SPRINGFIELD— A plan sponsored by State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. (D-Chicago) that aims to help lower the alarming maternal death rate in Illinois was signed into law Friday.

The plan will create a Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force in an effort to develop strategies that will lead to increasing the number of minority health care professionals in Illinois.

“It is important that the health care field is a diverse one, as diversity improves the quality of the services and care provided,” Sims said. “Our health care providers are providing good, quality services; however, many times the health care needs of women, particularly black women and other women of color, aren’t taken seriously until it’s too late. This new law will help diversify the field of physicians and other health care professionals to ensure these mothers receive sound medical advice and the highest quality of care.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) will reform criminal justice laws by removing the enhanced penalties for possession of cannabis on school grounds that are no longer operational.

Belt’s legislation amends the Cannabis Control Act to provide that the enhanced penalties for cannabis delivery on school grounds do not apply when the violation occurs in or on the grounds of a building that was formerly designated as a school but is no longer operational.

“As a father of two and former school board member, I know more than anyone how important it is to provide a safe, drug-free environment conducive for optimal learning,” Belt said. “However, once a decision has been made to close and shutter a school, then it is no longer a school, and the enhancement penalty should not apply. The perpetrator of any cannabis offense on a former school site should be prosecuted by the existing laws of the land relative to possession of cannabis.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Jacqueline Collins issued the following statement as Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law her measure, House Bill 2118, continuing a program to provide government assistance to foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture or other serious crimes”

“Whether flying into O’Hare or driving across I-72, we play host to many people passing through, not just from other states, but from around the world. That means that we bear some responsibility as citizens of the world,” Collins said. “When we travel, we hope that we encounter a good Samaritan should misfortune befall us. We can do no less than the same for other travelers here. I applaud the governor’s action today.”

The law extends the sunset date on a program to provide government assistance to foreign-born victims of trafficking, torture or other serious crimes from June 30 of this year to June 30 of 2022.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to her district’s opioid crisis, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) co-sponsored an initiative to expand Illinois’ medical cannabis program. It was signed into law this week.

“By expanding access to medicinal cannabis, we are giving those with an opioid prescription another option to manage their pain,” Crowe said. “Opioids are highly addictive when abused, and this program will offer qualifying individuals an alternative.”

Earlier this year, the Illinois Department of Public Health successfully launched the Opioid Alternative Pilot Program to give patients access to medical cannabis in exchange for their opioid prescription.

The legislation also expands access to the medicinal cannabis program. It gives nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants the authority to certify a patient’s eligibility for medicinal cannabis. Currently, only doctors have this authority.

The initiative also adds 12 qualifying debilitating medical conditions, bringing the total number of conditions to 54.

Senate Bill 2023 is effective Jan. 1, 2020

SPRINGFIELD – A task force aimed at examining the service-related ailments veterans often suffer will soon meet, thanks to a law sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin).

“Our servicemen and women risk everything to protect our country, but once their service is finished and they seek treatment for conditions that arose as a result of their service, many veterans find themselves waiting months, sometimes even years, to get that treatment,” Castro said. “This is unacceptable. We owe it to the brave men and women who defended our freedom to give them the treatment they need. This task force will help identify and correct the issues that lead to delays.”

House Bill 120 creates the Veterans' Service-Related Ailments Task Force. The Task Force will consist of 11 members that will include designees from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans’ organizations, lawmakers, and a medical professional.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – A study to identify where the state could expand apprenticeship programs under a plan introduced by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) was approved by the governor on Friday.

Senate Bill 2024 requires the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to conduct a study on the potential expansion of apprenticeship programs in the state by June 1, 2020. The study will focus on underserved communities with high unemployment. The Department will then report its findings to the General Assembly and recommend how to expand work-based learning opportunities.

“My goal is to see what we can do in Illinois to close the gap between workforce needs and available apprenticeship programs,” said Gillespie, an Arlington Heights Democrat who has made career and technical education one of her priorities. “Under this plan, the state would devote more time to studying demographic and regional workforce trends so that we can better prepare to meet the needs of employers and employees in Illinois.”

Senate Bill 2024 is effective immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) was recognized at a ceremony at the Illinois State Fair today for championing the Elder Abuse Task Force.

“Elder abuse was one heinous crime that always stuck with me during my time as a prosecutor,” Crowe said. “So when I joined the Senate this year, I made it a priority to do something about it.”

The priorities of the Elder Abuse Task Force are to study and report recommendations on senior mistreatment and protective services and laws.

According to the Illinois Department on Aging, abuse takes many forms and, in most cases, victims are subjected to more than one type of mistreatment. Elder abuse can include physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; confinement; passive neglect; willful deprivation; or financial exploitation.

“Just as I proudly stood against elder abuse in my previous profession, I will stand against it as a member of this task force,” Crowe said. “I look forward to working directly to protect our elders.”

Illinois is the ninth state to create an elder abuse working group.

The task force’s first report is due Jan. 1, 2021.

SPRINGFIELD – A proposal passed by State Senator Terry Link (D-Indian Creek) to expand local government consolidation efforts in Lake and McHenry Counties was signed into law on Friday by Gov. Pritzker.

“One of the biggest concerns I continue to hear from constituents is the high cost of property taxes,” Link said. “Government consolidation is one tool we have to lower that burden for suburban homeowners and small businesses.”

Link’s new law – contained in House Bill 348 – will require that road districts in Lake and McHenry Counties be abolished if they contain less than 15 miles of roadway. The law also allows townships in McHenry County to be dissolved through a petition-initiated process.

In 2017, Link supported a law that allowed townships to merge with adjacent townships and allowed townships that share coterminous boundaries with a municipality to be dissolved.