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Fine works to expand insurance coverage for neonatal intensive care

Details
Category: Senator Laura Fine News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 02:15 PM
  • Health Care
  • Fine
  • HB 2464
  • Neonatal Care

Senator Laura Fine

SPRINGFIELD – Continuing her work to increase affordable access to vital health care services, State Senator Laura Fine is sponsoring a measure addressing coverage for emergency neonatal intensive care.

“Every newborn deserves a fighting chance, especially in the critical first hours of life,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Parents want their children to be safe and healthy, and an unexpected birth complication can lead to permanent consequences if not promptly treated.”

To treat premature or critically ill newborns, neonatal care is often necessary and may require specialized treatments that might not be covered by a patient’s health insurance network. House Bill 2464 would address the importance of immediate care by requiring private insurers to cover emergency neonatal care, regardless of whether the provider is in or out of the patient’s network. This ensures families are not billed for greater out-of-pocket costs than they would have incurred with a participating provider.

Read more: Fine works to expand insurance coverage for neonatal intensive care

Sims to put an end to unwanted automatic sales calls

Details
Category: Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 02:13 PM
  • Sims
  • Automatic Sales Calls
  • HB 2435
  • Automatic dialing

Sims58

SPRINGFIELD – We’ve all been there: at work, hanging out with the family or trying to relax when you get a call from an unknown number trying to sell you a product. State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. is working to put an end to these automatic sales calls – in turn providing consumers with greater peace and protection.

“Our cellphones are meant to connect us with friends and family to conduct business but they’re slowly being turned into relentless advertising channels we didn’t sign up for,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “We’re going to put control back in the hands of consumers by protecting them from unwanted and intrusive automatic sales calls.”

Under House Bill 2435, companies could not use automatic dialing to sell Illinoisans goods and services unless the person expressly consented to be contacted in that manner. People across the country receive about 50 billion robocalls a year, with a less than 2% success rate – signaling a desire from residents to no longer receive the calls.

Read more: Sims to put an end to unwanted automatic sales calls

Fine works to help public health agencies respond to overdoses

Details
Category: Senator Laura Fine News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 02:10 PM
  • Opioids
  • Opioid Overdose
  • EMS
  • HB 3645
  • ODMAP

Senator Laura Fine

SPRINGFIELD – A career-long advocate for people struggling with substance use and mental health challenges, State Senator Laura Fine is leading a measure to strengthen reporting standards for opioid overdoses and protect patient confidentiality.

“Local health departments in the Chicago area benefit from gathering data on overdoses in their community,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “But opioid-related overdose can impact any community, and all public health departments need access to vital overdose data in order to ensure emergency services are able to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Currently, Illinois law only requires Chicago EMS providers to report overdose information using the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) tool. This free web-based tool provides the most up-to-date suspected overdose surveillance data to support public safety and health efforts.

Read more: Fine works to help public health agencies respond to overdoses

Halpin bill to protect consumers from predatory vehicle warranties passes committee

Details
Category: Senator Mike Halpin News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 11:12 AM
  • Consumer Protection
  • Third-party Vehicle Warranties
  • HB2238

halpin 050825SPRINGFIELD – Third-party vehicle warranties are often opaque, contain exclusions, deductibles and difficult claim processes that may not be apparent to the average consumer. State Senator Mike Halpin is leading the effort to protect consumers from these predatory third-party vehicle warranties.

“This legislation will ensure folks know what they’re buying when they purchase one of these third-party warranties for their vehicle,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Too often these warranties use fine print, vague terminology and hidden fees to take money from people without providing meaningful coverage.”

Read more: Halpin bill to protect consumers from predatory vehicle warranties passes committee

Loughran Cappel works to remove statute of limitations for child trafficking

Details
Category: Senator Meg Loughran Cappel News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 10:07 AM
  • Human Trafficking
  • Criminal Law
  • Loughran Cappel
  • HB 2602

HB26021

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel passed a measure out of committee that would allow individuals trafficked or exploited as minors more time to bring forth charges.

“The victims of crimes like these can take time to come forward because of trauma or other hardships,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Eliminating the time restriction would help ensure survivors can tell their story when they feel ready, not when the law says so.”

House Bill 2602 would extend the time limit for filing criminal charges in cases of forced labor, trafficking or related offenses by allowing charges to be brought at any time if the victim was under 18 years old when the crime occurred.

Read more: Loughran Cappel works to remove statute of limitations for child trafficking

Illinois Drug Reuse Program strengthened under Edly-Allen measure

Details
Category: Senator Mary Edly-Allen News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 09:44 AM
  • Medication
  • Edly-Allen
  • HB 2346
  • Illinois Drug Reuse Program

Senator Mary Edly-Allen

SPRINGFIELD – Nationally, an estimated $2.8 billion worth of medications are wasted annually. To provide Illinoisans with cheaper alternatives and transparency within the Illinois Drug Reuse Program, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen worked with State Representative Laura Faver Dias to bring House Bill 2346 to the Senate Public Health Committee.

“Medications can be ridiculously expensive, often leaving people to decide between rent, groceries or their life-saving medicine,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “This bill is critical to helping our most vulnerable communities and improves a well-established program that has helped countless Illinoisans.”

House Bill 2346 aims to strengthen the effectiveness of the Illinois Drug Reuse Program by increasing transparency for consumers, expanding access to safe, unused medications, and helping reduce medication waste.

Read more: Illinois Drug Reuse Program strengthened under Edly-Allen measure

Villa measure ensuring best mental health practices in criminal justice system advances

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Thursday, May 08, 2025 09:29 AM
  • Villa
  • Criminal Justice System
  • HB 3572
  • Mental Health Practices

Villa HB3572SPRINGFIELD – To meet the needs of defendants who have been determined to be unfit for trial languishing in county jails, State Senator Karina Villa advanced a measure Tuesday.

“As is, our justice system is unable to care for every individual living with mental health conditions who is unfit for trial which leads to people being sent to jail rather than receiving the treatment they need to undergo fair court proceedings,” said Villa (D-West Chicago).“Modeling best practices within the criminal justice system and focusing on effective rehabilitation efforts will result in better mental health outcomes for impacted individuals.”

House Bill 3572 would clarify standards to determine whether someone unfit to stand trial should be diverted to outpatient state mental health treatment programs.

Read more: Villa measure ensuring best mental health practices in criminal justice system advances

Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus condemns DHS Secretary’s Springfield visit

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Wednesday, May 07, 2025 06:33 PM
  • Slideshow
  • Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus
  • Latino Unity Day
  • Illinois TRUST Act

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SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus condemns the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s visit to Springfield this week, viewing it as yet another attempt by this administration to instill fear within our Latino and immigrant communities. In response, the ILLC released the following statement:

“It is both sinister and cowardly that Noem would choose Latino Unity Day—a celebration of community advocacy—to undermine immigrant voices. This calculated move aims to fuel anxiety and polarization while exploiting our resilience for political gain.

“The federal administration’s troubling actions reflect a pattern of disrespect, particularly evident in allegations of detaining immigrants without due process. In Illinois, we stand firm in our commitment to protect immigrant communities under the Illinois TRUST Act, which limits local law enforcement's role in federal immigration enforcement.

Read more: Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus condemns DHS Secretary’s Springfield visit

More Articles …

  1. Senate Democrats wear sneakers for Cancer Awareness
  2. Villa advances measure to prohibit minors being listed in evictions
  3. Dillon’s Law moves forward thanks to Edly-Allen, preparing our communities to act on allergic reactions
  4. Ellman measure would help middle school students earn high school credit
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