SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz that improves transparency, reporting and more timely notification of bullying incidents is one step closer to becoming law.

“Updating Illinois’ bullying laws to reflect the realities of cyberbullying on the internet and on social media sites will help school districts understand when these incidents are occurring,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “With rising mental health crises and suicide rates among our youth, this is a critical measure that will promote the safety and protection of all Illinois students.”

House Bill 3425 would require schools to alert parents and guardians of alleged bullying incidents involving their child within 24 hours after the school’s administration is made aware of the incident. This matter was brought to Senator Feigenholtz and Representative Margaret Croke last year by a family who tragically lost their son to suicide after being bullied and cyberbullied by his classmates.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that would help stop parents who do not have primary custody of their child from skipping on child support payments.

"This is an important initiative to ensure that parents who refuse to pay their child support can be tracked and held accountable," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "This is a step in the right direction to ensure that children receive the support they need and deserve."

House Bill 3301 would include independent contractors in the definition of "employee" so that anyone who reports income on 1099 forms as an independent contractor would be reported to the National Directory of New Hires registry. The registry was established in 1996 to help track parents who are delinquent on child support payments across state lines.

SPRINGFIELD – To help address the shortage of nurses in health care facilities across Illinois, State Senator Karina Villa moved a bill out of the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday.

“Nurses are an instrumental part of our communities; they are the ones on the frontlines helping our loved ones when they are ill,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “My hope is this legislation will help support nurses so more people will be inspired to join and stay in the profession.”

The growing scarcity of nurses in Illinois, especially in Southern Illinois, is negatively impacting patients, as well as existing nurses who have to work without a full staff in some of these health care facilities. House Bill 1615 amends the Nurse Practice Act to provide that the Nursing Workforce Center will develop strategies to ensure proper actions are being taken to address the statewide nurse shortages.

SPRINGFIELD – To increase access to state resources, State Senator Loughran Cappel passed a measure through the Senate Executive Committee that would create a program for grandparents raising their grandchildren in Will County to have a better understanding of what state programs are available.

“Grandparents often take on the responsibilities to raise their grandchildren,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “There are a number of resources that people don’t know about and this initiative addresses that by streamlining the process and giving caretakers a direct, local contact to utilize the resources available.”

SPRINGFIELD – When Laura Kane lost her son, Zachary, to suicide, she was still expected to return to work merely three days later. Today, she stood with lawmakers to support other grieving families and ensure that no one else is put in the same situation.

“I am grateful for the support and efforts of State Representative Maurice West and Senator Villa on getting this legislation passed. This is very bittersweet, as I am the mother who lost her 14-year-old son to suicide,” said Kane. “I was let go from my employment due to being unable to perform my duties to my employers expectation as a result the trauma and grief I was suffering following the sudden loss of my son. This bill will give families the job protection they deserve during this type of crisis.  I truly hope no one has to use this, but in the event they find themselves in these circumstances, the bill will provide protection in what may be their darkest hours.”

Kane was let go from her job due to not being able to perform her job while grieving the loss of her child. She started a nonprofit, Marshmallow’s Hope, in honor of her son and to help children struggling with depression and families coping with the loss of a child due to suicide.

SPRINGFIELD – Emergency workers, such as firefighters, police officers or probation officers, put their lives on the line to protect the public. To guarantee these workers are insured when injured on the job, State Senator Karina Villa moved a bill out of the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday.

“Law enforcement and firefighters risk their health for the safety of our communities every day,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “This legislation will protect those who are gravely injured on the job by making sure their employers cover their health insurance.”

House Bill 3249 requires public employers to pay the full premium of a health insurance plan for a current employee, their spouse or their dependents if the employee is a full-time law enforcement officer, correctional or correctional probation officer or firefighter who has suffered a catastrophic injury or was killed in the line of duty.  

SPRINGFIELD – A steadfast champion of Illinois laws to keep harmful tobacco products away from young people, State Senator Julie Morrison expanded upon her work in passing a measure to ban the use of e-cigarettes inside public places.

“Vaping and e-cigarette-related illnesses and deaths have become a nationwide outbreak that must come to an end before more lives are lost,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Banning the use of e-cigarettes indoors is another necessary step toward protecting people from serious, life-long health consequences of tobacco.” 

Passed in 2007, the Smoke Free Illinois Act prohibited smoking in public and within 15 feet of entrances, and required “no smoking” signs to be posted on the prohibited public place. However, this law took effect when people primarily smoked cigarettes and cigars.

SPRINGFIELD – Cases of doxing are on the rise, revealing the vulnerability of millions of people’s private lives. State Senator Julie Morrison is leading the charge to ensure that people who fall victim to such cyber-attacks receive justice.

“Doxing is yet another form of online abuse that was deliberately designed to tear people down,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Abuse, stalking and harassment have no place in our state – not in person and not online.”

As the use of technology rises, so do cases of hackers, abusive partners and others maliciously publicizing people’s private information. Often referred to as “doxing,” these attacks include the sharing of phone numbers, addresses, social security numbers and other previously private information that could lead to harassment, humiliation and threats. 

“Survivors of domestic violence face the constant stress of their abuser stalking them or causing more harm. With technology on the rise, now they’re also faced with the worry that the person they once trusted with private information will share that information with the world,” said Morrison. “We must protect our state’s survivors from additional forms of abuse.”

To give victims of doxing the justice they deserve, Morrison is leading House Bill 2954. The measure – which receive unanimous support in the House – would allow people a private right of action against the individual who committed the offense. The victim could recover damages and any other appropriate relief, including attorney’s fees.

“This is an encouraging next step forward in our efforts to give doxing victims a voice and hold people accountable for online hate and harassment,” said Anti-Defamation League Midwest Regional Director David Goldenberg.  “The Senate Judiciary Committee’s support for this bill sends a strong signal that Illinois will be no place for hate. We thank Representative Gong-Gershowitz and Senator Morrison for their leadership in championing this bill, and we look forward to our continued work with them and our coalition partners to get this legislation passed out of the Senate and onto Governor Pritzker's desk.”

House Bill 2954 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously.