Caucus News

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s legislation to preserve contraceptive services or supplies for minors was signed into law Friday.

“Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own body, their own health, and their own future,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “No young person should lose access to contraception because politicians decided they know better than patients and their health care providers. Illinois is protecting the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions and ensuring that access to contraception remains available for those who need it.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans are one step closer to knowing the cosmetics on their bathroom shelves won’t make them sick long term thanks to a new from State Senator Mattie Hunter to ban such items from containing polyfluoroalkyl substances – known as PFAS, or "forever chemicals."

“For too long, the cosmetics industry has operated without the kind of oversight we apply to food, medicine and drinking water,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “We are closing that gap and putting Illinois at the forefront of a national movement to hold manufacturers accountable for what goes into their products and onto our skin.”

SPRINGFIELD — To fulfill Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.’s vision of ensuring every high school student graduates with both a diploma and voter registration card, State Senator Robert Peters championed a law that recognizes education and civic engagement go hand in hand.

“I worked with a coalition of civic advocates throughout this process who all had one goal: honor the legacy of civil rights pioneer Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., who acted as a towering and unwavering figure of racial and political equity for decades,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “This law does exactly that by ensuring our state’s youth are presented a meaningful opportunity to register to vote before they graduate, in turn keeping Illinois on a path of progress and justice.”

Studies show that people who vote earlier in life are more likely to remain active voters and participants in their communities for decades to come, yet high school students are not automatically provided the resources needed to register once they age into the electorate.

SPRINGFIELD– State Senator Christopher Belt spearheaded a new law that will ban the use of AI tools in teacher evaluations.

“I believe that our teachers should be judged based on actual observations and professional judgement, not by AI software,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Our educators deserve a transparent and fair evaluation process that demonstrates their actual work in the classroom and protects their privacy.”

Senate Bill 2909 will prevent school administrators from using AI to write teacher evaluations. A teacher evaluation is a formal process used to measure an educator's effectiveness, instructional skills and classroom performance. The use of AI while writing these evaluations brings up many transparency and privacy concerns for teachers.

Edly-Allen's landmark AI safety law to address catastrophic risks, increasing transparency signed by governor

CHICAGO — State Senator Mary Edly-Allen’s landmark law, the first of its kind in the country, was signed into law, aiming to establish safety standards and transparency requirements for the largest artificial intelligence (AI) developers.

“This bipartisan law is about putting responsible safeguards in place before a preventable catastrophe occurs. Illinois has an opportunity to lead the nation by setting clear expectations for transparency, accountability and public safety,” said Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake). “While artificial intelligence holds extraordinary promises from curing disease to transforming scientific research, we have a responsibility to confront the catastrophic risks associated with the systems."

Read more.

Aquino leads measure to increase accessibility for hospital financial assistance

SPRINGFIELD — To address the pervasive issue of medical debt and support underinsured and uninsured patients, a new law led by State Senator Omar Aquino will streamline the application process for hospital financial assistance.

“While families navigate health issues, they should not have to endure the added stress of undergoing a confusing financial assistance application process,” said Aquino (D-Chicago). “With federal cuts to Medicaid threatening the health care of millions, financial concerns will only worsen, forcing more people to forgo care and leading to more expensive medical costs down the road.”

Read more.

Guzmán bill protecting Illinoisans from losing their homes over medical debt becomes law

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to protect those burdened by health care debt from having a lien placed on their home during a health care debt collection has been signed into law.

“No one should have to fear losing their home because they got sick,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “For too long, hospitals have been allowed to use medical debt to threaten the stability of working families. Illinois should never allow that debt to become a tool for taking away someone’s home. Today we put an end to one of the most harmful debt collection practices in our state.”

Read more.

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Copyright 2026 - Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus - All Rights Reserved

CHICAGO – Senator Mary Edly-Allen’s landmark law, the first of its kind in the country, was signed into law, aiming to establish safety standards and transparency requirements for the largest artificial intelligence (AI) developers.

“This bipartisan law is about putting responsible safeguards in place before a preventable catastrophe occurs. Illinois has an opportunity to lead the nation by setting clear expectations for transparency, accountability and public safety,” said Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake). “While artificial intelligence holds extraordinary promises from curing disease to transforming scientific research, we have a responsibility to confront the catastrophic risks associated with the systems.”

Senate Bill 315 requires large frontier AI developers, companies developing advanced models such as ChatGPT and Claude, to assess catastrophic risks, report critical safety incidents, undergo independent third-party audits and establish whistleblower protections for employees raising safety concerns.

SPRINGFIELD – People in Illinois will soon have a quicker way to know whether their medications have been recalled thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Doris Turner.

“People need to be up-to-date on what’s happening with their medications, especially for our seniors,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “I heard from a number of constituents who were unaware of recalls on their prescriptions, and it is clear that we need an avenue for people to instantly find answers on medications they take.” 

SPRINGFIELD – To protect the health of students with asthma, State Senator Adriane Johnson’s new law will ensure that life-saving asthma medication will be available in school gyms.

“Every day students with asthma participate in activities with the knowledge that their asthma medication is not within reach,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “By enabling gyms and practice fields to have rescue medication, and allowing coaches to administer it can make all the difference in an emergency. Quick access to treatments reduces hospital visits, improves quality of life and gives students greater security.”

House Bill 4247 will allow schools to maintain a supply of asthma medication at practice fields and gyms and permits coaches and athletic trainers to administer undesignated asthma medication.