SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Omar Aquino led a measure through the Senate that calls on Illinois’ labor oversight boards to work together to streamline the resolution process at worksites involved in unfair labor complaint proceedings.

“Workers should not have to wait in limbo to find out the future of their livelihood,” said Aquino (D-Chicago). “Streamlining this process will give employees the answers they deserve so they don’t have to wait months for a resolution.”

The Illinois Labor Relations Act lays out the rights public sector employees are entitled to in Illinois, including the right to form, join or assist a labor organization without fear of penalty, discrimination or retaliation. When a public employer or labor organization interferes with the exercise of rights provided under the ILRA, the employee, union or employer can file unfair labor practice charges with the labor board overseeing their sector. In recent years, labor unions representing public sector workers have seen wait times as long as 400 days on their unfair labor practice claims.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine championed a measure to mitigate the ongoing opioid crisis by expanding access to lifesaving resources at state agencies.

“Ensuring employees have necessary health care protections is important to prevent unanticipated risks and workplace liabilities,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “By making resources like opioid antagonists available to trained workers, we are not only supporting opioid mitigation efforts, we are also saving lives.”

House Bill 5028 would make opioid antagonists available at state agencies upon successfully training the agency’s employees on how to properly administer the medication. The measure also protects employees from civil liability should they administer the overdose reversal medication in compliance with the required training.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois workers could soon be protected by stronger workplace anti-retaliation measures, thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro.

“Workers across our state deserve safety and protection on the job,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “When an employee raises the alarm about something like a workplace hazard, we need to make sure laws are in place to safeguard them from retaliation. No one should be punished for speaking up to make working conditions safer for everyone.”

Castro is leading a measure to strengthen the current law prohibiting employers from retaliating against employees who blow the whistle on unlawful practices, including public health or safety threats, in the workplace. The legislation enhances whistleblower protections by expanding definitions and protected activity, granting broader remedies to affected employees, and giving the Illinois Attorney General the ability to act on behalf of workers whose employers have retaliated against them for disclosing a dangerous or unlawful practice.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva advanced a measure to allow driver’s license holders more notice for court appearances prior to suspension.

“By eliminating license suspensions for a failure to appear in court, we are able to more effectively use law enforcement resources,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “A lot of the time, these initial court notices are not reaching people at their correct addresses. It is simply unfair to revoke driving privileges when people are not even getting proper notice.”

Under House Bill 277, if a person fails to appear in court, the court may text, call or email the person's last known contact information with notice regarding the continued court dates. The notice will include a statement that a future failure to appear could result in a warrant or consequences affecting their driving privileges. The current penalty for failure to appear in court is immediate license suspension by the Secretary of State.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Javier Cervantes is making it easier to cancel unwanted gym memberships thanks to legislation that he passed through the Senate to streamline how people can cancel a contract.

“Giving consumers simple and efficient methods to cancel their subscription or contract helps ensure they don’t fall victim to confusing subscription services that automatically renew payments for services they no longer use,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This legislation will simply update business practices to fit with modern times.”

Under the new legislation, businesses offering physical fitness services, like gym memberships, would have to allow customers to cancel their contract either online or by email, instead of only by mail or in-person.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure through the Senate to ensure reproductive health care records are not being improperly disclosed.

“As the war on reproductive rights continues throughout the nation, we must ensure that those who are seeking reproductive health care are protected in every way possible,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “As a safe haven state, we have a responsibility to protect individuals’ rights to care and ensure their health care records remain private.”

Last year Villanueva led House Bill 4664 – a law to shield out-of-state patients and in-state providers from legal action originating from other states regarding abortions performed here.  To expand upon that measure and provide further protections, Villanueva led House Bill 5239 this year.

SPRINGFIELD — While physical therapy has traditionally required in-person care and coordination, the rise in availability of telehealth services in recent years offers potential for the field to deliver efficient, low-cost care remotely. Recognizing this potential, State Senator Cristina Castro is leading a measure to give physical therapists in Illinois the option to provide services via telehealth.

“While some people will benefit from fully in-person physical therapy, it may be more convenient for others to utilize telehealth or a mix of in-person and virtual visits,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This measure is all about flexibility because it allows patients to work with their providers to determine the best course of treatment that works for them.”

SPRINGFIELD — Legislation prohibiting employer discrimination based on family obligations has passed the Senate and is one step closer to becoming law, thanks to efforts from State Senator Natalie Toro.

“Why should employees be punished for their family responsibilities if they have demonstrated that they do not impact their work performance?” said Toro (D-Chicago). “Working parents and family caregivers deserve to be treated the same as their colleagues without family responsibilities, especially when employers are making hiring decisions. I am glad this measure will protect employees from unfair treatment and empower people with family responsibilities to achieve success in their careers.”