SPRINGFIELD – Taking another leap toward enshrining safe and secure access to reproductive health care, State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure to end deceptive and misleading practices at crisis pregnancy centers.

“There is a war on people’s ability to make informed decisions about their reproductive health care,” said State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Workers at crisis pregnancy centers should not be able to deceptively mislead women into making decisions that aren’t the best for them or their futures. When you go to the doctor and someone appears to be medical staff, you trust they are medical staff. You trust your ability to make autonomous, informed, evidence-based decisions. Reproductive health care should be no different.”

Senate Bill 1909 prohibits the use of deceptive practices to interfere with an individual seeking to gain entry or access to the provider of an abortion or emergency contraceptives, induce an individual to enter a limited services pregnancy center, in advertising, soliciting, or otherwise offering pregnancy-related services, or in providing pregnancy-related services. Villanueva worked in tandem with Attorney General Kwame Y. Raoul to prevent such deceptive practices at crisis pregnancy centers.

SPRINGFIELD – In continuing the fight for reproductive rights for women, State Senator Celina Villanueva passed legislation that prevents crisis pregnancy centers from using deceptive practices that interfere with women’s health care decisions.

“We must ensure that women who are seeking reproductive health care are protected from deceptive and misleading practices,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “At a time when they are already vulnerable, they must have peace of mind that they won’t be taken advantage of. Health care – in all forms – should be safe and transparent.”

Senate Bill 1909 prohibits the use of deceptive practices to interfere with an individual seeking to gain entry or access to the provider of an abortion or emergency contraceptives, induce an individual to enter a limited services pregnancy center, in advertising, soliciting, or otherwise offering pregnancy-related services, or in providing pregnancy-related services.

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Celina Villanueva advanced legislation that prevents students from changing their legal guardianship in an effort to qualify for need-based financial aid for college.

“When it comes to furthering education with limited resources, students will go to extreme measures to ensure a brighter future for themselves,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “However, no one should ever be put in a position where they have to decide between changing their guardianship and receiving financial aid in order to go to college.”

Senate Bill 195 is a direct response to previous public reports that Illinois students became eligible for need-based education financial assistance through the practice of "opportunity hoarding." Opportunity hoarding is the practice of exploiting a loophole in the Probate Act by transferring legal guardianship from a parent to a relative or friend in lower income brackets or by declaring financial independence.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to increase emergency contraception access on college campuses, State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure that would allow college students to purchase non-prescription wellness products at a reduced price in at least one wellness kiosk on each campus.

“Many college students are already facing financial hardships in college due to limited funding and a lack of resources,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “The last thing students need to be worried about is breaking their pocketbooks in order to get proper health care on campus.”

Senate Bill 1907 advances equal reproductive healthcare rights for students enrolled in public institutions of higher education, including those enrolled in community colleges. This legislation establishes the Public Higher Education Act, which would require public colleges, universities and community colleges to offer emergency contraceptives and other products at a reduced price in at least one wellness kiosk on each campus. A wellness kiosk, similar to a vending machine, would offer non-prescription items such as menstrual products, pregnancy tests, prophylactics and emergency contraception.

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure that prohibits students from changing their guardianship in efforts to qualify for need-based financial aid for college.

“Students that are experiencing financial hardships should not feel pressured to change their guardianship in order to receive need-based financial aid,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “It is imperative that legislation is put in place to ensure that students who are seeking need-based financial receive the resources they need without being penalized due to of their financial hardships.”

Senate Bill 195 is a direct response to previous public reports that Illinois students became eligible for need-based education financial assistance through the practice of "Opportunity Hoarding." Opportunity hoarding is the practice of exploiting a loophole in the Probate Act by transferring legal guardianship from a parent to a relative or friend in lower income brackets or by declaring financial independence.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva, who has diligently fought for the equality and protection of reproductive and gender rights, led a measure passed Tuesday that further explores the importance of Illinois residents having access to such rights.

“As a legislator who serves communities that face many disparities and challenges based off of their ethnicity and gender, I have seen firsthand the effects discrimination in health care play in a person’s mental, physical, social and economic status,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). ”Today we have further enshrined people’s rights to health care and their right to determine their destinies.”

Updates include changes to meal and rest break requirements, employer penalties

SPRINGFIELD – As the New Year is fast approaching, employers should be aware of the new changes that have been made to the One Day Rest in Seven Act thanks to State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago).

“The One Day Rest in Seven Act is crucial for the protection of employees’ wellbeing,” said Senator Celina Villanueva. “It is important to make sure that employees know that when they need an additional break from working longer hours, that they can take one without being penalized. This will allow employees to perform at a higher rate without feeling as overwhelmed.”

The One Day Rest in Seven Act gives workers the right to a day of rest every workweek and breaks for meals or rest during daily work shifts. Originally, the law mandated a minimum of 24 hours of rest per calendar week. This will change to 24 hours of rest per seven-consecutive-day period. This means that any employee who works for six consecutive days, the law now covers them on day seven, even if those six days do not align with a Sunday through Saturday workweek. For instance, if an employee starts working in the middle of the week on a Wednesday and works six days straight, on the 7^th day they are allowed to rest without being penalized by their employer.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva advanced legislation from the Illinois Senate on Thursday that would allow every person in the care of the Department of Corrections to receive underwear and menstrual products free of charge.

“While women in the Illinois Department of Corrections are provided with some free feminine hygiene products, incarcerated women consistently state that the sanitary napkins and feminine hygiene products provided by the State are inconsistently provided or insufficient to meet their needs,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “As a woman myself, I cannot imagine having limited access to feminine hygiene products that are a necessity to my everyday life. These women are no different and deserve to have proper healthcare resources regardless of their incarceration.”

House Bill 4218 addresses the lack of equal healthcare, basic hygiene and gender disparities in IDOC facilities. The measure would make these products available for all men, women and non-binary individuals under IDOC supervision available free of charge.