SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, aided in passing a bill to better protect children on social media by allowing parents to develop personalized settings for monitoring algorithms, limiting notifications, requiring parent approval for purchases and more.

“Research shows how deeply the use of social media is impacting our children, from attention deficiencies to issues with body image,” said Mussman. “Putting in new parental controls over the things that keep children scrolling on social media will hopefully encourage kids to put their phones and tablets down.”

House Bill 5511 would place new restrictions on children’s social media accounts and allow parents to have greater control over their children’s online actions. Parents would be able to tailor these restrictions to meet their child’s needs and better monitor their online activity. 

The bill would have parents input their child’s age while setting up a new device. When new software is installed or a new website is visited, a number of settings will trigger by default, unless a parent authorizes otherwise. These settings include:

• Prohibitions against social media companies using addictive algorithms and limiting social media notifications to daytime hours.
• Requiring apps to obtain parental consent for in-app purchases or any transaction between children and unknown users.
• Requiring companies to apply default privacy settings based on a user’s age to protect the user’s location data and profile information.

“The restrictions this bill creates would be totally left for parents and families to decide,” said Mussman. “We’re simply providing a tool for parents and families to use however they see fit, and in the way that best supports their children.”

House Bill 5511 now goes to the Senate for consideration.

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

“Human trafficking isn’t a left or right issue, it’s a right or wrong issue,” said Mussman. “I’m proud to stand with my colleagues across the aisle to ensure we take every measure possible to prevent human trafficking, and supply resources to victims in any way we can.”

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 often under-reported because victims don’t have the opportunity to report their abuse, or are too afraid of their captor to make a police report,” said Mussman. “We’re trying to change that narrative in Illinois by providing contact information and support for anyone being trafficked to ask for help from crisis hotlines and law enforcement.”

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

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, passed a bill to strengthen our  early childhood assessment programs to improve language acquisition for children from birth to age 5 who are deaf, hard of hearing or DeafBlind.

“The first 3 years of life are a crucial time for brain development and language acquisition, but most deaf children enter kindergarten without proficient language skills, which has a lifelong impact on reading, academics, and social interactions.” said Mussman. “By supporting deaf, hard of hearing or DeafBlind children while they begin to learn language, we’re preparing these kids to learn and communicate at the same pace as their peers so they can start elementary school not just on-time, but ready to learn.”

House Bill 1783 creates an advisory committee to work with language and communication professionals on strengthening language assessment programs for deaf, hard of hearing, or DeafBlind children. The program establishes developmental milestones to help parents, healthcare providers, and educators track language development and take corrective action if the child demonstrates they are falling behind. Data will be collected to monitor the progress of individual children and the progress of children state-wide.

This proposal seeks to address the common problem within the Deaf community of deaf children often not having the proper resources to gain language skills, causing these students to fall behind their peers due to delays in communication. Members making up the advisory committee include the Illinois Deaf and Hard of Hearing Commission, the Illinois Department of Early Childhood, and the Illinois State Board of Education.

“Thanks to the support and advocacy of the LEAD-K organization, we are moving towards removing inequity when it comes to children learning language and communicating,” said Mussman. “Parents of deaf children will be better supported, deaf children will receive timely interventions to improve language development, and most importantly, these children will be able to start their early years of schooling with the communication tools that they need to thrive.”

House Bill 1783 passed with bipartisan support in the House and heads to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Hoping to provide critical support to mothers and their newborn children, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, passed legislation Wednesday that would identify and create a support system to provide short-term universal newborn home visiting services. 

“Being a mother can be putting your baby’s needs before your own, and often that leads to mothers struggling with their needs not being met,” said Mussman. “The rate of maternal and infant deaths within a year of birth is tragically high, and we need to offer new mothers the support they desperately need to support themselves and their child.”

House Bill 4606 requires the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to identify, develop and manage administrative infrastructure needed to support existing and future short-term universal newborn home visiting services. 

By Jan. 1, 2028, IDHS may do the following:

• Create a list of voluntary universal newborn home visiting models,
• Coordinate with relevant state agencies to support the implementation of state-administered funding for local programs that support universal newborn home visiting, and
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to design infrastructure to support universal newborn home visiting services.

