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.

SPRINGFIELD - To help patients better manage their prescription costs, State Senator Napoleon Harris, III (D-Harvey) passed legislation out of the Senate Insurance Committee that would require all Illinois-regulated health insurance companies to offer flat-dollar co-pay plans for drug benefits. 

"Working families could better plan for their health care costs if they paid fixed out-of-pocket amounts for their prescribed medicine," Harris said. "I want to make sure plans are available that offer that option."

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Simmons’ (D-Chicago) legislation to end the practice of discriminating against students’ hairstyles in schools passed the Illinois Senate Wednesday afternoon.

“We took a major step forward today in passing this bill out of the Senate and sent a message to our young people that we see them and respect them for who they are. Black youth in particular have endured decades of systemic discrimination targeting their hairstyles in schools, and it’s time to turn the page on that history. I thank my colleagues for supporting the bill,” Simmons said. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), Chair of the Senate Black Caucus, released the following statement in support of the “Speak Out for Gregory” movement:

“A mental health crisis is not a crime and should not be treated as such,” Peters said. “Gregory was having a mental health crisis and was suicidal, and the situation was made worse and almost cost him his life. We need to invest in alternative responses so that this never happens again, because our responsibility is to provide treatment, not trauma.”