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. 

SPRINGFIELD – To promote healthy body image, State Senator Karina Villa passed a law to facilitate practices for affordable access to laser hair removal treatment.

“Appearance plays a major role in how people see themselves,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “We must maintain the safety of laser hair removal while increasing accessibility."

The new law allows trained professionals, including registered nurses and licensed practical nurses, to perform non-ablative laser hair removal procedures as long as a physician delegated it and supervision protocol is in place.

The law also provides that an on-site physician exam is not required prior to these procedures under specific conditions and will allow an advanced practice registered nurse to conduct the exam in place of a physician.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Napoleon B. Harris, III fought for a new law to increase transparency of homeowner insurance policy coverage.

“Homeowners should have a clear understanding of what their homeowner insurance policy covers,” said Harris (D-Harvey). “This new law will help empower residents to make informed financial decisions about their homeowner insurance policies.”

House Bill 5357 will require an insurer to disclose whether a homeowner's insurance policy covers damage from a sewer backup or overflow from a sump pump when issuing or quoting a homeowner's policy. Further, the law will require insurance companies to offer the policyholder an opportunity to purchase this coverage if the policy does not already include it.

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to a new law State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced, landlords will now be required to be more flexible with payment options to protect renters from additional payment transaction fees.

“Some leases require 2-3% of rent to cover processing fees, which adds a lot to an already high rent,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “By requiring landlords to also accept cash or check, we help save Illinoisans from unnecessary transaction fees on their rental payments.”

Transactional fees on rent payments can vary depending on the total rent payment and the service a landlord uses. For example, if a tenant is paying $1,000 a month on rent and is required by the landlord to use a credit or debit card, the processing fee could be around 2-3%, making it an additional $20-30 per month.