SPRINGFIELD — A measure championed by State Senator Robert Peters aims to shed light on the use of restrictive housing, requiring the Illinois Department of Corrections to collect and publicly share data on how often and why people are placed in solitary confinement.

“Transparency is the foundation of accountability,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “By becoming more informed on how restrictive housing is used, we can ensure the system treats individuals fairly and humanely while holding our institutions to the highest standard of oversight.”

“Restrictive housing” is another phrase for solitary confinement – a form of housing that separates an individual in custody from the general population. The bill responds to growing concerns about the lack of publicly available data on solitary confinement practices in state facilities. Recent surveys conducted by the John Howard Association found that 42% of incarcerated individuals reported spending excess time in their cells, often not meeting the daily required minimum of two hours outside their sleeping area.

SPRINGFIELD - To enhance protections for those seeking to change their name, State Senator Ram Villivalam advanced a measure out of the Senate to eliminate the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper.

“When someone is seeking a name change, whether it is to protect themselves from domestic violence or to affirm one’s identity, everyone deserves the right to do so without the burden of the cumbersome and expensive publication process,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Additionally, by requiring residents to publish their name change, it relinquishes the privacy of such individuals and can be harmful to their safety or well-being.”

House Bill 5164 removes the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper, lowers the Illinois residency requirement to change a name from six months to three months, and establishes a procedure for someone to impound their court file to further protect the confidentiality of personal identifiable information.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva passed a measure strengthening warehouse worker protections by ensuring employers are disclosing the quotas are required to meet.

“Every warehouse worker deserves a safe workplace where meeting quotas doesn’t come at the cost of their health,” said Senator Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Stronger protections ensure that productivity never outweighs people.”

SPRINGFIELD – To safeguard and protect Illinois seniors from neglect and abuse, State Senator Lakesia Collins’ bill looks to prohibit retaliatory action against nursing home residents and hold bad nursing homes accountable.

“When you are in assisted living, you rely on caregivers and staff to help you every day, and this bill looks to protect residents in care from neglectful and abusive practices,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “Seniors deserve our upmost respect, and with this bill, we can expand and protect the rights they have and the avenues they can seek justice.”

Under the legislation, House Bill 2474, nursing homes would be prohibited from retaliating against a resident who is exercising their rights. If a resident faces retaliation, they would be able to file a civil suit against the nursing home and potentially recover damages if proven true.

SPRINGFIELD — During the early January legislative session, State Senator Cristina Castro continued her work standing up on behalf of workers and passing a measure to prohibit retaliation against employees who exercise their rights in the workplace.

“No one deserves to have their livelihood taken away because they attempted to exercise their rights in the workplace,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “These changes will enhance enforcement of our labor laws, safeguarding workers’ rights to break and rest periods in a reasonable working environment.”

New laws take effect in 2025

SPRINGFIELD — With the new year approaching, a number of new state laws will take effect. Nearly 300 laws will officially be on the books beginning Jan. 1 — from one that fights catalytic converter theft to another that makes it easier to cancel online subscriptions.

In the new year, victims of car theft won’t be on the hook for towing and storage fees, families can expect lower out-of-pocket EpiPen costs and more. The Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus outlined the top 10 laws affecting Illinoisans in the upcoming year. These include:

• HB 2443: Insurers must now cover medically prescribed hearing aids and services for individuals of all ages, ensuring access to essential care.
• HB 3639: Life-saving epinephrine injectors are now capped at $60 per twin-pack, making allergy care more affordable.
• HB 4589: Recyclable metals dealers must track vehicle and part information for catalytic converters to prevent illegal sales.
• HB 4911: Gym memberships can now be canceled online or via email if those options were used to join the contract.
• HB 5561: Employees are protected from retaliation for exposing workplace practices they believe violate the law.
• SB 2654: Vehicles that are stolen and later towed will not incur storage fees if recovered within seven days, and owners can retrieve essential items, like medical devices and textbooks.
• SB 2764: Businesses offering free trials longer than 15 days must email consumers three days before the cancellation deadline.
• SB 3201: Law enforcement will now be trained to better recognize and respond to individuals with autism.
• SB 3471: Illinois drivers can now request free replacement plates if their license plates are stolen.
• SB 3479: Businesses offering veteran or military benefit services for a fee must disclose all terms upfront.

A full list of laws that take effect Jan. 1, 2025 can be found here.

Copyright 2024 - Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus - All Rights Reserved

CHICAGO - State Senators Mattie Hunter and Cristina Castro celebrated the announcement of the availability of new perinatal doula and lactation consultant services pregnant and postpartum individuals who are enrolled in the Illinois Medicaid program.

“Doulas and lactation consultants provide vital support that helps improve the overall health of mothers and their babies,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “By expanding coverage of these services, we are making essential care more attainable for families.”

This coverage will further expand maternal and child health coverage, by ensuring all individuals are supported throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience.

CHICAGO – To address the housing crisis that the 7^th District and entire state of Illinois faces, State Senator Mike Simmons led a Senate Human Rights Committee subject matter hearing on Tuesday entitled ”Housing as a Human Right.”

“The hearing is in direct response to what my office witnesses on a daily basis, which is people in a housing crisis,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Common threats to stable, accessible, affordable housing include double-digit rent increases, the threat of eviction, building neglect and disrepair, homelessness, and domestic violence. No matter what part of Illinois you live in, there is a lack of sufficient accessible, quality housing, and the purpose of this hearing is to amplify this issue and affect real change.”