Canty Ends Legislative Session with Fiscally Responsible Budget, Progress on Affordable Prescription Drugs, Criminal Justice Reform

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — State Rep. Mary Beth Canty, D-Arlington Heights, ended the 2025 spring legislative session by helping to craft a fiscally responsible budget that makes life more affordable for working families, passing a landmark measure to lower the cost of prescription drugs and advancing essential new criminal justice measures.

“Families in our community deserve a fiscally responsible budget that helps lower costs on everyday essentials without spending beyond our means,” Canty said. “Focused cuts to administrative bureaucracy will help us further invest in schools and healthcare, while better enabling us to create a vital funding reserve to combat Trump chaos down the road. At the same time, we are still progressing toward the best school system in the country for our kids and raising wages for in-home caregivers.”

Canty has fought hard for more affordable prescription drugs during her time as a lawmaker. She continued that effort while putting her support behind the passage of House Bill 1697, which cuts out unnecessary middlemen that pad prices for big insurance and pharmaceutical companies at the expense of patients. 

“Right now, our prescription drug system is plagued by middlemen who do nothing but jack up the cost of essential medications in the name of raising revenue for big insurance corporations,” Canty said. “Bypassing those unnecessary roadblocks will let us ease the expense of lifesaving prescriptions and make life more affordable for patients who need it the most.”

Canty has also pushed for greater equity in criminal justice, and this session saw major progress in that area. Canty supported the Clean Slate Act to transition an existing petition process for court record sealing procedures into an automatic one to remove barriers to success for formerly incarcerated people. She also backed Senate Bill 1953, which made major law enforcement hiring fixes to ensure more clarity in the process and help keep unfit people out of uniform.

“Illinoisans deserve a criminal justice system that keeps them safe while remaining fair and equitable,” Canty said. “Reforms we advanced this year will create transparency and prevent unfit candidates from ever getting a badge. With the Clean Slate Act, we are also working to take steps forward to assist formerly incarcerated people who have served their time get on with building a new life and contributing to their communities.”