SPRINGFIELD – To ensure transparency from health care providers and protect patients from unexpected fees on bills, State Senator Steve Stadelman passed a measure out of the Senate that would require hospitals to be more explicit about the fees included in their services.
“There’s no reason to wait and disclose extra fees to patients after the care has already been provided,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “We need these facilities to take more responsibility and inform patients of all costs and fees prior to any services.”
Read more: Stadelman working to require more transparency in health care fees
SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Porfirio welcomed relatives of Emmett Till to the Illinois Capitol in honor of the declaration of Emmett Till Day.
“On Emmett Till Day, we mourn the loss of Emmett and recognize the significance his death played in the struggle for civil rights in the United States,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township).
Senate Joint Resolution 37, introduced by Senator Lakesia Collins declares July 25, Till’s birthday, as Emmett Till Day. It honors the life of Emmett Till, who was brutally abducted, tortured and lynched in Mississippi in 1955. Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie Till Mobley, courageously insisted on an open-casket funeral to expose the nation to the brutality her son faced.
Read more: Porfirio recognizes Emmett Till Day, welcomes relatives of Till to the Capitol
SPRINGFIELD — Joining climate advocates at the Illinois State Capitol Wednesday, State Senator Ram Villivalam spoke at a rally about how public transit positively impacts our environment and what can be done to address issues currently facing the state’s transit system.
“We have spent the last two years on this journey; we asked the Chicago Metropolitan Council on Planning to put together a report and convene stakeholders, had bills introduced and held over eight subject matter hearings across the region to hear over 35 hours of testimony,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “We've heard repeatedly that public transit is good for our economy, it must be equitable and accessible, is necessary for equality, community quality of life, and how it is good for our environment.”
For the last 19 months, Villivalam has been working alongside stakeholders, advocates, including the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, and everyday riders to address issues facing the public transit system in the Regional Transportation Authority region amid the $771 million fiscal cliff.
Read more: Villivalam joins climate advocates to discuss tackling issues facing public transit
SPRINGFIELD – In response to an urgent shortage of social workers in Illinois, State Senator Karina Villa introduced a measure to increase retention and hire more licensed clinical social workers in the state.
“There is a great need within our communities for experienced, empathetic, licensed social workers to provide support to those facing crisis,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Illinois is facing a widening gap between available qualified social workers and the amount of people who need their services. Our residents deserve equitable and prompt access to care, and these grants are a step in the right direction.”
House Bill 3511 would create the Nonprofit Clinical Supervision Grant Program to provide grants to nonprofit associations to hire licensed clinical social workers to fill the gap in care across Illinois. The grants would also fund group clinical supervision to fulfill requirements for clinical social worker licensure in Illinois.
Read more: Villa urges funding for more licensed social workers
SPRINGFIELD — To further ensure patients seeking care have a chance to designate an emergency contact, State Senator Mattie Hunter is spearheading a measure to require hospitals to provide an opportunity to gather contact information.
“When someone goes to a hospital, their first worry is not when they should tell the staff who to contact in case of emergency — it’s to receive care and alleviate their symptoms,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “It is imperative that we have procedures in place to ensure the hospital can gather the information they need without placing the burden on the patient to remember to provide it.”
House Bill 1332 would require hospitals to present a patient with the opportunity to designate an emergency contact, as well as to authorize the hospital to share protected health information with this contact.
SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to an initiative led by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, the Board of Nursing at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will have more authority to oversee the establishment and administration of new and existing nursing programs, creating consistency and a high standard of quality across all programs statewide.
“Nurses are essential to maintaining the health of our communities. It is important, for their well-being and ours, that our nursing programs meet national standards and provide transferable skills to young professionals,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure will allow nurses to move around the state if they choose and be recognized nationally for having an IL RN license.”
House Bill 1807 would require the Board of Nursing at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to oversee a variety of elements of new and existing nursing programs, including accreditation standards, program remediation, withdrawal or closure of programs, and more. The measure would give the Board of Nursing authority to approve or disapprove of program directors to ensure that the person selected is qualified for the role, as well as purview over the program curriculum and faculty members.
Read more: Cervantes to give Board of Nursing more oversight in college nursing programs
SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure through the Senate to expand implicit bias training for health care workers in Illinois.
“I am proud to lead the charge in implementing essential implicit bias training in health care surrounding maternal health risks associated with marginalized communities in particular Black communities,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related cause of deaths than white women. I will always advocate for every woman in Illinois to receive adequate, respectful, and dignified health care regardless of their background.”
Read more: Preston measure to expand implicit bias training for health care workers passes Senate
SPRINGFIELD – Despite repeated promises from the federal government, high-speed internet access remains a distant goal for many communities — especially in rural Illinois, where service is often spotty, unreliable or altogether unavailable. In response to federal inaction and recent funding withdrawals, State Senator Rachel Ventura worked alongside State Representative Amy Briel to lead the passage of House Bill 1062 in the Senate, providing a strategic state-level response to a growing digital divide.
“Broadband access should be available to all. This legislation aims to prioritize anchor institutions to quickly improve our state’s broadband network in the most cost-effective way possible,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “By utilizing existing and nearby infrastructure, vulnerable communities can increase access to high-speed internet, which is critical for daily life.”
The Illinois Century Network (ICN) delivers wholesale internet services to public entities across the state — including schools, libraries and higher education institutions. However, without sufficient federal investment, the burden of expanding reliable broadband increasingly falls to the state.
Read more: In wake of federal cuts, Ventura leads charge to expand Illinois broadband access
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