SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes advanced a measure through the Senate on Thursday that would require insurers to cover care for mental and emotional recovery for individuals who have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth.

“So many who have experienced the loss of a child deal with the trauma for the rest of their lives; pregnancy loss in the case of stillbirth or a miscarriage is often an overpowering shock,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “This grief can trigger anxiety, stress and depression, and may contribute to substance abuse.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes’ effort in the Senate to ensure insurance coverage for treating menopause symptoms without regard to whether the onset was natural or surgical. Holmes’ measure, House Bill 5295, passed the Senate Thursday.

Menopause occurs when an individual’s estrogen and progesterone hormone levels start to fall. If it begins naturally, symptoms show up over time; if it is a result of surgery, those effects start and advance quickly after the procedure.

“In either event or at whatever age, hormonal changes can bring on complications that affect our overall health and well-being. As estrogen drops, bone density can decrease and cardiovascular risks can rise,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Menopause therapies are prescribed regardless of the onset reason and must be covered either way.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes is leading an effort in the Senate to establish insurance coverage for treating menopause symptoms without regard to whether the onset was natural or surgical. Holmes’ measure, House Bill 5295, passed the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday.

Menopause happens when an individual’s estrogen and progesterone hormone levels begin to fall. If it begins naturally, symptoms arise over time; if it is a result of surgery, those effects start very quickly after the procedure.

“In either event or at whatever age, hormonal changes can bring on complications that affect our overall health and well-being. As estrogen drops, bone density can decrease and cardiovascular risks can rise,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Menopause therapies are prescribed regardless of the onset reason and must be covered either way.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes advanced a measure through the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday that would require insurers to cover treatment for the mental and emotional effects for individuals who have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth.

“For most expectant parents, pregnancy means happy preparations to welcome a healthy infant to their new family,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “The shock and grief of an unexpected pregnancy loss can be overwhelming — it may trigger anxiety, stress and depression, and contribute to substance abuse.”

The Illinois Insurance Code currently requires coverage for mental, emotional, nervous or substance use treatments as they are under the federal Affordable Care Act. House Bill 5282 will explicitly add coverage for miscarriage or stillbirth in addition to the benefits already required by federal law.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes—a leader with a successful track record of passing pro-consumer health care legislation—advanced a measure through the Senate Wednesday that would require insurers to document whether they have enough physicians and specialists to diagnose and treat their patients.

“When people go to the doctor, they expect they’ll get the care and urgency their condition calls for, but they often have to wait weeks or months for a diagnosis and treatment when they live in smaller communities,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “They might suffer needless anxiety or fear waiting on help, simply because the network is understaffed.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes wants all Illinoisans to learn more about Multiple Sclerosis and how it affects the lives of more than 20,000 individuals in the state, including their family, friends and loved ones. Worldwide, MS is thought to affect more than 2.3 million people.

March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. As one of those 20,000 people in Illinois with MS, Holmes spoke of her experience on the Senate floor last week while presenting a Senate Resolution marking March 10-16 as MS Awareness Week in Illinois.

“There are a range of symptoms that vary in type and severity and, in time, may diminish or disappear, or persist and worsen,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “MS is a continuous disease process that is influenced and driven by underlying mechanisms of central nervous system damage.”

MS generally strikes people between the ages of 20 and 50. The cause of this disease is unknown but is thought to be an immune-mediated disorder. While there are several treatments, no cure currently exists. Since 1946, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has been a driving force in MS research, relentlessly pursuing prevention, treatments and cures, and it has invested more than $1 billion in research.

“Increased awareness of MS over time has resulted in more people being diagnosed,” Holmes said. “The good news is, no one has to face MS alone. Through the National MS Society, there are many resources available as a patient, parent or supporter of someone diagnosed with MS.”

The Senate adopted SR 699. To learn more about Multiple Sclerosis, visit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Illinois Department of Public Health. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes sponsors legislation on a variety of topics each year, and it isn’t unusual for her animal welfare bills to gain media attention. That has risen to a new level this week as her “bear selfie” law has been featured in National Geographic.

“Throughout my career in the Illinois Senate, I have championed laws that address how wild and domestic animals are confined and used for profit, often in dangerous and unhealthy conditions,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “The Wild Animal Public Safety Act addresses concerns with roadside zoos and traveling exhibitions by prohibiting close public contact with all primates and bears.”

Young vloggers gain protections child actors achieved over past 80 years

SPRINGFIELD — Social media content has surged in the past decade, with many posts featuring influencers who promote themselves and commercial products on behalf of advertisers. Although a growing portion of that content features children, there were no laws protecting minors’ rights. Thanks to legislation led by State Senators Linda Holmes and Dave Koehler, Illinois is the first state to protect child influencers’ earnings.

“Our role as legislators is to ensure our labor laws reflect advances in technology and the economy, including the work of children and teens,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “In this digital age, parents should not profit off their children’s work, as was established for film and television in the years before YouTube or TikTok existed.”

According to CBS News, young influencers — also known as “kidfluencers” — with one million followers can earn $10,000 or more per sponsored post. Because of the age restrictions on online platforms, the content is not created in the child's name but rather the parent or guardian who runs the account. While traditional child actors in Illinois have the Child Labor Law to safeguard their earnings, there is nothing in place for kidfluencers.

Senate Bill 1782 amends the Child Labor Law to cover minors under 16 featured in vlogs or other online content. The measure requires parents to set aside a portion of the revenue generated by their online content into a trust the child can access once they turn 18. The legislation was inspired by Shreya Nallamothu, a high school student from Koehler’s district who brought her concerns to Holmes and Koehler about how child influencers’ compensation could fall victim to a parent or guardian taking the assets.

“I’m grateful my friend Dave Koehler and I teamed up on this measure to ensure young people aren’t exploited in any employment scenario,” said Holmes. “Knowing there are teens like Shreya taking interest and action in public policy to safeguard kids gives me hope for the future.”

Senate Bill 1782 was signed into law today and will take effect July 1, 2024.