“Motherhood can be daunting to many new mothers, and providing them support will build their confidence and knowledge to best care for their child,” said Mussman. “It takes a village to raise a child, and this support could be crucial to the livelihood of many mothers.”

The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As the prices of everyday essentials continue to rise across the country, state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is working to provide some immediate relief to Illinois customers by passing a new measure to ensure the price people see is the price people pay.

“No one should be forced to choose between paying for groceries, prescriptions and other basic needs,” said Mussman. “By decreasing restrictions on coupon offers, we’re increasing the money saved by Illinoisans every day.”

Grocery stores, drug stores, and other businesses increasingly entice customers with advertised savings that require apps and digital coupons, which are often unreliable and require smartphone access. In some cases, customers have faced difficulty locating and “clipping” advertised deals on the app, connectivity issues in large stores, and technological barriers for consumers without smartphone access.

In order to reduce these barriers to savings, Mussman helped pass House Bill 45, which requires retailers to honor all advertised savings, even if customers cannot access their app or operate their digital coupons.

House Bill 45 passed unanimously and now moves to the Senate.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is making interactions between law enforcement and individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder safer and easier. The Blue Envelope Program intends to support safe and effective communication for all involved parties.

Mussman passed House Bill 4472, which creates the Blue Envelope Program, in partnership with the Secretary of State’s office and the Autism Hero Project non-profit. Those diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum can use the envelopes to hold documents required to operate a motor vehicle. With all necessary information in one location, neurodivergent individuals can locate documents easily and choose to self-disclose they are on the spectrum.

This measure will ensure that interactions are orderly and effective for both first responders and drivers in the neurodivergent community, helping to reduce anxiety and miscommunication for both parties, during a potentially stressful situation. The program is voluntary– individuals with neurodivergency or autism are not required to participate in this program, but the resources must be available at various locations operated by the Secretary of State.

“This legislation is a huge win for anyone with Autism or neurodivergencies, which is especially timely during Autism Acceptance Month,” said Mussman. “I’m looking forward to my colleagues in the Senate passing this bill, and then signed into law by the governor.”

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, releases the following statement following Governor JB Pritzker’s annual budget address:

“It’s time to get to work now that the Governor's proposal has been outlined. I will work to ensure the budget helps build our community and makes the lives of our neighbors and friends easier, not harder. I will ensure that social safety nets remain in place, help is given for those in need of food and housing, and opportunity in our community continues to expand.”

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. – A clean slate law signed today will expand housing, employment and education opportunities for Illinoisans, thanks to legislation supported by state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, that creates an automatic sealing process for thousands of non-violent arrest records.

“By limiting opportunities for people with non-violent, outdated records, we were limiting opportunities for growth and prosperity in Illinois,” said Mussman. “This really is a bill that benefits so many, not just those with minor convictions. When we support Illinoisans, we better our state. I’m proud to have supported this bill, and I look forward to continuing to advocate for residents in my community and all throughout Illinois during the upcoming legislative session.”

More than 2.2 million Illinoisans have an old arrest record or minor conviction that would currently qualify for sealing, but the process can be complicated and costly. It’s estimated that only 10 percent of those eligible have been able to receive relief, making it more difficult for many to qualify for affordable housing, to advance their education, and find employment.

Mussman helped pass the Clean Slate Act (House Bill 1836), which will automatically seal many minor criminal records, ensuring these records are accessible only to law enforcement, prosecutors and sensitive employers, such as daycares and schools. Arrests resulting in an acquittal or dismissal will be sealed immediately, while misdemeanor convictions will be sealed after two years. The most serious felonies, domestic abuse convictions, and other violent crimes against persons will not be eligible for sealing.

The measure is the product of years of negotiation with business groups, law enforcement, housing advocates, and criminal justice reformers.

The Clean Slate Act was signed into law by Governor Pritzker earlier this morning.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — A new law signed on Thursday will provide Illinoisans immediate and long-term utility bill relief by bringing down energy costs, thanks to legislation supported by state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg. 

