SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Governor Pritzker signed legislation championed by state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, helping patients manage menopause symptoms through legislation requiring insurance companies to cover up to 6 months of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medication.

“Menopause occurs when hormones are no longer naturally produced and hormone replacement therapy is the best way to resolve menopausal symptoms,” said Stuart. “Women may naturally experience menopause, but it can also be induced by certain cancer and other treatments. No matter the cause, women with intense symptoms deserve the relief HRT can provide.”

Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause can be as small as itchy ears to extreme cases of mood swings or sleep loss. These symptoms occur because of a loss of hormones, so hormone replacement therapy is the leading remedy for extreme perimenopause and menopause symptoms.

Stuart’s House Bill 5492 will require insurance companies to provide coverage for hormone replacement therapy and any required supplies for 6-months of treatment. This will allow prescription refill-oriented appointments to be held less frequently, and for medication to be dispensed in longer periods.

“Women of a certain age often experience ‘Invisible Woman Syndrome’, feeling less seen and valued as we age,” said Stuart. “I’m so proud of this bill and all the menopause-focused legislation we passed this spring, reminding older women that we are seen, heard, valued and will not be ignored. The house best kept by women is the House of Representatives.”

The bill was signed into law on Sunday by Governor Pritzker and will take effect in 2028.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. — A state budget focused on affordability is now law thanks to state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, who helped pass a balanced budget prioritizing direct relief for Illinoisans and investing in the resources Washington is trying to slash.

“The federal government has touted reduced government spending by gutting necessary organizations and resources,” said Stuart. “Our state budget, on the other hand, reallocates existing government funds to both minimize waste and maximize how we use our funds.”

Stuart’s work this legislative session concluded in passing a fiscally and socially responsible budget that relieves the cost-of-living crisis while making key investments in food security and other state services at risk of federal funding losses or total elimination.

The budget takes a number of smart steps to help families make ends meet, including:

• Nearly $100 million to help families afford groceries and put food on the table after Washington slashes nutrition assistance for more than over 100,000 Illinoisans..
  • • Creating the new FRESH Program, which provides a one-time $400 credit, giving families a lifeline while they work with providers to reactivate benefits,
    • Expanding free and reduced-cost school lunches ensuring children affected by SNAP cuts have a sustainable meal, and
    • Fully funding the Illinois Grocery Initiative to expand access to fresh food in food deserts.

• Making back-to-school shopping more affordable by cutting the state sales tax on clothes, supplies, and other essentials for students, families, and teachers from August 7 to August 16, 2026.
• Restoring property tax relief grants for schools so communities statewide can see property tax relief.
• $500 million focused on affordable homes for working families sometimes known as the “missing middle” who do not qualify for traditional assistance but struggle to find quality homes in their price range.
• Fully funding safety net hospitals and $10 million dedicated to support Federally Qualified Health Centers for the most vulnerable families.
• Strengthening public safety initiatives including homelessness prevention and community-based violence prevention.
• Investing in public universities and community colleges through increased funding for MAP grants to help thousands of students access financial aid, and increasing funding for institutions of higher education.

“While the many in the federal government seem more focused on lining their own pockets than protecting the American people, we’re working to make sure everyone in Illinois can afford and access the resources and services they depend on, from healthcare to utilities,” said Stuart.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.— Working to make life easier and more affordable for everyone in Illinois, state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, helped pass another fiscally smart budget, creating no new taxes on working families and no severe service cuts, while advancing her own legislation.

“One issue we can all agree on, no matter our political party, is that the price of our basic needs are far too high, and far too many in our community are really struggling every day,” said Stuart. “Budgeting is complex, but the hard work has paid off as we pass a balanced budget.”

The chaos of the federal government has caused Illinois families to struggle, making the cost of living to skyrocket while social safety nets are axed. Because of these obstacles, Stuart is advocating for a budget that will ease the financial burden too many families in our state are facing.

• This year’s budget fully funds:
• Safety net hospitals, providing care regardless of health insurance status,
• After school programs, and
• the Local Government Distributive Fund, creating more tools for property tax relief.

Highlights of the budget include investments in:

• The Fresh Act, giving Illinoisans who lost SNAP benefits a one time SNAP credit,
• State social services by identifying and reallocating in government efficiencies,
• Families and students by supporting a Back to School Tax Relief program and investing in affordable school lunches, and
• Working class people by temporarily freezing the gas tax, beginning in July.

