SPRINGFIELD – People reentering society after being released from the Illinois Department of Corrections facilities should have access to documents regarding their time committed. State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) championed legislation to allow incarcerated individuals to request a summary of their master record.
“People should have the right to double-check their file for false or misleading information, especially if an individual is applying for clemency or other legal remedies,” said Pacione-Zayas. “As Illinois continues to commit itself to a focus on restorative justice, making sure people have the resources they need to reflect and rehabilitate is vital.”
House Bill 4559 would allow people committed to IDOC facilities to request one summary of their master record file a year. It would also allow a committed person’s attorney an additional request of the summary of the master file annually.
Read more: Pacione-Zayas measure promoting transparency at Department of Corrections advances
SPRINGFIELD –To address the rising demand for COVID-19 vaccinations, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) advanced an initiative to allow more health care workers to administer the vaccines.
“With more people wanting to protect themselves against COVID-19, at times there were not enough administrators for the number of individuals trying to get vaccinated,” Murphy said. “To offer more flexibility, vaccination clinics should be able to hire qualified health care professionals to administer COVID shots.”
Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is vital to stopping the spread of the virus and lowering mortality rates. However, if there are not enough people able to administer vaccines, people may experience delays in making appointments to get their shot or booster. Currently, physicians, pharmacists, PAs, and APRNs are authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines, but with the public demand for these shots, some health care centers are struggling to find enough administrators with these qualifications.
CHICAGO – State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago) is sponsoring legislation to mandate and require private insurers to allow men to get annual prostate cancer screenings free-of-charge.
“It’s important to be aware of your health risks — this bill will make prostate cancer screenings more accessible for men across the state,” Jones said. “Prostate cancer is life threatening — a simple test can detect it early and save a life.”
House Bill 5318 would require private insurers to provide all qualifying male policyholders with an annual prostate cancer screening upon the recommendations of a physician.
Read more: Jones measure to require insurers to provide annual prostate cancer screenings
SPRINGFIELD – Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus joined child care advocates and parents on Tuesday to introduce a slate of legislation that would invest in families and children.
“To strengthen the lives of Illinois children, we have to ensure families have the freedom to give their children richer and fuller lives,” said State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago). “By investing in their potential, we also indirectly construct more equitable communities that offer greater opportunities for growth.”
Legislation in the Strengthening Illinois Families and Children package include initiatives to expand the earned income credit, create a child tax credit, expand child care benefits to low-income families and funding for child care and early childhood education programs.
Read more: Senate Democrats introduce Strengthening Illinois Families and Children package
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