SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans will soon be able to donate unused prescription drugs for redistribution through State Senator Karina Villa’s (D-West Chicago) Prescription Drug Repository Program.

“As we fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs, it’s imperative that we work to provide alternatives to buying medication at the costly market value,” Villa said. “I-DROP will help ensure families are not forced to make the tough decision between paying bills or buying food and purchasing necessary prescription medication.” 

SPRINGFIELD – Menstrual hygiene products will be available to college students at no cost under a new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“Every student on campus deserves equal access to a proper education, but that access can be severely limited if a student is stuck at home because they can’t afford menstrual hygiene products,” Villa said. “We need to treat period poverty like the public health crisis it is and fight for change across our state to increase access to necessary menstrual hygiene products.”

Public universities and community college districts will be required to make menstrual hygiene products available to students at no cost in campus bathrooms under Villa’s law.

“Period products are necessary items, like soap and toilet paper, that should be easily accessible to anyone who needs them,” said State Representative Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville), who sponsored the bill in the House. “Many of us know a student, or have been that student, who is late to class because they are trying to find a teacher they trust to ask for a tampon. By tackling period poverty at our schools and universities, we’re helping students stay healthy and focused on their education.”

House Bill 641 was signed into law Thursday and takes effect immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans will be able to purchase menstrual hygiene products with federal and state food assistance program benefits under a new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“Benefits programs aren’t living up to their full potential until they cover necessary menstrual hygiene products,” Villa said. “Increasing the accessibility of menstrual hygiene products for low-income Illinoisans is essential to combatting period poverty across our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – Protections for survivors of sexual assault will expand to allow family members of survivors to file petitions for civil no-contact orders under a new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“Survivors of sexual assault should be able to go about their daily lives without worrying about their abuser contacting them or their loved ones,” Villa said. “Expanding civil no-contact orders to include family members of survivors is imperative to restoring a sense of normalcy and peace in the lives of survivors and their families.”

Under current law, a petition for a civil no-contact order can be filed by a survivor of non-consensual sexual conduct or by another person on behalf of a survivor who cannot file the petition. Villa’s new law will expand eligibility to offer protections for family or household members of survivors of sexual harassment and assault.

In order to qualify for these protections, the person filing the petition must first receive consent from the survivor.

House Bill 1742 was signed into law Friday and will take effect Jan. 1, 2022.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to deter wage theft, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) sponsored a new law that increases the amount employers who underpay their employees must pay in damages.

“It is unacceptable for an employer to withhold hardworking employees’ wages,” Villa said. “Working families across Illinois deserve to be justly compensated and should receive increased damages for cases of wage theft.” 

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 will increase the percentage paid in damages from 2% to 5% to more effectively deter wage theft by employers.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to expand the rights of survivors of sexual assault, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) sponsored a law requiring hospitals to use the Illinois State Police online evidence tracking system and establishing a set of crime victims’ rights.

“Survivors of sexual assault need to know health care professionals and law enforcement officials are providing them with information on all available resources at their disposal,” Villa said. “It takes a brave person to come forward to report assault, and survivors deserve to feel at ease by staying in the loop on charging decisions and other updates to their cases.”  

In 2020, the Illinois State Police launched an online tracking system for sexual assault evidence collection kits that allows survivors of sexual assault to track evidence in their cases, but not all hospitals in Illinois opted to participate. Villa’s law requires all hospitals to enter collected sexual assault evidence into the tracking system and requires health care facilities or law enforcement to provide survivors information on how to use the tracking system.

MONTGOMERY – The Montgomery & Countryside Fire Protection District will receive $6,565 in small equipment grant funding to purchase critical equipment, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) announced Tuesday.

“Properly functioning lifesaving equipment can make the difference in a life-or-death situation, and our first responders deserve to have all the necessary tools at their disposal,” Villa said. “Words will never be enough to thank the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, but I’m hopeful that this critical funding will help extend our gracious thanks to Illinois’ first responders.”

These grants are part of the Small Equipment Grant Program, under which 149 fire departments, districts and EMS providers across Illinois have been selected to receive $3.3 million to purchase new firefighting and ambulance equipment. The program will help fire departments and not-for-profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have trouble generating the necessary revenue for small equipment.

“Departments have had to make tough financial decisions, especially this year during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez. “The Small Equipment Grant Program helps reduce the burden on smaller departments/districts while replacing aging and sometimes failing small equipment.” 

A full list of grantees is available here.

WEST CHICAGO – Illinois families will have safer access to bridges, sidewalks and bike paths thanks to a $1.7 million investment in Sugar Grove and Geneva, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) announced Thursday.

“Illinoisans can finally travel and explore other communities with our state reopened, and it’s imperative that we provide safe and accessible transportation options,” Villa said. “These investments in our local infrastructure will benefit everyone in the 25^th District.”

Residents of the 25^th District will see improvements to bridges, sidewalks and bike paths, including:

• Blackberry Creek Bridge and shared-use path in Sugar Grove,
• Sidewalks for safe routes to schools in Sugar Grove, and
• Kautz Road Bike Path in Geneva.

These projects are part of the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, for which the Illinois Department of Transportation has selected 99 projects totaling $105.7 million. Projects receiving funding in this round of investment include biking and walking paths, trails, streetscape beautification, and other projects designed to encourage safe travel across the various modes of transportation at the local level.

“Working families across Illinois will be able to enjoy a higher quality of life with these expanded travel options,” Villa said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to enjoy the enhanced pedestrian and bike paths with our community.”