Mason Receives Community Legislative Hero Award

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, will be awarded Live4Lali’s Community Hero Award for her successful legislative work on preventing and ending drug overdoses.

“I’m honored to accept this Legislative Hero Award from Live4Lali,” Mason said. “We are in an overdose pandemic. Many lives are being lost due to the dangers of drugs, and families are being torn apart. We must continue to advocate for youth prevention and treat people with kindness who are going through difficult times.”

Mason worked to pass Louie’s Law, requiring that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Department of Human Services (DHS) work collectively with stakeholders to develop a substance use prevention and recovery guide for schools and regional education offices. The Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Instruction Resource Guide is integral to universalizing substance use prevention and recovery instruction in education settings.

Mason’s bill received bipartisan support and is now law.

“This guide is paramount to preventing drug overdoses,” Mason said. “Not only is this resource guide lifesaving, it gives educators and students a reality-based, safety-focused approach to reducing substance-use risk factors in our youths’ lives. Louie’s Law is extremely important for the future of drug education.”

Mason will be awarded the Legislative Hero Award on Thursday, Oct. 26th, at Live4Lali’s Masquerade Ball Fundraiser.