SPRINGFIELD – When a woman requires a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of her uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes causes estrogen to drop and menopause to begin. Insurance companies may soon be required to cover hormone therapy treatments under a plan led by State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora).

“A lack of estrogen causes women to develop osteoporosis, weak bones, hot flashes and other symptoms,” Holmes said. “Hormone therapy replaces some or all of the estrogen the woman’s ovaries would be making. Adding estrogen back into a woman’s body lowers their risk of certain medical conditions.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure reducing the registration fee for older Illinoisans passed the Senate Thursday under legislation sponsored by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood).

“Rising prices are squeezing people’s budgets across the state, and putting an especially difficult financial strain on older residents,” Loughran Cappel said. “This legislation offers a reduction in cost for a vehicle fee for older adults living on a limited income.”

The measure would reduce the vehicle registration fee for vehicle owners and their spouses from $24 to $10 if they qualify or have been approved for benefits under the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disability Property Tax Relief Act.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect communities across Illinois from the deadly impact of lead, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) is leading a measure to strengthen lead mitigation procedures.

“Virtually every community across the state is affected by lead in our water supply,” said Simmons. “This bill provides a systemic response to a problem that is systemic in nature, is decades in the making, and often does the most injury to Black and Brown communities.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to create the Real Estate Valuation Task Force to combat discrimination in the housing industry passed the Senate Thursday.

“Discrimination in the housing industry goes back decades, and it has yet to be rectified today,” Hunter said. “Black and Brown people won’t have a fair chance at renting and owning a home until discrimination is addressed on a systemic level.”

The Real Estate Valuation Task Force is a response to an unresolved history of federal housing agencies, including the Federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation and the Federal Housing Administration, discriminating against Black and Brown people when underwriting real estate loans.

Springfield - The honor and integrity of the Illinois State Police will be honored after a resolution supported by State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) advanced. 

“This week marks the 100th anniversary of the Illinois State Police and we are thankful for the hard work, dedication and sacrifice of our state troopers,” Martwick said. “Our state troopers frequently place their lives in harm’s way in order to enforce our laws and protect our communities, and this resolution pays a small tribute to their public service.”  

­SPRINGFIELD – To make housing more accessible to low-income families, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) advanced legislation from the Senate Executive Committee to prevent property owners from discriminating against a prospective renter’s source of income.

“No one should be denied housing when they have the means to make the rent,” Villivalam said. “Too often, individuals on government assistance, single mothers receiving child support or seniors on fixed incomes are turned away solely based on where they receive their income each month.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure to help medical professionals get more tests into the hands of individuals who battle opioid addiction cleared an important hurdle thanks to State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago).

“This measure will help get more tests into the hands of more patients and it will save lives,” Peters said. “We still have a long way to go, but removing these penalties is a responsible way to address the opioid crisis and to create real public safety for all instead of continuing the misguided policies of the past.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois visitors and out-of-state students would be able to continue to receive their established therapeutic services via telehealth from an out-of-state certified social worker under a measure championed by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“I have seen firsthand how essential these services can be to those in need,” Villa said. “As a former school social worker, I know how important it is to nurture and maintain relationships between therapists and those they care for.”

Clinicians are required to be licensed in the state where their client is physically located at the time of care, not the state where they reside under current law. House Bill 4797 would allow non-residents and visitors to Illinois, such as university students, to continue to receive the care they need from their trusted and established therapists.

“I am proud to advance this legislation that will further establish Illinois as a national leader in mental health care access,” Villa said. “These vital resources should be available to everyone in our state, resident or otherwise.”

The legislation passed out of the Senate Wednesday and now awaits further action from the governor.