SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a measure through the Senate that would protect vulnerable individuals from deceitful tactics in legal proceedings.

“There needs to be a serious conversation on police tactics needing an overhaul across the country,” said Ventura (D-Joliet).  “We need to build trust with our police and move toward safe and practical measures that don’t prey on vulnerable members of society and penalize them for not understanding interrogation tactics.”

Currently, a confession by a minor that was made as a result of a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention is presumed to be inadmissible in a criminal proceeding or a juvenile court proceeding as evidence against the minor if, during the custodial interrogation, a law enforcement officer or juvenile officer knowingly engages in deception.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Mattie Hunter advanced a measure through the Senate to reinforce that services provided by the Department of Children and Family Services are intended to be temporary until the involved child can be safely returned home or find a permanent home.

“We have a responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of all children in our state, and that includes providing youth in care with stable and permanent homes,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “This measure strengthens DCFS’ ability to provide appropriate placements for children and youth in their care, and helps to ensure they have the support and resources they need to thrive."

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Patrick Joyce that would bring more fire prevention education to children across the state passed the Senate Thursday.

“Many accidental fires can be prevented, which is why it’s important our youth have knowledge about fire prevention,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “With proper education from experts, we can provide children the tools they need to make responsible decisions.”

Joyce’s legislation would create positions of certified youth firesetter interventionists in the Division of Arson Investigation within the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

SPRINGFIELD — Rideshare companies would be subject to the same care standards as all other transportation companies under new legislation introduced by State Senator Robert Martwick.

“It’s time we hold rideshare companies to the same standards as any other method of transportation,” said Martwick (D-Chicago). “As passengers of a bus, or a plane, or even an amusement park ride, you expect to get to your destination safely, that is why I am championing this change.”

The common carrier doctrine holds transportation companies to the highest standard of care to their passengers. This includes being able to hold the company liable if their employee causes the passenger harm, through intentional means such as assault, or if a driver is intoxicated and causes an accident.

Currently, transportation network companies, like Uber and Lyft, are exempt from the common carrier doctrine. This leaves victims with few means to hold the companies liable for harm caused by their drivers. Between the two largest companies, Uber and Lyft, between 2017 and 2020 there were almost 14,000 reports of sexual assault, with 824 reportedly being rapes. Martwick’s measure would subject such companies to the common carrier doctrine, holding them accountable for the safety of their passengers.

“Negligence is negligence, and it’s a victim’s right to hold companies liable,” Martwick said. “It’s only right to subject rideshares to the same standard as all other forms of transportation.”

House Bill 2231 passed the Senate on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Robert Peters joined a press conference Wednesday alongside State Representative Edgar Gonzalez, Jr., Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea and fellow Senate colleagues to support the passage of the Temp Worker Fairness & Safety Act.

“Illinois remains one of the leaders in the nation in temporary staffing employment,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “As a leader, we must establish measures that protect such an important demographic that stretches across major economic sectors.”

According to the AFL-CIO, temporary workers are paid almost 40% less than direct hires performing similar work. Additionally, 84% of temporary workers in Illinois experience wage theft.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to protect police officers who are retired and disabled from being forced to perform duties they are unable to complete.

“Our retired police officers put their lives on the line each day to protect our communities – we must protect them in return,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It’s vital that retired police who are disabled and unable to perform certain duties are not called upon to do so.”

House Bill 2390 would prevent local police departments from recalling retirees that are over 60 years old and are retired with a disability. Currently, if there is an emergency, local municipalities can recall retired police officers. This typically consists of making phone calls or closing a road during a flood.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel championed a measure through the Senate that would provide insurance coverage for vaginal estrogen when medically necessary.

“I have always been a strong advocate for women,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Providing coverage for vaginal estrogen will help many of the side effects women going through menopause have and allow them to continue living their best life.”

House Bill 1565 would require individual policy accident and health insurers to cover vaginal estrogen when it is medically necessary. The measure would prohibit insurers from imposing a higher deductible, co-payment, or any other cost sharing requirement on vaginal estrogen than it would for a treatment for erectile dysfunction.

SPRINGFIELD — With Illinois facing more days of dangerous heat each year, residents behind on paying their bills risk having their utilities shut off at a time when air conditioning and fans are essential. To protect families from losing access to these lifesaving cooling methods, State Senator Mattie Hunter led a measure that will prevent the shutoff of gas or electricity on days with excessive heat.

“Utility interruptions during extreme heat are dangerous, especially for seniors, individuals with health conditions and young children,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “Without access to air conditioning or cooling measures, our neighbors are at an increased risk of dehydration, heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses.”