“The rise in energy costs we have seen over the past year is unprecedented,” said Mussman. “Families are being forced to make sudden and difficult financial decisions, just to be able to pay their utility bills. The signing of this bill means immediate relief for customers, and the steps made toward the use of renewable energy resources mean continued relief long term.”

Over the last year, many Illinois residents have grappled with untenable utility bill costs. Senate Bill 25, The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, puts Illinois on better footing to counteract rising energy prices by tapping into:

• Capturing clean energy: By capturing and redistributing energy already being produced, including from home solar panels, Ameren and ComEd customers can see immediate relief on monthly costs.
• Increasing battery storage: By building out our grid to increase the state’s battery storage, power systems will become more reliable and affordable to power millions of Illinois homes.
• Investing in energy efficiency programs: Senate Bill 25 directly expands energy efficiency programs for residents, lowering electricity prices by reducing overall demand, and improves equity in programs by allocating a minimum amount of funds to support low-income customers.

Additionally, the measure will create up to 115,000 jobs, counteracting job insecurity and layoffs caused by federal cuts. As utility demands increase during the winter months, Senate Bill 25 will play a significant role in meeting the state’s energy needs, strengthening reliability and helping manage untenable costs for customers for both short- and long-term relief. 

“By addressing rising energy costs, we take another step toward a more affordable, and more sustainable, way of life for Illinoisans. I look forward to continuing that work in the upcoming legislative session,” Mussman said.

Senate Bill 25 was signed earlier today.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg, is highlighting steps to support public safety, healthcare, and improve education from cradle to career while holding the line on taxes for families.

“I’ve worked hard to bring our community’s needs to the Statehouse, and I look forward to continuing that work,” said Mussman. “This year’s balanced budget allows us to expand essential services for our hard-working families by pouring funds into public safety, education, and slashing healthcare costs, ensuring that no family gets left behind when seeking affordable, quality care and services no matter where they reside in the state.”

Continuing her effort to rebuild Illinois’ fiscal house, Mussman passed a new state budget that looks line-by-line through spending to cut nearly $75 million in administrative costs in order to invest state resources in services local families value while growing the state’s rainy day fund.

Mussman took significant steps to help cut the cost of living as well. A new $50 million child tax credit will help families with modest incomes face rising costs, while a $10 million state investment will eliminate $1 billion in family medical debt. Mussman voted to eliminate a state sales tax on groceries, and give local governments more tools to get serious about property tax relief.

As chairperson of the Elementary and Secondary Education committee, Mussman was integral in securing key funding for education. Mussman prioritized new investments in early childhood education, creating new opportunities for 5,000 of Illinois’ youngest learners. She also supported $350 million more for elementary and secondary schools, and additional access to college financial aid such as MAP Grants.

“I’ve witnessed firsthand the obstacles more and more school districts face. I’m pleased that we’ve hit the ground running in boosting efficiencies in our state education, including a central hub for early education, ensuring that all parents and students — no matter where they reside in the state — have equitable access to information and resources as they navigate their child’s first years of schooling,” said Mussman. “Every child deserves access to a world-class education, and every parent deserves the reassurance that their child is in good hands. I look forward to working with families in my community to ensure our classrooms are the best of the best.”

Mussman also prioritized public safety in the state budget, making smart investments in community-based approaches to violence prevention and taking steps to ensure police have the resources they need to combat crime. Mussman voted to hire and train 200 new state troopers and help local departments recruit and retain officers. As suburban libraries and religious organizations also see increasing threats of violence, Mussman worked to create new protections for library workers, and new state resources to combat hate crimes. 

Additional highlights of Mussman’s legislative priorities this session include:

• Improving Medicaid access for those living with developmental disabilities by establishing a subcommittee to develop policies for expanding Medicaid provider networks to improve efficiency, accessibility, and quality of care.
• Creating equitable classrooms by establishing more parity between funding for high-cost special education students attending either a separate public or non-public special education day school.
• Improving seniors’ quality of life by ensuring front-line caseworkers can intercede more quickly in cases of senior neglect, protecting vulnerable older adults from harm.