SPRINGFIELD – Funeral homes will be held accountable under a new law spearheaded by State Senator Doris Turner that came in response to a Carlinville funeral home insufficiently handling human remains, giving over 60 families the wrong remains.

“After months of discussions regarding the death care industry, it was clear the status quo wasn’t working,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Families who lost loved ones experienced what no one ever thought was possible – receiving the wrong remains. It’s past time that we hold bad actors accountable.”

Senate Bill 2643 adds identification rules and regulations for the handling and storing of human bodies. Additionally, it requires funeral establishments and crematory authorities to maintain a chain of custody records that are uniquely identified to the deceased, ensuring the death care industry is able to identify the human remains in its possession through final disposition.

SPRINGFIELD – Homeowners throughout Illinois can look forward to getting unused household paint out of their garage or basement to designated collection centers for safe disposal soon. Legislation led by State Senator Linda Holmes sets out a process for regulators to propose and adopt specific regulations for the state’s upcoming paint recycling program, expected to begin operations in 2025.

The Paint Stewardship Act became law early this year, founding a program for Illinois to manage collecting, transporting and disposing unused household paint. Senate Bill 839 is the next stage for the program: setting rules and roles for state and federal regulators to allow Illinois consumers to begin dropping off paint at established collection points. PaintCare Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, represents paint manufacturers and works with states and jurisdictions that pass paint stewardship laws.

“This law moves us closer to a day next year when homeowners can begin dropping off their old paint at PaintCare’s collection sites,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Over time, at least 90% of Illinois residents will have a collection site, service or event within a 15-mile radius of their home free of charge. Getting these cans of unused paint out of our basements and garages will protect our state’s soil and water to continue growing crops to feed the state and nation.”

SPRINGFIELD- To increase access to higher education opportunities for students, including many of our immigrant residents, State Senator Ram Villivalam championed a law that expands eligibility for in-state tuition at Illinois colleges and universities.

“By expanding the eligibility pathways for in-state tuition, we are continuing to break down barriers to higher education,” said Villivalam. “This law will help ensure these opportunities continue to be accessible to members of our community.”

Under the new law, an individual can obtain in-state tuition if they are an Illinois resident, graduate from a high school in Illinois or attend a high school in Illinois for at least two years prior to enrollment.

SPRINGFIELD – Members of the National Guard and Reserve who are college or university students will soon be able to make up coursework they missed due to military obligations, thanks to a new law State Senator Mike Porfirio spearheaded through the General Assembly.

“This new law ensures our National Guard and Reserve members can fulfill their military duties without jeopardizing their academic progress,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This is a vital step in supporting their dual commitment to both education and service.”

According to Student Veterans of America, around 16% of military students are members of the Reserve or National Guard. The new law ensures fair treatment for these students by requiring public colleges and universities in Illinois to enact policies allowing students to complete missed classwork and assignments if the reason for the student’s absence was to fulfill military obligations. 

SPRINGFIELD – When an unfair labor practice charge is filed, workers rely on Illinois’ labor oversight boards to take timely action to protect their rights and help resolve issues related to unfair or unlawful practices.

To ensure workers do not wait in limbo to find out the future of their livelihood, State Senator Omar Aquino led a measure to streamline the resolution process at worksites involved in these proceedings.

“The fight for workers’ rights has been a long, ongoing battle. It’s the reason we have paid time off, a work week and weekend, parental leave and safety in the workplace,” said Aquino (D-Chicago). “Most employers engage with labor unions lawfully, but when bad actors find new ways to twist the law and get around these hard-fought protections, we need to take action to cement these rights with a strong foundation that can continue to be built upon.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham led a law adding new training requirements to identify potential skin cancer for chiropractors, nail technicians, cosmetologists and massage therapists.

“We wanted every ‘hands-on’ profession to receive this training so skin cancer can be more easily identified early on,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “We know that if skin cancer is detected early, it can be dealt with before serious issues arise.”

The legislation came about because of a nail technician who was able to identify carcinoma near their client’s fingernail. The nail tech had seen this in the past with a previous client, and the previous client reported back to the tech that it was indeed a cancerous growth. When the tech notified the new client about an abnormal skin growth, the client went to get it checked out, confirming the growth was cancerous and proceeding with medical treatment from their doctor.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect state employees from unexpected opioid overdoses in the workplace, a new law championed by State Senator Laura Fine aims to provide protection through the availability of lifesaving resources.

“The opioid crisis can impact any community, and we need to ensure no one is left without necessary resources to save a life,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This law supports our state’s workforce by expanding access to opioid antagonists to trained workers.”

This law allows opioid antagonists to be made available at state agencies once employees are trained on how to properly administer the medication. The law also protects employees from civil liability should they administer the overdose reversal medication.

SPRINGFIELD – To safeguard students statewide and ensure they are treated with respect in schools, State Senator Adriane Johnson spearheaded a law tackling corporal punishment in private and non-public schools.

“Every child deserves a safe and nurturing learning environment,” said Johnson (D- Buffalo Grove). “Extending the ban on corporal punishment to all schools ensures no student in Illinois is subjected to physical punishment – which has been shown to have damaging effects on their well-being and development.”

The new law extends prohibitions on corporal and physical punishment in all schools in Illinois, rather than just public schools, except the use of certain restraints in specific circumstances to prevent a student from imminently harming themselves or others. Johnson’s law makes Illinois the fifth state in the nation to extend the ban on corporal punishment to non-public schools.