Caucus News

SPRINGFIELD – Certified Nurse Assistants who care for Illinois seniors will now have stronger protections against wage theft under legislation from State Senator Graciela Guzmán, signed into law Friday after years of advocacy by SEIU Healthcare Illinois Indiana and CNA workers.

“CNAs do some of the hardest and most important work in our healthcare system,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “They care for our parents, grandparents and loved ones every single day. They deserve to be paid for every hour they work. I’m proud to stand alongside SEIU and the workers who fought for this reform to make sure employers can no longer shortchange the people providing care.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s legislation to preserve contraceptive services or supplies for minors was signed into law Friday.

“Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own body, their own health, and their own future,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “No young person should lose access to contraception because politicians decided they know better than patients and their health care providers. Illinois is protecting the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions and ensuring that access to contraception remains available for those who need it.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to protect those burdened by health care debt from having a lien placed on their home during a health care debt collection has been signed into law.

“No one should have to fear losing their home because they got sick,” said Guzmán. “For too long, hospitals have been allowed to use medical debt to threaten the stability of working families. Illinois should never allow that debt to become a tool for taking away someone’s home. Today we put an end to one of the most harmful debt collection practices in our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to create new protections for renters and prospective renters passed the Senate Sunday.
“When we talk about housing, we are not just talking about buildings or leases, we are talking about safety,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “We are talking about dignity. We are talking about whether people have a real chance to rebuild their lives.”

House Bill 4377 combines several impactful measures to protect tenants in Illinois. First, the measure would prohibit federal housing assistance providers from establishing or implementing any rules, policies or procedures that impose time limits or work requirements as a condition of initial or continued eligibility for any rent subsidy or assistance provided to qualifying tenants. This portion of the bill was spearheaded by State Senator Ram Villivalam.

“By implementing protections against rigid work requirements, we are re-affirming basic human rights and ensuring vulnerable Illinoisans don’t have to work unsustainable hours just to have a roof over their head,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago).

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to support survivors and strengthen higher education requirements when addressing sexual violence passed the Senate.

“The ways students experience harassment and abuse have changed since 2015,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Harm can happen through repeated unwelcome electronic communications, sexually explicit material being sent or weaponized, or the actual or threatened sharing of private or digitally altered sexual images without consent. Our law has to recognize the ways students are being harmed now.”

Guzmán’s bill would add definitions for sexual harassment and digital sexual harassment, requiring higher education policy regarding gender-based violence to address these major issues. The bill would provide guidance and gives examples of supportive measures, while ensuring that a particular course of study or major cannot be a reason to deny such measures. If an institution willfully fails to act in accordance with the policy, this legislation would create a civil cause of action, thus providing a mechanism of enforcement for survivor rights.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s resolution to explore introduction of Arabic as a foreign language option in school has been adopted by the Senate.

“Arabic is spoken in the homes of hundreds of thousands of Illinois families,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “These students deserve the opportunity to develop and formalize their heritage language in our public schools.”

SPRINGFIELD – With health care costs skyrocketing and drug manufacturers making billions in profit, State Senator Graciela Guzmán is carrying key legislation to create price caps for drugs in Illinois.

“Price should never be an obstacle to health care,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Taking advantage of sick people who are in need of medication for profit is condemnable and we must put a stop to this practice.”

Senate Bill 3496 is an initiative to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board in Illinois. This group would be tasked with identifying high cost drugs for consumers, conduct affordability reviews on said drugs and decide whether to limit the price of those drugs for the consumer.

SPRINGFIELD – In the fight for affordable housing for all people in Illinois, State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to provide human rights protections to prospective tenants who are survivors of gender-based violence passed the Senate Executive Committee.

“When we talk about housing, we are not just talking about buildings or leases,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “We are talking about safety. We are talking about dignity. We are talking about whether people have a real chance to rebuild their lives.”

Senate Bill 330 would provide that it is a civil rights violation to unlawfully discriminate against a prospective tenant because of a person's history of experiencing domestic or sexual violence. According to Illinois Legal Aid, people who have survived domestic violence, stalking or sexual assault might also face barriers to their housing because of these abuses. People who rent their homes are three times more likely to face violence than people who own their homes.