SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Napoleon Harris, III (D-Harvey) passed legislation out of the General Assembly that would require all Illinois-regulated health insurance companies to offer predictable plans for drug benefits.

“Many families have a monthly budget, and knowing how much their drug copayment will be every month would give them the ability to better manage their finances,” Harris said. “Flat-dollar copay plans should be an option for everyone and should be available immediately.”

Currently, most health insurance plans have a structure for prescription drug copayments based on graduated tiers. For the highest levels of drugs, often called specialty care drugs, these plans usually use coinsurance – requiring patients to pay a percentage of the drug’s cost – rather than a copay.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would allow students to use 529 college savings accounts for other education-related purposes without additional taxation passed the General Assembly on Thursday.

“This legislation would allow college savings plans to be used in more ways to reflect the realities of modern-day higher education,” Ellman said. “Students need and should be able to use their savings plans to pay for loans or job-training programs.”

The legislation would allow up to $10,000 to be used for additional education-related purposes without being taxed, making Illinois law consistent with federal law.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans who are unable to afford their medications would be able to take advantage of the state’s first prescription drug repository program under legislation sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Many Illinois families are forced to make difficult choices due to the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs — choices that often result in skipping much-needed medication,” Villa said. “I-DROP will help families struggling to afford prescription medicine.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) that would make civil no contact orders permanent for sexual assault survivors whose assailants are criminally convicted of sexual assault passed the Illinois General Assembly on Monday.

“People who’ve been through a sexual assault will live with that trauma for the rest of their lives,” Stadelman said. “I believe it’s our responsibly to help ease their burdens and not make them relive that trauma by forcing them to return to court year after year.”

Currently, under Illinois state law, sexual assault survivors are forced to see their assailants in court every two years to renew their no contact orders.

 

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) that passed the General Assembly on Thursday would require public schools that offer sex education curricula to include a lesson about the risks of sexting. 

“Technology has evolved a significant amount in the last decade,” Stadelman said. “This legislation would update Illinois’ sex education curriculum to include a lesson on sexting, so students can learn about the real-life consequences of the virtual act.”

The legislation would require schools that offer a sex education course or unit to revise their current curricula to include an age-appropriate lesson on sexting and its potential consequences.

Read more: Stadelman legislation teaches students the consequences of sexting