Caucus News

SPRINGFIELD – With health care costs skyrocketing and drug manufacturers making billions in profit, State Senator Graciela Guzmán is carrying key legislation to create price caps for drugs in Illinois.

“Price should never be an obstacle to health care,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Taking advantage of sick people who are in need of medication for profit is condemnable and we must put a stop to this practice.”

Senate Bill 3496 is an initiative to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board in Illinois. This group would be tasked with identifying high cost drugs for consumers, conduct affordability reviews on said drugs and decide whether to limit the price of those drugs for the consumer.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt passed a measure through the Senate to reduce unfair barriers to employment for people living with disabilities.

“Everyone deserves a fair shot at employment,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Requiring a driver’s license for jobs that do not involve driving unfairly shuts people out of the workforce. This is especially true for people living with disabilities and their families.”

The legislation would prohibit employers and employment agencies from requiring applicants to have a valid driver’s license in job postings unless driving is an essential function of the position and is considered a business necessity.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman advanced legislation to strengthen protections for older adults by allowing courts to issue temporary restraining orders in cases involving abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.

“Older adults and vulnerable individuals are too often targeted by scammers and bad actors looking to take advantage of them financially,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This measure gives courts and law enforcement stronger tools to step in quickly, stop exploitation and protect victims before even more harm is done.”

SPRINGFIELD – To strengthen protections for students and help schools identify concerning behavior before it escalates, State Senator Lakesia Collins advanced legislation to improve reporting requirements, reinforce professional boundaries between educators and students and increase transparency regarding school misconduct policies.

“Preventing abuse starts with recognizing the warning signs before a child is harmed,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “This measure helps schools establish clear professional boundaries between staff and students, strengthens training requirements and ensures educators understand how to identify and report concerning behavior.”

Through Collins’ legislation, House Bill 4534, protections for children in schools would be expanded by redefining patterns of grooming behavior as a form of abuse under state law. The measure would also require school districts, charter schools and private schools to maintain and publicly post employee professional conduct policies, provide clear methods for reporting staff-student boundary violations, and establish expectations between school employees and students.

SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing the essential role genetic counselors play in modern health care, State Senator Laura Fine has advanced a resolution designating Nov. 12, 2026 as Genetic Counselor Appreciation Day in Illinois.

“Genetic counselors help families understand their health risks and make informed decisions,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Their expertise, compassion and guidance are invaluable to patients navigating complex medical information.”

DEERFIELD — State Senator Julie Morrison advanced a measure through the Senate to strengthen pollution prevention requirements against plastic pellet runoff and secure clean and healthy waterways for Illinois.

“Our waterways are an important and vital part of our ecosystem – but they cannot thrive with industrial plastic runoff harming aquatic life, water quality and beach health across the Great Lakes,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It’s time we provide the regulations needed to secure a thriving environment, free from pollution, for neighbors to enjoy for years to come.”

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Cristina Castro advanced a plan to establish a pilot program for local school charter authorization.

“Accountability should be at the forefront when making decisions about students’ education,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Having educational decision makers with their ears to the ground will allow them to better advocate for students’ needs.”

The vast majority of charter schools in Illinois are locally authorized – meaning they apply directly for authorization with their local school board. State-authorized charter schools apply for authorization through the Illinois State Board of Education rather than their local school board. Because current law does not allow school board oversight of state-authorized charter schools, Castro’s legislation aims to create a pilot program to provide this mechanism for two suburban state-authorized charter schools.

SPRINGFIELD – To remove barriers to education, employment and training for incarcerated individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, State Senator Adriane Johnson has advanced House Bill 1810.

“People with disabilities who are incarcerated deserve the same opportunity to learn valuable skills and prepare for the future as anyone else,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).  “Expanding access to education and employment programs promotes dignity, rehabilitation and long-term public safety.”

House Bill 1810 would require reasonable accommodation for incarcerated individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, including waiving standardized testing requirements for entry into educational, vocational and work programs. Participation in these programs through a waiver would also qualify individuals for earned sentence credit, helping reduce recidivism and support reintegration.