SPRINGFIELD —State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure to make the college transfer process easier and more equitable by waving certain admissions fees.

“Equitable access to education is of the upmost importance, and students in their final semester should have the opportunity to transfer without the burden of application fees,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “It is our responsibility to ensure every student’s transition into higher education is seamless and fair.”

Senate Bill 3081 would require public universities to waive admission application fees for a student transferring from an Illinois public community college if the transferring student is enrolled in the last semester of a degree program and is on schedule to graduate with a degree.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Napoleon Harris, III passed a measure inspired by constituent concerns for individuals fighting cancer who were unable to afford a hair prosthesis on Friday.

“Individuals who are experiencing hair loss due to alopecia, chemotherapy or radiation have had endless hurdles to overcome,” said Harris (D-Harvey). “Standardizing medical insurance for wigs and other scalp prostheses will help alleviate some unnecessary stress and remove financial barriers to help provide individuals with some sense of normalcy.”

Senate Bill 2573 would require insurance plans to provide coverage for wigs or other scalp prostheses for individuals experiencing hair loss due to alopecia, chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer or other conditions.

SPRINGFIELD – If a person’s license plate or sticker is stolen from their car, they wouldn’t be on the hook for paying the replacement fee under a measure led through the Senate by State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr.

“Imagine the stress of seeing someone violated your personal belongings,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Now imagine the exacerbated stress of wondering how you are going to pay to fix the problem so you don’t get fined. We should never penalize victims – no matter how big or small the price.” 

Under Sims’ measure, if a person’s license plate or registration sticker is stolen, they would be able to receive a new one at no cost. Currently, drivers would have to pay either $6 for a new plate, or $20 for a new registration tag if stolen.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation aimed at enhancing transparency in the ticketing industry has passed the Senate.

“This bill is a win for Illinois consumers,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “By requiring ticket sellers to disclose the total price of event tickets upfront, we are empowering consumers to make informed decisions and eliminate the frustration of hidden fees. Transparency is essential in ensuring fairness and trust in the ticketing industry.”

Speculative ticket listing refers to when sellers list tickets for events that they do not possess in the hope of acquiring them later at a lower price. This often leads to inflated ticket prices, and will leave customers vulnerable to price gouging.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner is championing a measure to increase the number of hunting tags landowners can receive without having to go through the lottery process.

“I’ve heard from constituents who can’t hunt on their land because of the current rules and regulations and have been forced to enter into the lottery for a chance to get hunting tags,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Illinois landowners who have met the criteria should be able to hunt on their land.”

Senate Bill 914 would allow for two additional landowner deer, turkey and combination permits if the property is solely owned by family members who do not live at the same property. Currently the Illinois Department of Natural Resources allows only one permanent address of record to receive a free landowner permit. Additional owners of the land who do not live at the address have to enter into the lottery drawings to receive a permit to hunt on their land.

SPRINGFIELD – To support the educational aspirations of refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan, State Senator Mike Porfirio has steered legislation through the Senate that would waive transcript evaluation fees for these individuals. 

“Denying refugees equal access to education reinforces marginalization,” said Porfirio. “By waiving transcript evaluation fees, we are not only promoting access to education, but also recognizing the valuable contributions that refugees bring to our colleges.”

Currently, transcript evaluations assess foreign transcripts as part of an admission process for higher education institutions. These evaluations are used to establish a U.S.-equivalent GPA, verify the accreditation of the foreign schools, and benchmark completed coursework to determine if the applicant has met the prerequisite requirements for their intended program.

SPRINGFIELD — For seniors and those with limited mobility, an elevator outage is more than an inconvenience — it is a significant barrier that prevents them from participating in daily life. Recognizing the need for a balanced approach to safety and accessibility, State Senator Ann Gillespie advanced legislation that would allow elevators to remain operational during upgrades or repairs that address minor, non-safety-related deficiencies.

“Elevator safety is paramount, but a minor issue should not prevent someone from being able to access where they need to go,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “This legislation reinstates a temporary certificate process — a solution that allows provisional elevator usage to ensure continued accessibility for those who need it.”

Senate Bill 3694 allows the State Fire Marshal to issue a temporary certificate permitting elevator usage during minor repairs or upgrades. These 30-day certificates would only be granted if the elevator does not pose a safety risk to those using or working on the elevator. For instance, if an elevator has a cosmetic imperfection or other minor deficiency that does not affect its functionality, the elevator could still operate while the issue is resolved.

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Murphy has advanced a measure that would make medications easier to obtain during shortages.

“Maintenance medications — those that must be taken on a regular basis to treat long-term conditions — aren’t the kind that can be skipped,” Murphy (D-Des Plaines) said. “We need to ensure that patients have access to the medications they need to survive.”

Murphy’s measure would require health insurance and managed care plans to cover brand-name prescription drugs if the generic drug is unavailable during a nationwide shortage.