SPRINGFIELD – An initiative championed by State Senator Karina Villa that fortifies safe drinking water standards passed the Senate on Wednesday.

“Every water source we rely on should meet safe drinking water standards to secure the health of our communities,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Safe water is invaluable. Our water sources must be reliable.”

Senate Bill 2266 would allow the Illinois Department of Public Health to impose civil penalties against non-community water supplies that violate drinking water standards and clarifies that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is the primary agency responsible for implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act, consistent with federal law.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure from State Senator Rachel Ventura stipulating the odor of raw or burnt cannabis could not alone constitute a search of a motor vehicle, driver or passenger passed through the Senate, aiming to clarify law enforcement’s handling of driving situations involving cannabis.

“A recent state Supreme Court ruling gave a conflicting directive between raw and burnt cannabis, shifting a huge burden to law enforcement to know the difference,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “This bill aims to bring clarity by directing law enforcement to consider all factors — not just odor — in deciding if the law has been broken.”

The Illinois Supreme Court recently ruled on two separate cases contradictory to each other on whether the scent of cannabis is a probable cause. The Court held in People v. Redmond that the odor of burnt cannabis alone is insufficient to provide probable cause for police officers to perform a warrantless search of a vehicle. In People v. Molina, the Court ruled that the odor of raw cannabis alone gave police probable cause to search a vehicle because the statute mandates odorless packaging.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler is sponsoring legislation to extend press freedom protections to public media outlets like NPR and PBS affiliates that operate on Illinois college campuses.

“Public media plays an essential role in informing our communities,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “Ensuring their independence, accountability and trust is upheld is vital to democracy.”

Senate Bill 1988 would prevent campus-based public media from being subject to prior review by university officials. It would also allow employees or contributors to seek legal relief if their rights are violated, while also expanding liability protections.

SPRINGFIELD — To support sexual assault survivors, State Senator Julie Morrison advanced legislation that would remove barriers and improve protections for individuals seeking medical care.

“Survivors deserve compassionate care that meets their needs and empowers their choices,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Healing from trauma takes time and courage, and our systems should support this journey.”

Senate Bill 1602 works to create a more supportive and responsive system for those receiving care after a sexual assault. Morrison worked with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office who spearheaded this initiative, which includes a number of changes in how hospitals handle sexual assault cases based on recommendations from the state’s Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act Implementation Task Force.

SPRINGFIELD — The use of therapy dogs to aid people struggling with PTSD and anxiety has steadily increased nationwide. Over 50,000 therapy dogs are in service today. In an effort to increase the number of therapy dogs available during times of crisis, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen spearheaded Senate Bill 1491 through the Senate.

“Therapy dogs have the ability to help reduce stress-induced trauma, bringing instant comfort and relief,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “This bill helps officer wellness and provides the communities officers are serving with certified therapy K-9s to help those in a time of need.”

SPRINGFIELD —State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s latest initiative, which would collect and publicize data on contraband found in each Department of Corrections  facility, passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law and preventing overdose in facilities throughout the state.

“Looking at the recent rates of overdoses in state-run prisons, it is clear that contraband drugs are being proliferated, putting thousands of people who are incarcerated at risk of exposure and death,” said  Guzmán. “To prevent these tragedies, we need to better understand where contraband is coming from, and this initiative will work to study the source of these materials and publicize it so that we can create a plan grounded in evidence to prevent overdose.”

SPRINGFIELD – Children who walk to and from school would be safer under a new proposal from State Senator Laura Murphy.

“Every parent wants to know that their child reached their school safely, but with distracted driving on the rise, even a simple walk to school can be stressful,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines.) “One thing that we can do to help reduce distraction is installing flashing beacons at crosswalks.”

Senate Bill 1941 allows local governments to install rapidly flashing beacons at pedestrian crosswalks near schools. These beacons activate when pedestrians use the crosswalk, alerting drivers to their presence.

SPRINGFIELD — In a major step toward reforming Illinois’ juvenile justice system, a measure from State Senator Robert Peters aims to raise the minimum age at which minors can be detained from 10 to 12 years old, making it clear the state is moving away from harsh detention practices and prioritizing rehabilitation.

“Our juvenile justice system should focus on rehabilitation over punishment,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “By raising the age at which a minor can be detained and emphasizing alternative methods, we’re giving young people a fair chance at reformation without subjecting them to the damaging effects of detention at an early age.”

Under Peters’ measure, arrest would only be used as a last resort and under strict conditions. Minors could only be detained if there is probable cause that they committed a crime and immediate detention is necessary, or if they have repeatedly failed to appear at scheduled hearings.