Villa initiative to alleviate statewide nurse shortage signed into law

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa that addresses the shortage of nurses in health care facilities across Illinois was signed into law Friday. 

“The ongoing nurse shortage in our state demands our immediate attention,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Our nurses are the backbone of our health care system, and we owe it to them and our communities to address this issue with urgency. By empowering the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center to look for ways to address the shortage, our hope is this new law will help us retain and recruit nurses throughout our state.”

The growing scarcity of nurses in Illinois, especially in Southern Illinois, hurts patients and existing nurses who have to work without a full staff in some cases. Nurses are a critical part of health care and make up the largest portion of health care professionals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 275,000 additional nurses will be needed from 2020 to 2030.

Read more: Villa initiative to alleviate statewide nurse shortage signed into law

Measure to crack down on harmful deepfakes signed into law thanks to Edly-Allen

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mary Edly-Allen championed a law signed Friday to crack down on the abusive and harmful use of digital forgeries known as deepfakes.

“These videos may be fake, but the emotional impacts are real. The sad reality is, deepfake technology is predominantly being used to create sexual videos of women without their consent,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “Despite the rise of deepfakes there are no consequences for bad actors.”

Deepfakes are images, video, or audio that have been manipulated using AI technology to insert the face and/or voice of a person, in a way that looks authentic.

House Bill 2123 creates a civil cause of action against any person who knowingly distributes, creates or solicits a digital forgery of another individual without their consent and for the purposes of harassing, extorting, threatening or causing harm to the falsely depicted individual.

Read more: Measure to crack down on harmful deepfakes signed into law thanks to Edly-Allen

Glowiak Hilton measure to require naloxone in schools becomes law

SPRINGFIELD – All schools in Illinois will now be required to supply opioid antagonists for students thanks to a new law led by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton.

“By ensuring that naloxone is readily available to all students in Illinois, we are helping save our children’s lives,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “The opioid epidemic has taken a toll on our communities. It’s time we develop and implement the necessary precautions to protect everyone in our classrooms.”

House Bill 3428 will require all school districts to maintain a supply of an opioid antagonist, a medication that can be used to reverse an opioid overdose, in a secure location. Naloxone should be given to any person who shows signs of an opioid overdose or when an overdose is suspected.

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South Suburban Airport gets a clutch victory thanks to Harris

SPRINGFIELD – The South Suburban Airport may soon be reality, thanks to a law championed by State Senator Napoleon Harris, III.

For the last 40 years, lawmakers have attempted to secure a south suburban airport in the Monee community. Where many lawmakers have failed – Harris (D-Harvey) fought and held the state accountable to fulfill its promises to the South Suburbs by requiring the state to establish the process to find partners in the construction of a new south suburban airport.

“This is a touchdown for communities across the South Suburbs,” Harris said. “This airport will serve as an economic engine for our communities and provide local businesses with access to global markets for generations to come.”

The South Suburban Airport Act, which became law more than a decade ago, established that the state may develop a prequalification process. Since its enactment, no process has been established until Harris’ advocacy and leadership in getting this venture into the end zone.

Read more: South Suburban Airport gets a clutch victory thanks to Harris