SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) led a measure through the Senate to expand the Alternative Health Care Delivery Demonstration Program to include birthing centers in more areas of the state with disparate health outcomes for Black mothers.

“On average, 75 women die every year while pregnant or within a year of pregnancy -- a tragic statistic,” Van Pelt said. “It is even more tragic to know that four out of five pregnancy-related deaths could have been prevented. We must do everything we can to combat maternal mortality, which includes increasing access to birthing centers.”

House Bill 738 expands the number of licenses available for birthing centers under the Alternative Health Care Delivery Demonstration Program from 10 to 17.

Currently, the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act provides for 10 birthing center licenses: four birthing center licenses in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry or Will Counties; three in municipalities with a population of 50,000 or more not located in the collar counties; and three in rural areas.

This measure would expand available licenses in specified locations, including the Westside of Chicago, the Southside of Chicago and East St. Louis.

Only four hospitals on Chicago’s south side provide maternity services: Mercy Hospital, University of Chicago, Roseland Hospital and Trinity Hospital. Mercy Hospital, which is in transition to another owner after filing for bankruptcy, delivered 900 babies last year.

Black women in Chicago have the highest rates of severe maternal morbidity, dying at three times the rate of white women from pregnancy-related causes.

“The birthing centers in place now serve hundreds of mothers, and more centers are needed to ease the burden and serve other demographics across the state,” Van Pelt said. “When you are carrying a child, or have given birth to a child, your body is in the most vulnerable state of your life. It is necessary for us to ensure every woman has proper care to avoid a preventable death.”

House Bill 738 has passed both chambers. 

SPRINGFIELD – Federal policy on illegal smuggling and trafficking of exotic animals’ body parts has been strengthened, and Illinois needs to step up as well, according to Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora). Illinois prohibited the trade of ivory and rhino horn in 2018, but other animal species continue to face the threat of extinction due to demand. Holmes’ legislation that would lengthen the list of species banned in Illinois passed in the Senate Thursday.

“Species are doomed to extinction if we don’t stop illegal smuggling and trafficking of their body parts,” Holmes said. “Federal policy has been strengthened, and Illinois needs to match that here.”

SPRINGFIELD – Civil no-contact order eligibility would be expanded to include family and household members of survivors of sexual assault under legislation sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Family members of sexual assault survivors can have shared trauma and feel the need to seek a no-contact order,” Villa said. “People who are closest with a survivor should not have to live in fear of contact with their loved one’s abuser.” 

Under current law, a petition for a civil no-contact order can be filed by a survivor of non-consensual sexual conduct or by another person on behalf of a survivor who cannot file the petition. Villa’s measure would expand eligibility to offer protections for family or household members of survivors of sexual harassment and assault.

SPRINGFIELD – Feminine hygiene products could be purchased with federal and state food assistance program benefits under legislation sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Having access to feminine hygiene products should be a right, not a privilege,” Villa said. “Federal and state benefits need to cover these essential health care items for those who can’t afford them.”

Villa’s measure would require the Department of Human Services to apply for a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service permitting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefit recipients to use their benefits to purchase diapers and menstrual hygiene products.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that seeks to remove barriers to getting hired by the state of Illinois for minorities and marginalized people passed the Senate on Thursday.

“Women, people with disabilities, African American and Latino individuals, and all minorities have the right to the same opportunities that other people have in the workforce,” Belt said. “This legislation identifies the issues minorities face when applying to work for the state, and breaks down the barriers to fair hiring.”

The measure would require the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to identify policies that make it harder for minorities and marginalized people to get hired by the state of Illinois and to seek legislation to address systemic racism in the state’s hiring practices. Each state agency would also increase diversity on interview panels in order to better employment opportunities for women and minorities. In addition, the legislation encourages CMS and other state agencies to review current personnel policies to remove any and all language that is discriminatory from their books.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) to permanently establish the Call4Calm text line to support Illinois residents' mental health needs was approved by the Senate, falling in line with Mental Health Awareness Month.

“Call4Calm was a great initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can still benefit those who struggle with their mental health even after this pandemic is over,” Van Pelt said. “Mental health outcomes are more concerning than ever before due to the public health crisis, and this text line is an essential outlet.”

House Bill 1805 requires the Department of Human Services to permanently establish the Call4Calm text line, which would be free of charge and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call4Calm was launched as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, serving as a remote patient monitoring program and support line available to anyone in the state.

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.