Villa plan would deter wage theft, protect employees’ paychecks

SPRINGFIELD – Employees who are found to be underpaid by their employers could be entitled to damages worth 5% of the monthly amount they were underpaid in addition to the full underpayment amount owed under an initiative proposed by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Tuesday.

“Illinoisans who go to work day in and day out deserve to be justly compensated,” Villa said. “Wage theft is a crime, and this legislation will help deter the bad actors from taking advantage of those who cannot speak up.”

Currently, employees who do not receive wages in a timely manner are entitled to file a claim to recover their unpaid wages, plus damages totaling 2% of the amount of monthly underpayments. Villa’s legislation would increase the percentage paid in damages from 2% to 5% to more effectively deter wage theft by employers.

Read more: Villa plan would deter wage theft, protect employees’ paychecks

Senate approves Peters’ HIV decriminalization proposal

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans living with human immunodeficiency virus will soon be free from fear of criminal prosecution after a measure sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) cleared its final legislative hurdle Tuesday.

“Laws that criminalize HIV are outdated, dangerous, discriminatory, and out of line with current science,” Peters said. “This practice has no place in modern society. HIV is a medical condition and must be treated as such. Individuals living with it should not have to fear being punished simply because they are sick.”

Read more: Senate approves Peters’ HIV decriminalization proposal

Crowe’s plan to educate students on addiction prevention passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – To give young people the tools to recognize and prevent opioid abuse, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) advanced legislation through the Senate to educate students on the dangers of opioid addiction.

“Young students and athletes may be prescribed opiates to relieve pain from injuries or surgeries before learning the risks of abuse,” Crowe said. “It’s important that kids know the health consequences associated with opioid misuse and dependency before entering high school.”

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 54 Illinois residents ages 15-24 fatally overdosed in 2019, with an additional 581 non-fatally overdosing. Crowe’s plan would begin engaging students in age-appropriate discussions on opioid abuse from kindergarten to eighth grade.

Read more: Crowe’s plan to educate students on addiction prevention passes Senate

Belt legislation updating university admissions in Illinois advances

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) allowing students to choose whether or not to submit their ACT and SAT scores when applying to Illinois colleges and universities passed the General Assembly on Tuesday.

“Test anxieties are real. We know standardized tests are not reliable indicators of graduation rates,” Belt said. “Taking a snapshot of a student’s high school years and reducing it down to a single test isn't fair.”

The measure creates the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act, which would prohibit Illinois’ public universities from relying solely on a student’s ACT or SAT score to make an admissions decision.

Read more: Belt legislation updating university admissions in Illinois advances