SPRINGFIELD – Members of the Illinois Senate Women’s Caucus gathered today with Habitat for Humanity Sangamon County to build wheelchair ramps on-site at residents’ homes and for future use at Habitat’s Springfield location.

“I am proud of the hard work that members of the caucus put in to make sure that residents can safely access their homes,” said State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights), Chair of the Senate Women’s Caucus. “All of us are grateful to Habitat for their work and for organizing this event.”

MARYVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced the fourth $250 million installment of Rebuild Illinois grants is available for local road projects, and State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) is applauding more than $1.5 million in investments for Madison County infrastructure.

“With our state still recovering from the economic issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, this round of grants comes at a critical time for the Metro East,” Crowe said. “By investing in our transportation infrastructure, Illinois is expressing its commitment to local labor jobs as well as reliable transportation for our residents.”

Through the Rebuild Illinois program, investments totaling $1.5 billion are scheduled to be spread out over three years to advance municipal, township and county projects across the state. Projects include road and bridge improvements, traffic signal upgrades, new storm sewers and bike paths, sidewalk replacements, and other long-term maintenance needs.

“Rebuild Illinois is about more than just our state’s transportation infrastructure,” Crowe said. “By strengthening roads and bridges, Illinois is prioritizing safety for motorists, creating good-paying jobs and investing in long-term economic development.”

A complete list of local agencies and awards can be viewed here.

SPRINGFIELD – This week, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the fourth round of Rebuild Illinois funding for local governments is available, and State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is pleased that over $4 million is being provided to the Rockford area.

“This funding will help put people to work on local construction projects,” Stadelman said. “Getting this money in place for projects within our community is more important now than ever, as we continue to recover from the pandemic.”

A total of $1.5 billion spread out in six installments is being invested over three years to advance municipal, township and county projects across the state. Projects include road and bridge improvements, traffic signal upgrades, new storm sewers and bike paths, sidewalk replacements and other long-term maintenance needs, with financial oversight from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

A complete list of local agencies and awards can be viewed here.

“This funding is an Investment in the safety of everyone who uses our roads and highways on a daily basis,” Stadelman said. “It also shows our commitment to improving transportation infrastructure and focusing funds toward communities that need it.”

Stadelman is a long-time advocate for investing in Rockford-area infrastructure, including connecting the city to Chicago with a commuter rail line.

SPRINGFIELD – Individuals could more easily change the sex designation on their birth certificate and receive fee waivers for copies of corrected birth certificates under an initiative proposed by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which passed committee Wednesday.

“Unnecessary barriers to changing sex on a birth certificate can push marginalized communities further into the margins,” Senator Fine said. “An individual who identifies as female, male or gender nonconforming should be able to have their gender reflected on their birth certificate as easily as they do on their driver’s license.”

Aurora, Ill. – State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) was thrilled to learn of a significant expansion of cabinet manufacturer Magick Woods’ operations and distribution in Aurora this week, bringing a second location, three new assembly lines and 50 permanent jobs to the area.

“If you’ve been trying to buy new cabinets or vanities lately, you know delays are putting homeowners in a pinch. I’m excited Magick Woods has decided to make this major investment in our community to help serve the needs of large consumer retail stores across the country,” Holmes said.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to reduce drug waste and help families struggling to afford prescription drugs, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) advanced a measure out of committee Tuesday that would create a Prescription Drug Repository Program to redistribute unused prescription drugs to Illinoisans who need them. 

“There’s no reason unused prescription drugs should be thrown out or sit on a shelf past their expiration date when many Illinois families are struggling to afford critical prescription medications,” Villa said. “This legislation would help eligible families access redistributed prescriptions at no additional cost.” 

The Illinois Department of Public Health would oversee Villa’s Illinois Prescription Drug Repository Program (I-DROP), under which anyone could donate certain prescription drugs or necessary supplies to administer a prescription drug. These items would be redistributed to eligible individuals who have been prescribed the medication, but who can’t afford it. 

“As the cost of prescription drugs continues to skyrocket, it’s important that we protect Illinois families by working to lower the cost of prescription drugs and finding alternatives to purchasing medication at market value,” Villa said. “Illinoisans should not have to choose between putting food on the table and affording their prescriptions.”

There is no one special interest group behind I-DROP; its advocates are individual physicians, pharmacists and patients from every corner of Illinois. State Representative Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) sponsored the I-DROP Act in the House, and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and across the state have signed on to co-sponsor the measure.

House Bill 119 passed the Senate Health Committee and now goes to the full Senate.

SPRINGFIELD – To address disparities in maternal mortality and support new mothers, State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) passed a measure that would give them the extra help they need in the crucial postpartum months.

“Studies have shown how important postpartum care is for both the mother and the baby, and unfortunately many mothers don’t have the resources to follow up with their doctors after giving birth,” Castro said. “Black mothers are even more at risk for postpartum complications, so this measure is aiming to address those disparities and protecting every new mother.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health recently released the second edition of their Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report, which finds that more than four out of five pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. In Illinois, an average of 75 women die annually while pregnant or in the one year following giving birth.

Senate Bill 967 would provide support for pregnant and new mothers for pregnancy-related conditions, including mental health and substance use disorders by requiring private insurance plans to cover postpartum complications up to one year after delivery among other requirements. According to the IDPH report, these kinds of disorders are the leading cause of death in new mothers. Additionally, it would require Medicaid to cover multiple postpartum visits to encourage new mothers to attend.

“Over the past year, Illinois has shown itself to be a leader in protecting and supporting new mothers,” Castro said. “As we continue work to reduce racial disparities in health care, I am proud to say that this measure will put us one step closer to reducing preventable postpartum deaths in Illinois.”    

SB 967 passed the Senate unanimously and now moves to the House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Biomarker testing — the medical technology used to determine medical risk factors like cancer — would be required coverage under state-regulated insurance plans under a measure sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Tony (D-Chicago), which was approved by the Senate Insurance Committee Wednesday.

“Many communities of color and people with lower income are less likely to have insurance plans that offer biomarker testing,” Munoz said. “We need to ensure that these medical advancements are not just for the rich and privileged. Everyone should be able to benefit from this technology.”

A “biomarker” is a sign of disease or abnormal function that can be measured in blood, tissue or bodily fluid. In cancer care, biomarkers are often used to help determine the best treatment for a patient. Biomarker testing analyzes a patient’s tissue, blood or other biospecimen for the presence of a biomarker.

Insurance coverage for biomarker testing is currently limited and disparate, a fact Munoz said leads to inequities in care for cancer patients.

House Bill 1779 requires group and individual accident and health insurance policies and managed care plans to include coverage for biomarker testing for the purposes of diagnosis and treatment.

“This legislation is going to lead to better health outcomes, an improved quality of life, and lower costs for the patients who most need this kind of care,” Munoz said. “It’s key to reducing health disparities for all patients, especially for lower income people.”

House Bill 1779 passed the Senate Insurance Committee and now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.