Updates to Illinois’ biometric privacy signed into law thanks to Cunningham

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham’s measure that updates liability guidelines in the Biometric Information Privacy Act was signed into law on Friday.

“In order for Illinois to continue being a leader on biometric protections for consumers, these changes were necessary,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “Not only did we preserve protections in BIPA, we made sure to clarify damages so businesses in our state are not crushed by penalties for violation.”

Cunningham’s measure limits the number of claims accrued should an employee bring a lawsuit against a company for a violation of BIPA. If a certain biometric identifier is collected by the same employer in the same manner, only one violation would accrue. This is a change from the previous interpretation of BIPA, where claims were accrued on a per-collection basis, which resulted in hundreds of claims on a repeated violation.

Read more: Updates to Illinois’ biometric privacy signed into law thanks to Cunningham

Turner law holds bad actors in the EMS field accountable

SPRINGFIELD – A new law spearheaded by State Senator Doris Turner will increase public safety by suspending EMS professionals who have been charged with a crime while performing their duties.

“We have to hold bad actors accountable,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “People need to know that those who respond to an emergency will prioritize their safety.”

Turner’s law will allow the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, or their designee, to determine if the suspension of an EMS professional should extend statewide. This will apply in situations when an EMS professional has been charged with a crime while performing their official duties and continuing to practice poses the possibility of harm to the public.

“By putting these guardrails in place, we are ensuring public safety is at the forefront of our priorities,” said Turner.

Senate Bill 3134 was signed into law Friday and is effective immediately.

Murphy law combats prescription medication shortages

SPRINGFIELD – Relief from drug shortages is coming soon for Illinoisans with prescription medications, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Laura Murphy.

“No one wants to have to call every pharmacy in their area just to see if their medication is in stock. This process takes precious time, and some pharmacies won’t give out that information over the phone,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “What’s worse is when generic medication is unavailable while brand-name medication is, the patient’s insurance often times won’t cover it. This can result in patients paying tens or hundreds of dollars out-of-pocket just to maintain their health.”

Murphy’s measure will require group health insurance and managed care plans to cover brand-name prescription drugs if the generic drug is unavailable during a nationwide shortage.

Read more: Murphy law combats prescription medication shortages

Harris champions new law to expand opportunities for student-athlete compensation

SPRINGFIELD – Student-athletes in Illinois will have greater opportunities to receive fair compensation, thanks to a new law passed by former student-athlete, State Senator Napoleon B. Harris, III.

“Student athletes are constantly on double duty – attempting to keep up with school work along with balancing team responsibilities,” said Harris (D-Harvey). “Ensuring student-athletes have accessibility to fair compensation for their countless hours of dedication will eliminate financial barriers and set them up for success in their future.”

Harris’ House Bill 307 will expand the methods of compensation by eliminating limitations on how name, image and likeness – also known as known as “NIL” – are paid, along with what consideration is allowed on the part of the student-athlete themselves.

The new law will expand accessibility by allowing colleges to directly pay NIL contracts if it is in response to a court order or if the institution is utilizing NIL compensation as an incentive for an athlete to attend their school. It also will expand the definition of “student-athlete” to include individuals prior to and after their enrollment and deletes provisions that restrict a student from preemptively entering into a NIL contract or receive continued benefit from a NIL contract after their enrollment.

Read more: Harris champions new law to expand opportunities for student-athlete compensation