Stuart additionally sent eight bills to the governor’s desk to be signed into law, continuing her work to improve higher education, while championing a measure expanding access to menopause treatments.

Stuart championed legislation to:

1. Require insurance to cover longer prescriptions of menopause treatment like hormone replacement therapy,
2. Ensure higher education students’ access to opportunity and transparency in their education,
3. Creating new safeguards to protect seniors from financial fraud and physical abuse, and more.

“My experience as an educator is a factor in every decision I make on educational legislation, making improvements because every Illinoisan has the opportunity to receive higher education,” said Stuart. “I’m committed to continuing my work to secure educational opportunity, quality and affordability for every prospective student in our community and across the state.”

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.— State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, released the following statement following reports of a Collinsville teenager being detained by Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents earlier this week.

“Like many in our community, I am shocked and angered by reports of a local teenager being taken by ICE agents. I have been in contact with the governor and attorney general’s offices, as well as our federal officials who are assisting the family.

“As a mom, I can only begin to imagine the horror this family is experiencing. As a community member, I am horrified by the tragedies we’ve seen involving ICE detainments in the Metro East.

“Regardless of our politics, none of us voted to have children abducted off our streets by agents who have repeatedly shown that they will not be bound by law or by basic decency. There are ways we can stay involved and ensure our voices are heard, though that may feel like an uphill battle.”

Stuart and her office will continue to monitor this case, and aid the family and federal officials as much as possible.

If you see ICE activity anywhere in Illinois, file a report to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hotline at 855-435-7693.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.— State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, is sending legislation to the governor’s desk creating new guardrails against financial fraud and physical abuse, commonly experienced in tandem by seniors.

“Essentially what we’re doing here is establishing two steps to report potential fraud and abuse for financial employees: one route for them to protect financial assets and another to confirm the wellbeing of their client,” said Stuart. “Allowing a more comprehensive investigation of potential fraud and physical abuse will make sure accounts are protected, and more importantly that clients are safe.”

House Bill 4911 creates a handful of new safety nets against financial fraud and physical abuse, which are often paired when targeting seniors, allowing financial employees to step in when they notice suspicious and potentially fraudulent behavior.

This legislation was developed with the Illinois Department on Aging, who will develop a new web portal to report suspected financial abuse as part of this measure. While this legislation was designed with seniors in mind, these extra precautions will apply to all suspicious and potentially fraudulent transactions.

“I’m grateful to the Department on Aging and other advocates for their collaboration and support on this really impactful bill, saving seniors money and potentially their lives,” said Stuart. “This is a no nonsense bill crafted to prevent or stop senior financial fraud and abuse. I look forward to the support this bill will bring when signed into law.”

House Bill 4911 passed unanimously in the Senate and with partisan support in the House. Now, the measure is headed to Governor Pritzker’s desk for consideration and to be signed into law.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Fighting to restore affordability for Illinois households, state State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, is advancing a series of bills to the governor’s desk cutting costs on everyday purchases and utilities, banning gimmicks that raise prices, and requiring businesses to fairly compensate consumers.

“The costs of our basic needs, from utilities to groceries, are ridiculously expensive. I’ve been working this year to make life easier and more affordable,” said Stuart. “This is just the tip of the iceberg to dealing with the affordability crisis we’re seeing across the country. For now, I’ll keep doing what I can to make Illinois prices more reasonable.”

While federal policies and international instability are making everything more expensive, Stuart is taking charge of what Illinois can control, and championing policy to provide some immediate relief. 

Stuart worked to pass the following cost-cutting measures:

• • House Bill 45: Expands access to savings by requiring retailers to honor all advertised sales or coupons, even if customers cannot access an app or operate digital coupons.
  • House Bill 228: Cracks down on junk fees and hidden costs by requiring businesses to disclose all mandatory fees and charges added on top of an advertised purchase price.

• House Bill 4044: Strengthening consumer rights by banning no-return policies that limit customers to store credit for unused, unopened items for most purchases. 

• House Bill 4514: Allowing residents to voice opposition to general rate increases by requiring public utility companies fully inform residents of their rights prior to a rate proposal. 

All four measures successfully advanced through House and Senate chambers. They await governor consideration before being signed into law. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Working to protect access to objective news, state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, passed a bill ensuring that media outlets affiliated with colleges and universities are not subject to editorial control by administration.

“All journalists are afforded the freedom of press, and that includes journalists at public universities,” said Stuart. “Full-time journalists at our universities aren’t subject to invasive oversight, and this bill clarifies that.”

