SPRINGFIELD – A career-long advocate for the fight against the ongoing opioid epidemic, State Senator Melinda Bush fought during the spring legislative session to make opioid overdose reversal drugs more accessible and provide people with more education surrounding the consequences of opioids.

“We all know someone who has a friend or family member that struggles with addiction — and the thought of that person losing their battle with opioids when lifesaving medication is available is devastating,” said Bush (D-Grayslake). “We must put an end to the red tape and hurdles people have to go through to receive naloxone so we can tackle the crisis head on.” 

Chicago- Piers and public access points to Lake Michigan will soon be safer thanks to a measure advanced by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) that will help install essential rescue equipment was signed into law.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when they head to the beach this summer,” Peters said. “I am glad that we are taking this long overdue step to protect our families who visit beaches on Lake Michigan.”

SPRINGFIELD –An initiative led by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) and State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), will protect pollinators like bees and butterflies by setting guidelines on the spraying of certain pesticides.

“Pollinators are essential to the health of our environment and our agriculture,” Fine said. “This law guarantees that they are not unnecessarily killed by pesticides targeting mosquitos, allowing them to continue to play their vital role in our ecosystem.”

SPRINGFIELD – The governor signed a plan into law with support from State Senator Adriane Johnson to invest in child care services for workers with non-traditional schedules, such as law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS personnel and more.

“First responders and other third shift emergency workers have difficulty finding reliable child care,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “By creating the Off-hours Child Care Program Fund, Illinois is working to increase accessibility for parents in public service who work non-traditional hours.”

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – A measure to assist social workers with paying off their degrees, introduced by State Senator Ann Gillespie, was signed into law on Friday.

“Incentivizing students of social work to start their careers in Illinois will help our local governments recruit the qualified professionals they need, while mitigating the student debt crisis,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights).

Senate Bill 3761 expands the School Social Work Shortage Loan Repayment Program to include social workers employed by an Illinois municipality. Currently, the program offers up to $6,500 in student loan assistance to borrowers who have been employed at a school for at least one year.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel championed a new law requiring public water supply operators to notify all health care facilities served by the public water supply of a water disruption event.

“The loss of clean water can create a dangerous environment for patients at hospitals and other health care facilities,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Since Legionnaire’s disease can thrive in water pipes, it’s vital that we take preventative measures so the illness isn’t contracted and spread in the case of a water disruption event.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton supported a new law recently signed on Friday to expand women’s access to healthy pregnancies and fetal development.

“Good nutrition is key for expecting mothers, and not all women have access to reliable sources of vitamins and minerals,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “By expanding insurance coverage to include prenatal vitamins, we will improve access to supplements that lead to safer pregnancy experiences and healthy births.”

The new law requires insurance policies that already cover prescription drugs to also cover prenatal vitamins. Prenatal vitamins, when prescribed by a licensed physician, can have many health benefits to both mother and child that range from supplying more oxygen to the baby to preventing bone loss in the mother.

“Prenatal supplements can be vital to the safety and wellness of mothers and their children,” Glowiak Hilton said. “With this law, Illinois is offering protections to pregnant women and reducing barriers to quality care.”

The law takes effect Jan. 1, 2023.

­CHICAGO – To make essential health services accessible to immigrant and refugee communities, State Senator Ram Villivalam supported a measure to expand Medicaid-like benefits to non-citizens down to age 42 that was signed into law on Friday.

“As we were reminded over the course of the pandemic, our collective public health requires that all our neighbors be covered, regardless of immigrant status,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Expanding health care coverage to as many people as possible will keep all our communities safe and healthy as we continue to recover.”