Governor Signs Yingling-Backed Budget to Increase Public Health Spending, COVID-19 Resources

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – With the COVID-19 pandemic creating an increased focus on the importance of public health, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, supported a budget that funds additional healthcare-related spending to keep communities safe.

“To overcome this virus it is essential that our healthcare professionals and infrastructure have the resources they need to protect our community,” said Yingling. “We must assist those on the front lines of this fight with additional resources.”

Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed Senate Bill 264 into law, a Yingling-supported bill that includes $719 million in new funding for public health. $416 million of those funds will go specifically to COVID-19 testing and other related services. The Department of Healthcare and Family Services will also be receiving additional funding in preparation for an influx of Medicaid recipients.

Since entering the General Assembly, Yingling has worked to keep residents safe and healthy. He led the fight against factories that were polluting Lake County with a dangerous chemical, ethylene oxide, which is linked to increased cancer rates in the communities in which it is emitted. He recently held a Health Fair that provided the community with health resources, as well as free vaccines and health screenings.

“While I am proud of how much progress our state has made in fighting the spread of COVID-19, there is still work that needs to be done,” Yingling said. “There is nothing more urgent than the continued fight against this pandemic. I am committed to working with the medical community and other leaders to provide the necessary resources to keep our state safe.”

As of June 18, the Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 134,185 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, as well as 6,485 deaths. In Lake County, there have been 9,154 total cases and 357 deaths, according to the Lake County Department of Public Health. While the number of new cases and deaths have slowed in recent weeks, more work is required to fully reopen the state.