SPRINGFIELD – A measure to help connect hospital patients to financial assistance for medical costs passed the Senate Thursday thanks to State Senator Robert Peters.

“Not everyone is fortunate enough to have health insurance to cover medical costs,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “These days, even people with medical insurance are financially vulnerable.”

House Bill 2719 requires hospitals to screen a patient for financial assistance eligibility and to exhaust all cost-reducing avenues before taking a collection action against the patient. Additionally, the measure would provide a 90-day window for a patient to apply for financial assistance or hospital-provided discounts after receiving care.

“Cost savings programs that are available aren’t always promoted enough to folks who are financially vulnerable,” Peters said. “Hospitals aren’t always equipped with the resources to inform patients of financial assistance programs. This measure seeks to support both hospitals and hospital patients in a way that benefits the entire community.”

House Bill 2719 passed the Senate Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD – To prioritize agricultural education experiences, State Senator Doris Turner spearheaded a measure through the Senate that allows students to count hours that they participate in a work-based learning experience as hours of school work, including Future Farmers of America or 4-H program competitions or exhibitions.

”Students learn through experiences, both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “I’ve been a strong advocate for ag education and want to ensure students aren’t being jeopardized for attending FFA and 4-H program events. These programs provide hands-on experience in the agriculture industry which is prominent here in Illinois.”

House Bill 3814 would allow students to count hours that they participate in a work-based learning experience as hours of school work. The measure would include participation in scheduled events of state and national Future Farmers of America associations as well as 4-H programs as part of organized competitions or exhibitions – something Turner advocates strongly for.

Illinois FFA is a youth organization that prepares members for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. 4-H is the largest out-of-school youth organization across the state aimed at teaching practical skills to youth by offering lessons in communications, leadership, career development, livestock, home improvement and computer technology.

“When events like fairs and competitions conflict with school schedules, students have been penalized for missing school” Turner said. “As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and a member of the Senate Education Committee, I know the valuable experiences students get from participating in hands-on learning. This is one step forward to continue encouraging students to learn about agriculture and what the industry has to offer.”

House Bill 3814 passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that Illinoisans in need of insulin have affordable access to the life-saving medicine, State Senator Laura Murphy has introduced a measure to cap its price at $35.

“It’s time to ensure that individuals with insulin-dependent diabetes can afford the medicine that they need to survive,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “Insulin is a vital medication, and it’s time that we put people’s health ahead of financial gain.”

Under this legislation the price of a 30-day supply of insulin would be capped at $35 for all private individual and group insurance policies.

More than 10% of the U.S. population has diabetes according to the diabetes research institute. 1 in 12 Illinoisans have insulin-dependent diabetes, approximately 1.3 million people.  According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the cost of insulin has risen 600% in the last 20 years. Americans pay 10 times than that of citizens of 32 other nations. $98.70 on average compared to $8.81.

“Recently, drug manufacturers have announced they will cap the cost of insulin at $35, and I applaud this commitment,” said Murphy. “I want to ensure that this protection is enshrined in law, should pharmaceutical companies raise the prices once again.”

House Bill 2189 passed the Illinois Senate on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Mattie Hunter advanced a bill through the Senate granting the Illinois Department of Human Services the authority to collect data on the frequency of stolen SNAP benefits within the state. This comes in response to widespread reports of identity fraud leaving Illinois residents without needed funds to purchase groceries and other necessities.

"The passage of this legislation marks a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to safeguard the integrity of SNAP benefits," said Hunter (D-Chicago). "Collecting essential data on SNAP benefit fraud enables us to implement targeted solutions and protect vulnerable families in our state."

House Bill 2214 allows IDHS to track how often benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are stolen from their rightful recipients. SNAP participants receive monthly benefits for groceries deposited onto EBT cards, and in recent months, card skimming has increased significantly in many states. IDHS began collecting data on card skimming and other fraud methods in December 2022, making it unclear how much theft had previously occurred. Under this measure, IDHS will be required to report its findings to the General Assembly annually beginning on Jan. 1, 2024.

Last year, Congress passed legislation to replace SNAP benefits stolen between Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 30, 2024. House Bill 2214 will serve as a starting point for Illinois to gain a clearer understanding of the scope and frequency of SNAP benefit fraud in the state, allowing for more effective measures to be put in place to combat this issue.

"By shedding light on the scope and frequency of SNAP benefit fraud, we can pave the way for stronger anti-fraud measures in Illinois," Hunter said. "Our aim is to ensure that every dollar allocated for SNAP assistance reaches those who genuinely need it, and this bill is a crucial tool in achieving that goal."

House Bill 2214 passed the Senate on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD – As a strong advocate for teachers, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel spearheaded two measures through the Senate to continue her efforts to address the teacher shortage that would increase the number of days substitute teachers can be in a classroom and increase the annual pay cap for teachers who mentor or provide professional development.

“I want to express my support for teachers and acknowledge the difficulties faced by many school districts in finding teachers and substitutes,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “It’s important that we collaborate with school districts to provide them with the flexibility they need to adapt to different situations.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure Chicago residents are notified of lead service line replacements and have access to a clean water supply, State Senator Mike Simmons advanced a bill out of the Senate Thursday.

“Replacing lead pipes in our communities is about doing right by our Chicago residents,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “People need to know when improvements are being made that affect their water supply, especially anything involving the removal of lead pipes.”

House Bill 2776 requires that, in addition to a written notice, a community water supply operator must send a notice via email to property owners and occupants of buildings affected by lead service line replacements, and requires the City of Chicago to publicly post data on their website on the progress of replacing lead service lines.

SPRINGFIELD – Freelance workers may soon have legal protections requiring them to be paid in a timely manner and transparency measures that are designed to ensure fair labor practices, thanks to an initiative sponsored by State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas.

“Freelance workers deserve the same dignity other workers receive, including being offered the basic respect of timely compensation for their labor,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “This measure would ensure all workers are paid what they are owed quickly so they can support themselves and their loved ones.”

Freelance workers are people hired as independent contractors to provide products or services for a contracting entity, earning at least $500 for their labor. Because they have a different contract than salaried or hourly workers, the entities that hire them are not held to the same legal requirements as with other employees. This has led to many freelance workers being paid much later for their work than they had been promised, as well as being offered to take a pay cut to get any wages for their labor sooner.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to provide greater protections for military service members who are survivors of sexual misconduct, State Senator Mike Porfirio, a Navy veteran, and State Representative Stephanie Kifowit, a Marine Corps veteran, partnered to advance House Bill 3103 through the Senate.

“Survivors of sexual assault must receive all the protections they deserve,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “Service members sacrifice their lives to defend our country; the least we can do is ensure that they are protected as well.”

The proposal ensures that Illinois National Guard and reserve military service members who are survivors of non-consensual sexual conduct and have received a military protective order are also protected under the state’s civil no-contact and stalking no-contact orders.