SPRINGFIELD – On Tuesday, State Senator Lakesia Collins joined Service Employees International Union members to advocate for safe nursing home staffing levels and spoke about the care in long-term facilities and the options available to Illinois seniors.

“Short staffing can affect the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of workers and often times we have no idea what they are going through and the challenges they face,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “Workers are often punished by shortages with higher workloads and longer hours due to the understaffing, and are often the first to blame when they were the ones who showed up to work.”

Prior to joining the General Assembly, Collins served as a certified nursing assistant in nursing homes and is a strong advocate for care workers and nursing home residents.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to predatory towing practices that take advantage of Illinois drivers, State Senator Celina Villanueva advanced legislation to strengthen enforcement against bad actors and ensure safer roads for drivers. 

"For too long, predatory towing operators have taken advantage of unsuspecting drivers, leaving them with outrageous fees, missing belongings, and no recourse,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “This legislation is about restoring fairness and accountability to the system, ensuring that no one falls victim to these deceptive practices.”

SPRINGFIELD — After serving their country, many veterans grapple with securing their next meal — a reality State Senator Julie Morrison is working to address through legislation that would allow more Illinois military families to access federal food benefits.

“Food insecurity is a real issue affecting veterans throughout the state, including in the 29^th District,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “We cannot stand by as those who dedicated their time and safety to defend us go hungry.”

SPRINGFIELD – A new measure from State Senator Laura Murphy would close a loophole that leaves schools in the dark about educator misconduct investigations.

“Children must be protected at school, and to do so, the districts must be kept up to date about the teachers they employ,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “A school district has a right to know if an educator they have employed is the subject of a misconduct investigation.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois wastes close to 3.8 billion tons of food each year. In an effort to reduce the amount of food products we throw away, State Senator Steve Stadelman is working on new rules for product labeling.

“We are likely all guilty of throwing away food that seems fine but is past its expiration date,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “I want to ensure we are getting the most out of our food products, and I think this new measure I’m working on will help us get there.”

Senate Bill 2072 builds on legislation passed in 2023 that defined safety and quality dates and directed the Illinois Department of Agriculture and Department of Public Health to publish information to encourage food manufacturers and retailers to voluntarily use these terms on food product labels.

SPRINGFIELD — After an Illinois woman had a negative experience with police when filing her sexual assault report, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen worked alongside her to create Anna’s Law, or Senate Bill 1195, to address a lack of trauma-informed response training within the state.

“No one should be subjected to being re-traumatized and invalidated in any situation,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “After working with the Illinois State Police, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board and the Illinois Chiefs of Police I am hopeful that this will greatly improve the current training practices in place.”

Under Senate Bill 1195, police would be required to be trained on how to identify conflicts of interest between officers who may be familiar with victims or those accused of a crime and the options that are available to them on how to address it.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Karina Villa that would increase access to alternative options for opioid prescription medication passed the Senate on Thursday.

“With the potential risk of developing a serious addiction from prescription opioids, our health care system should provide alternative options for pain management if that is what a patient is looking for,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “The thousands of individuals across our state who depend on pain management treatment should have access to alternatives that do not put them at risk of developing a substance use disorder.”

SPRINGFIELD — While support services exist for a range of substance use disorders, similar resources can be difficult to access for individuals facing a gambling addiction. State Senator Julie Morrison is working to close this gap with legislation that would recognize compulsive gambling as a disorder, paving the way to improved treatment in Illinois.

“Gambling releases dopamine and can quickly escalate from a fun pastime to a serious issue,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “By recognizing gambling disorder as a health condition, we are breaking down barriers to treatment and recovery.”

Senate Bill 118 would recognize gambling disorder under the Substance Use Disorder Act, allowing the Illinois Department of Human Services to integrate treatment of the condition through their work of addressing substance use.

According to a 2021 statewide report commissioned by IDHS, 3.8% of adult Illinois residents experienced problems with gambling, with an additional 7.7% of Illinoisans at risk of developing a gambling problem. Morrison’s legislation would enable IDHS to establish programs for the prevention, recognition and treatment of gambling disorder, as well as utilize funding to support local intervention programs through grants.

“When gambling gets out of hand, it can have a snowball effect on a person’s life,” said Morrison. “It’s important that a system of care is in place to support individuals without judgement as they recover.”

Senate Bill 118 passed the Senate on Thursday.