Villa pushes for bill to help cover emergency workers’ health insurance
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SPRINGFIELD – Emergency workers, such as firefighters, police officers or probation officers, put their lives on the line to protect the public. To guarantee these workers are insured when injured on the job, State Senator Karina Villa moved a bill out of the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday.
“Law enforcement and firefighters risk their health for the safety of our communities every day,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “This legislation will protect those who are gravely injured on the job by making sure their employers cover their health insurance.”
House Bill 3249 requires public employers to pay the full premium of a health insurance plan for a current employee, their spouse or their dependents if the employee is a full-time law enforcement officer, correctional or correctional probation officer or firefighter who has suffered a catastrophic injury or was killed in the line of duty.
Read more: Villa pushes for bill to help cover emergency workers’ health insurance
Morrison pushes to end the use of e-cigarettes indoors
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SPRINGFIELD – A steadfast champion of Illinois laws to keep harmful tobacco products away from young people, State Senator Julie Morrison expanded upon her work in passing a measure to ban the use of e-cigarettes inside public places.
“Vaping and e-cigarette-related illnesses and deaths have become a nationwide outbreak that must come to an end before more lives are lost,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Banning the use of e-cigarettes indoors is another necessary step toward protecting people from serious, life-long health consequences of tobacco.”
Passed in 2007, the Smoke Free Illinois Act prohibited smoking in public and within 15 feet of entrances, and required “no smoking” signs to be posted on the prohibited public place. However, this law took effect when people primarily smoked cigarettes and cigars.
Read more: Morrison pushes to end the use of e-cigarettes indoors
Villanueva implements legislation that ensures charter schools can unionize
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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva brought forth legislation that would allow charter schools to unionize without being penalized by management of the charter school.
“Employees of charter schools deserve the same rights and protections as those who work at public schools,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Their voices matter and must be uplifted.”
House Bill 1120 is an initiative of the Chicago Teachers' Union that seeks to ensure that if the staff at a charter school chooses to form a union, the management of the charter school would not interfere.
Read more: Villanueva implements legislation that ensures charter schools can unionize
Martwick measure to hold rideshare companies accountable passes committee
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SPRINGFIELD — Rideshare companies would be subject to the same care standards as all other transportation companies under new legislation introduced by State Senator Robert Martwick.
“When you get on a bus or a train, or ride in a plane or a taxi, you expect a certain level of professionalism – a certain standard of care,” said Martwick (D-Chicago.) “If something were to happen to you due to negligence on the company’s part, it’s your right to hold that company liable. As it stands, this protection does not apply to rideshare companies, like Uber or Lyft, and it’s time that changes.”
The common carrier doctrine holds transportation companies to the highest standard of care to their passengers. This includes being able to hold the company liable if their employee causes the passenger harm, through intentional means such as assault, or if a driver is intoxicated and causes an accident.
Read more: Martwick measure to hold rideshare companies accountable passes committee
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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes’ measure to keep a closer watch on Illinois’ gray foxes moved a step nearer to becoming law on Thursday. The gray fox population in Illinois and much of the Midwest has been declining over the last 30 years, pr... -
SPRINGFIELD – Ensuring middle school students receive equal opportunity to earn high school credits, State Senator Laura Ellman is sponsoring a measure to provide seventh- and eighth-grade students with the option to earn high school credit for high... -
SPRINGFIELD — In an effort to curb the growing threat of synthetic drugs, State Senator Julie Morrison passed legislation in the Senate to regulate the use of xylazine — a powerful animal tranquilizer often mixed with fentanyl and tied to overdose de... -
SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to ensure transparency from health care providers and protect patients from unexpected fees on bills, State Senator Steve Stadelman passed a measure through committee that would require hospitals to be more explicit about t... -
SPRINGFIELD — In response to traffic accidents that have endangered the lives of students, staff and drivers, State Senator Julie Morrison is leading legislation to require seat belts in newly purchased school buses. “We teach children at a young age...
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