SPRINGFIELD – An initiative to reign in the soaring cost of insulin for diabetes patients moved forward today.

Senate Bill 667, sponsored by State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), would cap co-payments for insulin at $100 per month for all patients regardless of the supply they require. The cap would only apply to commercial insurance plans regulated by the state. The legislation was approved 15-3-1 by the Senate Insurance Committee.

“For over a million Illinois residents, insulin is an absolute necessity. Without it, they will die,” Manar said. “Pharmaceutical companies are leveraging that fact in order to maximize profits. It’s time we hold them accountable.”

The price of insulin has drastically increased in the United States in the past several years. According to a 2016 analysis, the price of the drug tripled between 2002 and 2013.

1.3 million Illinoisans are living with diabetes and rely on insulin to manage their blood sugar levels. Price increases have left many of them struggling to pay for the drug and at risk of deadly consequences.

CHICAGO – Increased diversity among financial services contractors that work with state pension funds was the subject of two days of Senate hearings this week.

State Senator Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) chaired the hearings, during which Deputy Gov. Dan Hynes and representatives of state, county and local municipal pension funds testified about the importance of accountability and the need for diversity of minorities and women from the top down.

“Some pension systems are doing much better than when we started these hearings, but it’s clear we still need to improve diversity across the board,” Martinez said. “We have a lot of great minority and women-owned firms here in Illinois that deserve an opportunity, and they’re just not getting it.”

The Pritzker administration released an economic development plan for Illinois this week. Staples of the plan include the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois construction program, record investments in education, increased research and development (R&D) grants for manufacturing and technology industries, and tax incentives to further workforce development.

The plan released by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity details how the administration plans to spur economic growth in an equitable fashion. Investments will be made to grow regional industries throughout the state and will prioritize removing employment barriers that systematically impact women and people of color.

“These strategic investments in workforce development will provide our state with the skilled employees and entrepreneurs to bring us economic stability,” Murphy said. “Middle class families across Illinois will be in an environment where they can thrive.”

RANTOUL – The Village of Rantoul will receive a $750,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to renovate and expand the Forum Fitness Center in Rantoul, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) announced Thursday.

“The Forum Fitness Center offers a variety of sports and workout options to residents in our community,” Bennett said. “This grant will help improve the facility and attract new members to the center.”

Improvements to the exterior of the building include installation of new windows and double doors. Building expansion will feature a 3,000-square-foot group fitness addition. Interior improvements include installation of new electrical services in the cardio room. Renovations include the installation of a new HVAC system for the gymnasium and the locker rooms.

SPRINGFIELD - Major investments in Old Route 66, Interstate 55, and Illinois Route 16 in Montgomery County will be included in the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) new five-year infrastructure plan, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) announced this week.

The Multi-Year Plan released by Governor JB Pritzker and a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday designates $49.8 million for resurfacing, new bridge decks and other improvements to I-55 within Montgomery County, including $22 million for pavement rehabilitation over the nine-mile stretch between IL-16 and IL-108.

The plan also includes $7 million for pavement rehabilitation to IL-16 over the 13-mile stretch from Frey Ave. in Schram City to Gibson St. in Nokomis.

Old Route 66 will receive $3.4 million worth of pavement rehabilitation to the 1.7-mile stretch south of the Sangamon County line, the three-mile stretch between IL-127 and IL-108, and from 3.5 miles north of Farmersville to just east of I-55.

“Safe and reliable transportation is imperative to our economic viability and way of life in Central Illinois, especially in rural communities where ambulances, school buses, and commuting workers spend more time on the road,” Manar said. “These much-needed improvements will foster economic growth, create good-paying jobs, and make daily transportation safer for Montgomery County families. I’m thankful that IDOT is making these improvements a top priority and look forward to working with them to see these projects through.”

CHAMPAIGN – To make insulin more affordable for citizens in Champaign and Vermilion counties, State Senator Scott Bennett moved to cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs at $100 for a 30-day supply.

As lawmakers prepare to return to Springfield next week for the fall veto session, insulin will be a major topic of interest. Bennett is a co-sponsor of legislation that would make Illinois the second state to cap insulin copayments.

“The price of insulin has tripled over the span of a decade and diabetics are resorting to desperate measures due to the price spike,” Bennett said. “You can’t just cut back on insulin. Patients deserve affordable access to this life-saving prescription drug, and they can’t wait.”

The American Diabetes Association reports there are more than 30 million Americans who have diabetes, with 1.25 million having Type 1 diabetes. The condition requires daily administration of insulin to survive.

CHICAGO – Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez announced four new road and bridge projects in the 20th District under the Illinois Department of Transportation’s five-year Highway Improvement Program, slated to begin in 2020.

“This is a smart, comprehensive plan to repair our roads and bridges, increasing reliability for drivers while also creating sustainable jobs for people in Illinois,” Martinez said.

The Highway Improvement Program released by Governor JB Pritzker and a bipartisan group of lawmakers on Monday includes:

• $14.5 million to rehabilitate Montrose Ave. Bridge on I-94 Kennedy Expressway
• $2.1 million for preservation repairs on Elston Ave. from I-94 Edens Expressway to Central Park Ave.
• $600,000 for preservation repairs on I-94 from Edens Expressway to Hubbard St.
• $420,000 to rehabilitate Avondale Ave. from Pulaski Rd. to Addison St.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) announced that the recently released Illinois Department of Transportation five-year Highway Improvement Program includes major improvements to several major highways and bridges across the South Suburbs.

“The Rebuild Illinois Project is beginning to bear fruit,” Hastings said. “With I-80, I-57 and I-355 serving as key arteries of this region's transportation hub, their upkeep is essential. Residents from Joliet to Matteson are going to see quality results, making their lives safer and easier over the next five years.”

Projects beginning in 2020 include widening I-80 from US Route 30 in New Lenox to Ridge Road in Minooka, improvements to Illinois Route 6 at Gouger Road in New Lenox, additional lighting for expressways from Matteson to Richton Park and repaving I-80 from Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park to US Route 30 in New Lenox.