SPRINGFIELD — Community violence prevention programs save lives, but to be effective, they need long-term support and flexibility. Thanks to a new law from State Senator Robert Peters, efforts to curb firearm violence in the state are holding strong by giving organizations more time to access critical resources and improving the way the state coordinates its response.

“We must empower community violence prevention programs with the tools they need to focus on their core mission: saving lives and creating safer areas for our residents to live,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “This law continues the momentum we’ve been building to address the root causes of firearm violence and invest in prevention and intervention.”

SPRINGFIELD – To support ongoing efforts aimed at protecting and revitalizing local landscapes and ecosystems, State Senator Rachel Ventura and State Representative Anna Moeller partnered on House Bill 2726 to give the Illinois Department of Natural Resources more authority to implement conservation tactics to create new rewilding strategies statewide.

“By creating a holistic rewilding strategy for the state, we can see landscapes restored to their previous state — a major win for the environment and their local ecosystems,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Over the last few decades, countless species of wild animals and plant life have been reduced significantly or completely lost to human activity, making this legislation timely and critically needed.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler’s law establishing the Illinois Freedom Trails Commission to preserve and promote the state’s Underground Railroad history is now on the books.

“This law is a meaningful step toward recognizing and commemorating the powerful stories of courage and resilience that shaped Illinois,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “Establishing this commission allows us to honor our state’s role in the Underground Railroad by preserving historic sites and educating future generations.”

SPRINGFIELD – Dental patients will no longer have to worry about footing the bill for an appointment while waiting to be reimbursed by their insurance plan, thanks to an initiative led by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes that was signed into law on Friday.

“Thousands of Illinoisans rely on receiving a check in the mail from their insurance company to cover an appointment they had to pay for themselves — a method that can cause financial strain for patients,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “Thanks to this new law, Illinoisans will no longer face trouble accessing care due to this payment method.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Paul Faraci has solidified efforts to protect the Mahomet Aquifer – a vital sole-source aquifer supplying clean drinking water to approximately 800,000 people across 15 counties in East Central Illinois – with the signing of Senate Bill 1723 into law. 

“Having access to clean drinking water is a fundamental human right, and too many of our residents rely on the Mahomet Aquifer to risk contamination to it,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “While mitigating the effects of climate change should be a priority, it cannot be at the expense of the clean drinking water of nearly one million Illinoisans.”

The law will prohibit carbon sequestration over, under or through the Mahomet Aquifer, enforcing sustainable practices and preventing harmful activities. This is crucial for residents of Central Illinois, as the aquifer is the only source of clean drinking water for at least half of the population it serves – meaning those residents would have no alternative should the aquifer become contaminated.

SPRINGFIELD - Implicit bias training surrounding maternal health for health care workers will now be required in Illinois, thanks to a new law led by State Senator Willie Preston.

“Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related cause of deaths than white women in Illinois,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “Protecting maternal health care is about more than health care, rather it is about human rights and we must protect the rights of all mothers.”

House Bill 2517 will expand implicit bias training for health care workers in Illinois to include training in potential maternal health risk factors associated with marginalized communities with increased mortality rate.

GLENVIEW – State Senator Laura Fine introduced legislation to address rising insurance premiums that are putting financial pressure on families across Illinois.

“Excessive increases in the cost of homeowners insurance are straining budgets for everyday Illinoisans statewide,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “We must do what we can to protect vulnerable families while also ensuring premium dollars are going towards paying out claims, not CEO bonuses.”

CHICAGO — To expand mental health screenings for Illinois’ children and tackle the staggering rise of these challenges in our youth — including increased rates of sadness, hopelessness and difficulty with schoolwork — State Senator Sara Feigenholtz led Senate Bill 1560, a new law that improves access to early detection, diagnosis and treatment among students in grades 3-12.

“This phase of the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative is the boldest step to date,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “Universal mental health screenings in schools help with early identification, and if a child requires services, the BEACON portal is there to assist in accessing comprehensive support and behavioral health services.”

Feigenholtz has worked alongside members of the Illinois Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, led by Dr. Dana Weiner, since 2022. Feigenholtz sponsored and passed the Interagency Children’s Behavioral Health Services Act in 2023, paving the way for the new BEACON portal, a centralized online platform for Illinois children and families seeking mental health services. Through BEACON, youth and caregivers can find services they qualify for, manage health records securely, receive real-time updates, and request additional case support.