Many National Public Radio and public television affiliates across Illinois broadcast from college campuses, and their reporters and editorial staff often work as school employees. In order to ensure these partnerships don’t stifle journalists’ ability to report fairly and accurately, Stuart supported House Bill 4420, which affirms free press and speech protection including all full time employees working in public media at state-funded institutions of higher education. 

The Stuart-backed measure makes free speech and press coverage explicit, to ensure that all employees in public media at college and universities can express themselves without the burden of needing prior university review or approval. 

The bill also grants immunity to public media employees from lawsuits over expressive content, allowing these employees to have the same rights as any other journalist. 

“The freedoms of speech and press are clear in the First Amendment, as press evolves we need to make sure everyone working in public media is protected,” said Stuart. “The full-time and student journalists at SIUE, for example, are super involved in our local press. We’re just codifying that those full-time journalists have protections, too.”

The bill passed the House floor and now advances to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, co-sponsored a bipartisan bill requiring the Illinois Department of Transportation to post human trafficking resources in rest area bathrooms. 

“Working to end exploitation and crime is something both sides of the aisle can agree on,” said Stuart. “We have to do everything in our legislative power to prevent human trafficking and provide help and support to victims of such a heinous crime.”

House Bill 4654 expands existing legislation requiring human trafficking resources to be posted. In many cases of human trafficking, victims are often closely watched and may only find themselves alone in a bathroom in or around a roadside stop for a few short minutes. This legislation hopes to ensure these victims of human trafficking can access help and resources without risking jeopardizing their safety. 

Currently in Illinois, human trafficking notices in rest stops are posted with all other required notices, often on a public bulletin board. House Bill 4654 seeks to make these notices more private and accessible to possible victims by requiring human trafficking resources to explicitly be posted in bathrooms.

“Human trafficking is a disgusting crime and perpetrators must be held accountable for the safety of our communities,” said Stuart. “By providing more resources on reporting human trafficking, we can ensure that human traffickers face a fair trial in a court of law.”

House Bill 4654 passed unanimously in the House and heads to the Senate.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, is working to help patients manage menopause symptoms, certain types of cancer, and other conditions by sponsoring and passing legislation requiring insurance companies to cover up to 12 months of hormone replacement therapy medication.

“People across gender and age may benefit from hormone replacement therapy, from menopause to cancer-related hormone changes,” said Stuart. “Allowing these populations to access treatment to ease or totally eliminate symptoms could be life changing for many Illinoisans.”

Hormone replacement therapy is a common treatment for severe menopause symptoms, endometriosis, and certain cancers, as well as a valuable prescription for patients seeking to prevent osteoporosis. Stuart’s House Bill 5492 will require insurance companies to provide coverage for hormone replacement therapy and any required supplies for treatment over a period of 12 months. This will allow prescription refill-oriented appointments to be held annually, and for medication to be dispensed in longer periods where a patient may be away from their pharmacy.

“Longer prescription periods will allow so many in our rural community to have easy access to their therapy without travelling repeatedly to pharmacies and doctors appointments,” said Stuart. “So long as a medical professional deems it reasonable or necessary to provide a 12 month prescription, insurance coverage should cover the prescription.”

The bill passed in the House and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, helped pass a bill allowing state entities to prohibit the use of low-speed electronic bicycles on any path within state jurisdiction, prioritizing the safety of both pedestrians and manual cyclists.

“On a nice spring day, I love to go for a walk around our community. It’s good for the soul to be outside and move around,” said Stuart. “That peace can easily be interrupted for pedestrians by low-speed cyclists riding by, or for cyclists when they don’t have a clear path to ride on.”

House Bill 4768 allows the state to regulate the use of low-speed e-bikes on paths within the state’s jurisdiction. Under the current law, e-bike regulations are decided by local authorities and municipalities. This bill expands that control to include the state, so that they may be able to respond accordingly to low-speed e-bike related pedestrian safety concerns—or in serious cases, e-bike related accidents or injuries. Specifically, state entities are given the right to prohibit the use of e-bikes on walking and biking paths for the protection of those on a walk or riding a manual bicycle. 

“This bill will ensure that both walkers and bikers are safe on our trails as we head into the spring and summer months and beyond,” said Stuart. “We’re simply preventing injuries or mishaps and ensuring everyone can enjoy their time walking or riding safely.”

House Bill 4768 passed the House with bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate.