Rep. Avelar Begins New Term with Focus on Healthcare Access, Helping Families Make Ends Meet

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Representative Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, began a new term in the Illinois House Wednesday, continuing her push for equality, accessible healthcare, and an affordable cost of living for all. 

“I am eager to have the opportunity to be back in Springfield and continue doing what I enjoy doing as a member of the community and that is to make Illinois residents’ lives better and easier,” said Avelar. 

During her tenure, Avelar has prioritized efforts to make healthcare better and more affordable. In 2024, Avelar passed House Bill 581, which created emergency reproductive health protections for patients regardless of what extremists in Washington attempt. Avelar also advanced measures to rein in insurance costs, expand access to affordable hearing aids, inhalers, and end gimmicks like step therapy and pre-clearance that prevent people from accessing the care they need. 

Avelar sponsored Senate Bill 3762 creating the Language Equity and Access Act, that requires state agencies to identify all spoken languages in the state and create a language access plan that would provide Illinois residents with language barriers, equal access to state services and programs. 

Avelar also voted to cut grocery taxes, enabling a child tax credit and increasing salary transparency in job postings. 

“This legislative session I look forward to combating issues that impact our everyday lives like excessive costs, equal and affordable healthcare, and discrimination and lack of accessibility for programs and services for minority communities,” said Avelar. “We have accomplished a lot in 2024, but there is still more to be done and I won’t stop fighting for our community’s needs.”