal administration’s plan to collect private medical information, Governor JB Pritzker issued an executive order to restrict autism-related data collection and sharing.

State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest), who has served as co-chair of the bipartisan and bicameral Disability and Accessibly Caucus, commended the state’s response, releasing the following statement:

“The federal administration has depicted individuals with autism as those who do not lead fulfilling lives or contribute to their communities, and that can’t be further from the truth. Tracking individuals with autism — what Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy has declared ‘a tragedy’ and ‘an epidemic’ — will reduce them to a data point without clarity on how this information will be used.

SPRINGFIELD – High-speed internet for the entire state has yet to become a reality, leaving rural areas with patchy and often unreliable services. State Senator Rachel Ventura worked alongside State Representative Amy Briel to lead House Bill 1062 through the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee.

“Broadband access should be available to all. This legislation aims to prioritize anchor institutions to quickly improve our state’s broadband network in the most cost effective way possible,” Ventura (D-Joliet). “By utilizing existing and nearby infrastructure, vulnerable communities can increase access to high-speed internet, which is critical for daily life.”

SPRINGFIELD — By collecting data on the need for more affordable housing options, State Senator Graciela Guzmán joined the initiative to incentivize government agencies and organizations to invest and support affordable housing projects throughout the state.

“If you ask everyday Illinoisians, they will tell you one of their biggest concerns is the rising cost of housing. Working people desperately need more affordable housing options,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “To ensure we can pass policies to address this need, we must have data to reflect the demand and the available inventory of affordable housing available for sale or for rent in low-income and middle-income households in each local government in Illinois.”

Illinois has passed legislation addressing housing insecurity by prioritizing the needs of the state’s most vulnerable to experiencing homelessness. The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness has implemented a multi-year strategy, Home Illinois, to strive towards functional zero homelessness statewide. Additionally, the Illinois Housing Development Authority finances and encourages the growth and preservation of affordable housing for renters at 80% of the area median income and below. These measures have worked to prevent some of the most vulnerable Illinoisans from experiencing homelessness. 

SPRINGFIELD – After experiencing a sexual assault, survivors often face the added stress of figuring out how to get to a safe location once their medical exam is complete. To help ease this burden, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton advanced a bill that would expand the state’s sexual assault services voucher program to cover transportation following treatment.

“No one should be left stranded after a traumatic experience,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “This bill makes sure survivors can get to their next destination safely, without worrying about the cost.”

SPRINGFIELD – Continuing her work to increase affordable access to vital health care services, State Senator Laura Fine is sponsoring a measure addressing coverage for emergency neonatal intensive care.

“Every newborn deserves a fighting chance, especially in the critical first hours of life,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Parents want their children to be safe and healthy, and an unexpected birth complication can lead to permanent consequences if not promptly treated.”

To treat premature or critically ill newborns, neonatal care is often necessary and may require specialized treatments that might not be covered by a patient’s health insurance network. House Bill 2464 would address the importance of immediate care by requiring private insurers to cover emergency neonatal care, regardless of whether the provider is in or out of the patient’s network. This ensures families are not billed for greater out-of-pocket costs than they would have incurred with a participating provider.

SPRINGFIELD – We’ve all been there: at work, hanging out with the family or trying to relax when you get a call from an unknown number trying to sell you a product. State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. is working to put an end to these automatic sales calls – in turn providing consumers with greater peace and protection.

“Our cellphones are meant to connect us with friends and family to conduct business but they’re slowly being turned into relentless advertising channels we didn’t sign up for,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “We’re going to put control back in the hands of consumers by protecting them from unwanted and intrusive automatic sales calls.”

Under House Bill 2435, companies could not use automatic dialing to sell Illinoisans goods and services unless the person expressly consented to be contacted in that manner. People across the country receive about 50 billion robocalls a year, with a less than 2% success rate – signaling a desire from residents to no longer receive the calls.

SPRINGFIELD – A career-long advocate for people struggling with substance use and mental health challenges, State Senator Laura Fine is leading a measure to strengthen reporting standards for opioid overdoses and protect patient confidentiality.

“Local health departments in the Chicago area benefit from gathering data on overdoses in their community,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “But opioid-related overdose can impact any community, and all public health departments need access to vital overdose data in order to ensure emergency services are able to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Currently, Illinois law only requires Chicago EMS providers to report overdose information using the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) tool. This free web-based tool provides the most up-to-date suspected overdose surveillance data to support public safety and health efforts.

SPRINGFIELD – Third-party vehicle warranties are often opaque, contain exclusions, deductibles and difficult claim processes that may not be apparent to the average consumer. State Senator Mike Halpin is leading the effort to protect consumers from these predatory third-party vehicle warranties.

“This legislation will ensure folks know what they’re buying when they purchase one of these third-party warranties for their vehicle,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Too often these warranties use fine print, vague terminology and hidden fees to take money from people without providing meaningful coverage.”