SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Municipalities would be required to set aside additional resources for ambulance and fire emergency vehicles under a plan advanced out of a House committee Thursday by state Rep. Mary Gill, D-Chicago.

“When our firefighters and paramedics are called to an emergency, they deserve to have the tools they need to do their job safely and effectively,” Gill said. “Unfortunately, I’ve heard from fire union representatives that there have been times when stations have been unable to go to fires due to having
no working fire engines on site. This is an unacceptable hazard, and we need to make sure municipalities are being proactive in responsibly investing in upkeep.”

Under Gill’s House Bill 2977, municipalities must place at least 10% of all insurance reimbursements for ambulance and fire services into a fund dedicated to purchasing and maintaining ambulances, fire engines and other vehicles used for emergency services. Gill introduced the plan after learning from union fire officials that reimbursements currently go into municipal general revenue funds. As a result, such funds can be spent on items or needs unrelated to fire or emergency medical services.

“When there is an emergency and lives are at stake and time matters, we need to make sure our emergency response vehicles are always ready to meet the moment,” Gill said. “Let’s make sure we’re taking the steps necessary to have modern, well-maintained equipment always available.”

House Bill 2977 passed the Police & Fire Committee Thursday with bipartisan support, and now heads to the full House for consideration.

For more information, please contact RepMaryGill@gmail.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin, D-Matteson, has advanced a bill out of the House Health Care Availability & Accessibility Committee to streamline the process of designating an emergency contact for hospital patients and for notifying these contacts of changes in the patient’s condition.

“When a person experiences a medical crisis, one of the most important things, beyond preserving the health of the patient, is ensuring that the patient’s loved ones are informed of important developments in their condition,” Meyers-Martin said. “When a patient’s family member arrives at the hospital only to suddenly be told that their loved one’s condition is not what they were led to believe, that’s not right. We owe both our patients and their families a system that does better than that.”

Meyers-Martin’s House Bill 1332 requires that whenever a hospital licensed under Illinois’ Hospital Licensing Act admits a person for inpatient care, that this patient be provided with an opportunity to designate an emergency contact. If the patient chooses to do so, the bill would require that the hospital reach out to this emergency contact to ask how and when they wish to be notified of significant changes in the patient’s condition, including death—whether immediately over the phone, in person at the hospital, or by some other method.

Meyers-Martin filed the bill in response to incidents in which families were told to come to the hospital to see their loved one, only to be told on arrival that the loved one had passed away.

“We have to remember that the fundamental goal of healthcare is, in a way, keeping families intact and patients in the lives of their loved ones,” Meyers-Martin said. “Of course, that happy ending isn’t always possible. But when it’s not, we still have a responsibility to the patient to inform their loved ones in a caring and respectful manner and to those loved ones to be a source of comfort, not of confusion, in an already difficult time. This legislation simply facilitates improved communication which I believe is crucial to that goal.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Committed to ending the HIV epidemic in Illinois, State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, passed a measure with bipartisan support on Thursday to ban insurance companies from using prior authorizations on HIV treatment and prevention medications.

“I’m proud to join AIDS Foundation Chicago and the countless advocates who want to see an end to the HIV epidemic not only in Illinois but across the country,” Cassidy said. “As I came of age in the 80s, the disease was decimating the LGBTQ community while our government looked the other way. At that time, an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. Through strength in community, scientific breakthroughs and patient-centered legislation such as this, we’ve changed that narrative and the reality for so many. Passing this legislation is another step towards getting Illinois to zero new HIV transmissions, and I will be ready every step of the way to help make that goal a reality.”

Cassidy’s House Bill 2584 would ban the use of prior authorization for HIV treatment and prevention medications. Pre-authorization is a process by which a doctor prescribing a treatment, medication or procedure must first check and receive approval from the patient’s insurance plan before approving a course of action. Under this legislation, the power to make decisions about using Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) would be returned to a patient and their doctor. Cassidy’s legislation also requires coverage of sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, kidney function analysis, routine laboratory testing, and routine provider visits, highlighting the comprehensive approach needed to fulfill the goal of reaching zero new HIV transmissions.

“The bipartisan committee vote to advance HB2584 is a critical step toward eliminating barriers to life-saving HIV prevention and treatment in Illinois,” said Aces Lira, Senior Manager of State Policy and Advocacy at AIDS Foundation Chicago. “Prior Authorization delays put people at risk, especially in communities that are disproportionately impacted by HIV. By removing these restrictions, Illinois is reaffirming its commitment to ending the HIV epidemic and ensuring that everyone can access the care they need without unnecessary obstacles.”

House Bill 2584 passed out of the House Insurance committee on Thursday, Mar. 13 on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. The bill is supported and championed by AIDS Foundation Chicago, Illinois Harm Reduction & Recovery Coalition, among others.

For more information on Kelly’s legislative priorities visit ILGA.gov. For more information on AIDS Foundation Chicago’s Getting to Zero Illinois plan, visit gtzillinois.hiv.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Reflecting her commitment to deliver meaningful tax reforms for homeowners, state Rep. Marti Deuter, D-Elmhurst, has been appointed to a newly-formed Property Tax Working Group in the Illinois House.

“We have to take a comprehensive look at our property tax system,” Deuter said. “There’s a lot of frustration with the current system, and it’s critical that we take responsible, meaningful steps forward to provide relief.”

Deuter brings years of local government experience to the role, and will share the perspective of numerous homeowners she has met going door to door. She believes the state should take a closer look at how it funds education, infrastructure and essential services, and the impact it has on local property tax decisions. With many families dealing with higher costs, Deuter sees property tax reform as a way to deliver real relief.

Recently created by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, the House Property Tax Working Group will be a diverse, 11-member assembly featuring representatives from across the state.

“It was important to me that our community have a seat at the table in these discussions, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to join this select group,” Deuter said. “There’s a lot of work ahead, and I’m looking forward to joining my colleagues and engaging in a focused and productive dialogue.”

For more information, please contact Office@RepMartiDeuter.com.

OTTAWA, Ill. – Working toward stronger protections for children in the adoption and foster care system, state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, has introduced a bill to enhance background requirements for those wishing to adopt or foster a child.

“We don’t have a current law in our books that weeds out harmful individuals convicted of trafficking from adopting or fostering a child, even though Illinois has long had a protective stance on child welfare and safety — this bill is a recommitment to just that,” said Briel. “When we strengthen background checks for potential adoptive or foster parents, we ensure more kids grow up in safer homes with safer parents.”

House Bill 871 would put a first-of-its-kind law in place that disqualifies people who are convicted of human or sex trafficking from adopting a child or becoming a licensed foster care parent.

“Every child deserves to grow up in a circle of adults and guardians who have their best interests in mind,” said Briel. “By advancing protections in our state’s background requirements, we’re keeping these kids out of potentially unstable, unsound environments and ensuring they have guardians that make them feel secure in a responsible home.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Collinsville, Assistant House Majority Leader and chair of the House Higher Education Committee, is announcing a new state program that will help Illinois college students prepare for graduate school and in-demand careers.

The Prepare for Illinois’ Future Program is the result of a commitment by the State of Illinois, Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), and leading global education company Kaplan to provide free test preparation courses to students enrolled in Illinois’ public universities as well as five community colleges. Southern Illinois University (SIU) Edwardsville and SIU Carbondale students have already launched the program and saved more than $375,000 by signing up for more than 250 classes.

This historic workforce initiative enables students to access Kaplan’s best-in-class preparation for professional licensing exams, graduate-level admissions exams, and credential exams at no cost to them. Available courses include exam prep for the GRE®, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, NCLEX-RN, Illinois State bar exam, real estate and securities exams, and more. Students will also have access to a suite of certificate courses, including project management and cybersecurity, as well as professional and academic skills development courses from Kaplan.

The state budget includes $10 million for the program to provide all students access.

“The investment the state of Illinois is making in the academic and professional success of some of our brightest and best students is money well spent,” Stuart said. “This program makes Illinois schools more competitive with schools across the country, Hopefully, it will also help convince some of our most gifted students to live and work right here in Illinois, benefiting our entire state.”

The program aims to boost in-state enrollment at public universities, create career pathways for students from underserved urban and rural communities, and address the state’s critical shortages for essential professions—ultimately helping to reduce shortages in the Illinois workforce, including projected deficits of more than 14,00 nurses and more than 6,000 doctors by 2030.

“I am proud to see that our partnership with the state aligns with SIU’s mission of embracing access and opportunity as we shape future leaders, improve our communities, and transform lives,” said Daniel Mahoney, President of the Southern Illinois University System.

In addition to offering the program to students at all 12 Illinois public 4-year universities, the program is being piloted at five community colleges chosen to reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the state, including Joliet Junior College, Carl Sandburg College, Southwestern Illinois College, Malcolm X College, and Morton College. Kaplan has already begun working with these community colleges and the state’s public universities to launch the program so students can access these courses.

The Web site for SIUE students to get more information can be found here: https://www.siue.edu/kaplan/.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, is focusing on increasing accountability and transparency around the Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) assessment contracts through a new measure, which recently passed out of committee, that introduces new reporting requirements for the state’s education agency.

“Taxpayers and parents deserve to know the full extent of where their money is going to support the education of our young people,” said Scherer. “This bill will create an open process to ensure that assessment contract renewals are scrutinized by stakeholders before another dime is spent.”

Scherer’s House Bill 2574 passed out of a key education committee on Wednesday. The measure will require ISBE to post information on the assessment contracts on their website such as the total length and annual cost of the contract. In addition, ISBE will be required to consult with stakeholder groups and their internal Balanced Accountability Measure Committee when considering assessment contracts. Scherer intends to increase the transparency around ISBE’s spending, especially as higher-ed institutions and scholarship organizations continue to move away from requiring assessment scores.

“For years, colleges and universities throughout the nation have been moving away from requiring the ACT or SAT for admissions, and now even scholarship organizations are doing the same,” said share. “I believe we can make reliable measures of student progress without stressing our students and compromising their education by teaching to the test.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Lisa Davis, D-Chicago, is working to improve the efficacy of the emergency services, moving a bill to the House floor that will ensure emergency dispatchers are trained in telecommunicator cardiopulmonary resuscitation. (T-CPR)

“Before police, fire and emergency medical personnel arrive on the scene, the first person who responds to a crisis is the 911 operator who makes the initial contact with that frantic caller,” said Davis. “When minutes and seconds can mean life or death, over-the-phone medical instruction can save lives.”

Davis’ House Bill 1697, which will require emergency dispatchers to be trained in T-CPR, recently passed out of the House Committee on Police and Fire with bipartisan support. According to the American Red Cross, in the event of a cardiac arrest, every minute CPR is delayed corresponds with a 10% decrease in the victim’s chance of survival.

“As the wife of a Chicago firefighter and supporter of first responders, I am proud that this is my first bill to make it out of a House committee,” said Davis. “I am excited to continue to have conversations with our stakeholders and ensure this legislation is passed to improve the quality of our emergency services.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Crawford, D-Chicago, passed legislation unanimously out of the Education Policy committee that makes parents of students with disabilities aware of their ability to have advocates present at Individual Educational Program (IEP) meetings. This legislation provides additional information that will allow families to best participate in the development of their child’s IEP, fulfilling a promise that he made to constituents.

“This legislation is urgently needed for the families across the state,” Crawford said. “From experience, it can be critical to have individuals knowledgeable about the IEP process available who can help parents ask the right questions and help identify resources for their child to succeed in school. Here in Illinois, we have advocates who are ready to help, and facilitation available through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE); but often families don’t know that. My legislation would make sure everyone is on the same page with what’s available to families and how qualified professionals can help answer critical questions. Illinois families want what’s best for their kids, but for families with children with disabilities making that happen is more challenging; my legislation will help these students succeed in our educational spaces.”

Crawford’s House Bill 1366 would require notification to parents or guardians of a student with a disability that advocates experienced with Individualized Education Programs (IEP), which are tailored to the specific needs of the student, can be present at meetings and that ISBE facilitation may be available in some cases. These programs help make sure teachers, staff and families work together to create the most supportive learning environment for the child with benchmarks and best practices to help the child meet their learning goals.

With bipartisan support, Crawford’s legislation was passed unanimously by the House Education Policy Committee.

For more information, visit ILGA.gov.