SPRINGFIELD – When Laura Kane lost her son, Zachary, to suicide, she was still expected to return to work merely three days later. Today, she stood with lawmakers to support other grieving families and ensure that no one else is put in the same situation.

“I am grateful for the support and efforts of State Representative Maurice West and Senator Villa on getting this legislation passed. This is very bittersweet, as I am the mother who lost her 14-year-old son to suicide,” said Kane. “I was let go from my employment due to being unable to perform my duties to my employers expectation as a result the trauma and grief I was suffering following the sudden loss of my son. This bill will give families the job protection they deserve during this type of crisis.  I truly hope no one has to use this, but in the event they find themselves in these circumstances, the bill will provide protection in what may be their darkest hours.”

Kane was let go from her job due to not being able to perform her job while grieving the loss of her child. She started a nonprofit, Marshmallow’s Hope, in honor of her son and to help children struggling with depression and families coping with the loss of a child due to suicide.

SPRINGFIELD – Emergency workers, such as firefighters, police officers or probation officers, put their lives on the line to protect the public. To guarantee these workers are insured when injured on the job, State Senator Karina Villa moved a bill out of the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday.

“Law enforcement and firefighters risk their health for the safety of our communities every day,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “This legislation will protect those who are gravely injured on the job by making sure their employers cover their health insurance.”

House Bill 3249 requires public employers to pay the full premium of a health insurance plan for a current employee, their spouse or their dependents if the employee is a full-time law enforcement officer, correctional or correctional probation officer or firefighter who has suffered a catastrophic injury or was killed in the line of duty.  

SPRINGFIELD – A steadfast champion of Illinois laws to keep harmful tobacco products away from young people, State Senator Julie Morrison expanded upon her work in passing a measure to ban the use of e-cigarettes inside public places.

“Vaping and e-cigarette-related illnesses and deaths have become a nationwide outbreak that must come to an end before more lives are lost,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Banning the use of e-cigarettes indoors is another necessary step toward protecting people from serious, life-long health consequences of tobacco.” 

Passed in 2007, the Smoke Free Illinois Act prohibited smoking in public and within 15 feet of entrances, and required “no smoking” signs to be posted on the prohibited public place. However, this law took effect when people primarily smoked cigarettes and cigars.

SPRINGFIELD – Cases of doxing are on the rise, revealing the vulnerability of millions of people’s private lives. State Senator Julie Morrison is leading the charge to ensure that people who fall victim to such cyber-attacks receive justice.

“Doxing is yet another form of online abuse that was deliberately designed to tear people down,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Abuse, stalking and harassment have no place in our state – not in person and not online.”

As the use of technology rises, so do cases of hackers, abusive partners and others maliciously publicizing people’s private information. Often referred to as “doxing,” these attacks include the sharing of phone numbers, addresses, social security numbers and other previously private information that could lead to harassment, humiliation and threats. 

“Survivors of domestic violence face the constant stress of their abuser stalking them or causing more harm. With technology on the rise, now they’re also faced with the worry that the person they once trusted with private information will share that information with the world,” said Morrison. “We must protect our state’s survivors from additional forms of abuse.”

To give victims of doxing the justice they deserve, Morrison is leading House Bill 2954. The measure – which receive unanimous support in the House – would allow people a private right of action against the individual who committed the offense. The victim could recover damages and any other appropriate relief, including attorney’s fees.

“This is an encouraging next step forward in our efforts to give doxing victims a voice and hold people accountable for online hate and harassment,” said Anti-Defamation League Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg.  “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s support for this bill sends a strong signal that Illinois will be no place for hate. We thank Representative Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Morrison for their leadership in championing this bill, and we look forward to our continued work with them and our coalition partners to get this legislation passed out of the Senate and onto Governor Pritzker's desk.”

House Bill 2954 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva brought forth legislation that would allow charter schools to unionize without being penalized by management of the charter school.

“Employees of charter schools deserve the same rights and protections as those who work at public schools,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Their voices matter and must be uplifted.”

House Bill 1120 is an initiative of the Chicago Teachers' Union that seeks to ensure that if the staff at a charter school chooses to form a union, the management of the charter school would not interfere.

SPRINGFIELD — Rideshare companies would be subject to the same care standards as all other transportation companies under new legislation introduced by State Senator Robert Martwick.

“When you get on a bus or a train, or ride in a plane or a taxi, you expect a certain level of professionalism – a certain standard of care,” said Martwick (D-Chicago.) “If something were to happen to you due to negligence on the company’s part, it’s your right to hold that company liable. As it stands, this protection does not apply to rideshare companies, like Uber or Lyft, and it’s time that changes.”

The common carrier doctrine holds transportation companies to the highest standard of care to their passengers. This includes being able to hold the company liable if their employee causes the passenger harm, through intentional means such as assault, or if a driver is intoxicated and causes an accident.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure carried by State Senator Robert Peters that would help connect patients to financial assistance for hospital costs passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday.

“The costs associated with health care upkeep are high, especially for those with pre-existing conditions and those who don’t have medical insurance,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “People should not have to choose between crippling debt and receiving necessary medical treatment.”

House Bill 2719 would require hospitals to screen a patient for financial assistance eligibility and exhaust all cost-reducing avenues before taking a collection action against the patient. Additionally, the measure would provide a 90-day window for a patient to apply for financial assistance or hospital-provided discounts after receiving care.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to continue addressing the teacher shortage, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel led a measure to increase the number of days substitute teachers can be in a classroom in an emergency situation.

“To make sure our students are getting the best education they can, we have to keep them with a familiar face,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Increasing the number of days a substitute teacher can teach allows students to continue to learn and grow, and provides consistency in the classroom.”