SPRINGFIELD – Legislation by State Senator Laura Fine to improve health insurance plan transparency for consumers passed out of the Senate today. The bill ensures consumers receive important information about changes to their insurance plans.

“Providing consumers with information about legislative changes to their health care plans can make a difference in their medical and financial planning,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Enrollees must have access to this essential information to ensure their medical needs are covered.”

Currently, health insurance providers are required to provide enrollees with a list of in-network providers and a description of their coverage annually upon request. Senate Bill 1346 would expand the list of required information to include any newly enacted state coverage mandates. The Illinois Department of Insurance would be required to post an annual report on its website with this information.

SPRINGFIELD —More people may soon have the opportunity to become homeowners through community land trusts, thanks to a new initiative from State Senator Graciela Guzmán that passed the State Senate on Thursday.

“Community land trusts are a people-first plan driven by communal power that help give everyday folks the opportunity to become homeowners and build generational wealth,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “It’s important for us to make this model more commonplace, and continue to build on its ingenuity, and this legislation will help us on that path.”

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Mark Walker’s bill to weed out the bad actors in the digital currency industry would help protect thousands of Illinois consumers from predatory practices and expand digital coin businesses.

“The digital assets industry is an exciting economic opportunity, but it attracts many bad actors,” said Walker (D-Arlington Heights). “This bill would create reasonable guidelines for crypto companies to follow without limiting their growth and opportunity.”

SPRINGFIELD – Though many Illinoisans may not be aware, human trafficking occurs in every part of the state, from Rock Island to Chicago. To crack down on the statewide scourge, State Senator Mike Halpin passed a measure through the Senate Thursday.

“We must empower our local governments and law enforcement to keep tabs on businesses to make sure every instance of human trafficking is accounted for and the perpetrators are brought to justice,” said Halpin. “By allowing localities to monitor hotels, restaurants and truck stop training, we can create a more targeted approach to combatting these terrible crimes.”

While current law requires human trafficking recognition training at hotels, restaurants and truck stops, this legislation would give municipalities the legal authority to act if a business is not complying the training laws. In addition, the new law would allow local governments to issue fines of up to $1,500 per offense.

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure through the Senate that would ban harmful food additives in products sold in Illinois.

“This legislation emphasizes the importance of consumer protection across our state,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “We must ensure that we prioritize keeping children and families safe from toxic chemicals and making sure they are informed and have access to safer alternative options.”

Under Preston’s measure, the manufacturing of food products containing potassium bromate or propylparaben would be banned. Additionally, the legislation would prohibit businesses from selling or distributing food products containing these additives.

SPRINGFIELD — To improve coordination and oversight of the 2-1-1 helpline that connects Illinois residents to vital health and human services, State Senator Adriane Johnson championed legislation to bolster reporting standards and statewide collaboration.

“Families across Illinois rely on 2-1-1 to get help during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “We have a responsibility to make sure this system is responsive, transparent and consistently high quality across every community.”

2-1-1 is a federally designated helpline that offers free, confidential access to resources like food, shelter, mental health services, employment support, and healthcare. The service launched in Illinois in 2009 and continues to expand across the state.

SPRINGFIELD — The National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified more than 5,600 trafficking victims in Illinois alone since 2007 — and authorities estimate the true number of victims to be much higher. To improve how the state identifies and supports victims of human trafficking, State Senator Julie Morrison advanced a bipartisan proposal that would strengthen training and streamline services among agencies.

“This legislation is the product of two years of work among the Illinois State Police and state agencies on how the state can close many of the gaps that exist in current processes,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “With these changes, we put ourselves in a better position to identify victims earlier and get them the help they need.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Lakesia Collins held a Senate Revenue Subject Matter Hearing Wednesday to discuss Data Centers Investment Program support for minority-owned data centers.

“By hearing from local businesses we can learn what works and what will support them for a future in Illinois,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “We want to spur growth in the data center sector and create new jobs and opportunities for resident.”

Data centers in Illinois who are awarded grants through the Data Centers Investment Program spoke during the subject matter hearing. Data center owners and operators are provided with a tax credit of 20% of wages paid for construction workers for projects located in underserved areas.