SPRINGFIELD – To ensure cost is not the deciding factor for residents thinking about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) introduced legislation requiring insurance companies to cover the full cost of the vaccination.

“Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do for the safety of your loved ones and neighbors,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Not being able to afford the COVID-19 vaccine should not stop anyone from receiving it.”

Under the proposal, the coverage requirement would apply to individual and group health insurance policies and managed care plans under Medicaid in effect since March 9, 2020. Companies would not be allowed to impose cost-sharing measures on patients.

“Some residents have chosen not to get the vaccine for health or personal reasons, but the cost should not be a deciding factor,” Glowiak Hilton said. “The sooner our state’s population is vaccinated, the sooner we can get our economy moving, build up our damaged industries and regain some sense of normalcy.”

House Bill 2406 awaits action by the Senate Insurance Committee.

SPRINGFIELD – To encourage support of affordable housing projects, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced legislation to renew the state’s tax credit program and steadily increase benefits over time.

“The Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit has been instrumental in the development and preservation of affordable housing across the state over the last two decades,” Glowiak Hilton. “With its renewal, Illinois stays committed to the public and private partnerships needed to provide ongoing economic activity in communities.”

SPRINGFIELD – As businesses struggle to recover from pandemic-related financial hardship, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) has advanced a measure out of the Senate Local Government Committee to help ease the burden.

“When making plans for economic recovery after the pandemic, it doesn’t make sense to take a one-size-fits-all approach,” Glowiak Hilton said. “To provide support where it’s needed most, this measure allows each local government to decide what is best for the community’s financial future.”

SPRINGFIELD – To make tuition more affordable for working families, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) has advanced a measure allowing residents to deposit inheritance into qualified tuition programs.

“Expanding qualified tuition plans supports working families as they explore education goals with their students,” Glowiak Hilton. “By creating a simpler path to afford tuition, our state is actively working to encourage more Illinoisans to enroll in higher education.”

As written, the Probate Act of 1975 allows estates to be deposited if it’s practical and only consists of funds. Glowiak Hilton’s proposal expands current law to allow the estates of deceased family members to be deposited into qualified tuition programs without additional obstacles.

Qualified tuition programs allow contributors to support a beneficiary's higher education expenses. Earnings accumulate tax free while in the account.

“Access to higher education is critical for economic prosperity, but affordability is equally important,” Glowiak Hilton. “By allowing residents to use inheritance for higher education costs without barriers from the state, we hope to encourage more kids to think about attending college.”

House Bill 814 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday and moves for further consideration before the full Senate.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) commends the nearly 900 high school students in the 24th District who were named 2021-22 Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

“This prestigious award is a reflection of hard work, dedication and resilience throughout the pandemic, and I couldn’t be more proud of the students from our community who earned the honor,” Glowiak Hilton said. “With the support of their families, teachers and administrators, these students have shown an unwavering commitment to achievement despite the many challenges they’ve faced over the last year.”

Illinois State Scholar winners rank in approximately the top 10% of the state’s high school seniors from 676 high schools in all 102 counties. Selection is based on a combination of standardized test scores and class rank or unweighted GPA at the end of the student’s junior year. ISAC works in conjunction with the students’ high school guidance counselors to determine the winners.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect residents from being misled by phone scams, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) has advanced a bipartisan initiative out of the Senate to outlaw scam call operators from disguising their identity by having a false telephone number show up on caller ID.  

“As more aspects of our lives become digital, scammers use deceitful tricks to persuade residents into giving them personal information,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By prohibiting automated solicitors from falsifying caller ID, we can help protect residents from falling victim to telephone scams.”

In Illinois, the Telephone Solicitations Act requires a live operator to state his or her name, the organization they are representing, and the purpose for the call. The law also prohibits a solicitor from manipulating caller ID, commonly known as spoofing. However, current state law does not address when the caller is not a live operator.

To protect consumers, Glowiak Hilton’s initiative requires the operator of any soliciting telephone call to immediately state the affiliated business and the purpose of the call, and to confirm consent from the receiver.

“Deceitful business practices like spoofing are wrong and must be outlawed,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Call authentication is critical for protecting consumers against scammers who mask their identity and intentionally seek to defraud vulnerable residents.”

Senate Bill 2225 passed the Senate and moves for further deliberation in the House.

SPRINGFIELD – More survivors of violent crime would be able to keep their home addresses private as participants in the Illinois Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) under a proposal from State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) to expand protections for survivors of human trafficking.

“Violent crime survivors undergo substantial emotional and mental trauma,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By adding human trafficking to the list of crimes protected by the ACP, we’re offering survivors some peace of mind that their sensitive personal information is safe and protected against abusers.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure students experiencing homelessness are aware of available resources, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced a bipartisan initiative out of the Senate to require higher education institutions to designate one employee to serve as a housing insecurity liaison.

“Oftentimes students without permanent housing are not aware of the resources available to them on campus and in their communities,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By creating a housing insecurity liaison, we are working to prevent homeless students from falling through the cracks by connecting them with aid.”

A study by the University of Chicago found that 4.2 million youth and young adults experienced homelessness during a 12-month period, and that nearly 29% of all young adults who experienced homelessness were enrolled in college or another educational program at the time.

Glowiak Hilton’s legislation requires each institution to appoint a Housing and Opportunities Useful for Students' Excellence (HOUSE) liaison. Their responsibilities would include identifying appropriate services, understanding aid eligibility, tracking graduation and retention rates, reporting the number of students using homelessness resources, and developing a plan to provide access to on-campus housing between academic breaks to homeless students enrolled at the institution.

Under the legislation, higher education institutions would also be required to provide information about available services and assistance regarding homelessness in financial aid and admission packets, as well as on the institution's website.

“Stable housing is foundational to academic and social success,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Creating this position is one step toward combatting homelessness for students and ensuring they have access to better opportunities.”

Senate Bill 190 passed the Senate and moves for further consideration in the House.