I hope this message finds you well as we all prepare for Thanksgiving with our families. I want to take a moment to share updates from Springfield and issues impacting our district. As always, I’m staying focused on what matters most to you and your families.
As we move into the holiday season, my focus remains on advocating for policies that strengthen our communities and make life better for families in our district. I believe in solutions that are practical, thoughtful, and built with you in mind.
If you have concerns, ideas, or need help with a state issue, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your input is what makes this work meaningful, and I’m honored to serve as your voice in Springfield.
Wishing you and your family a warm and joyful holiday season! I’ll keep you updated as we approach the January session.
In this newsletter, I’ll share some updates from our recent veto session, what to expect in the coming months, and a few state resources that may be helpful to you or someone you know.
News
Veto Session Wrap-Up and Looking Ahead to January
The recent veto session came and went without much action on the issues that families across Illinois are worried about. Unfortunately, many key decisions were postponed, with controversial proposals being kicked down the road to the January lame-duck session.
I’m concerned about what that could mean for our state. The lame-duck session often becomes a rushed attempt to push through major legislation with little time for thoughtful debate or public input. That’s not what Illinois families deserve. We need policies that reflect your values, your struggles, and your hopes, not last-minute political moves.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on what comes up in January and will work hard to make sure any new proposals are fully vetted and truly benefit our families. I will continue to be your voice in Springfield, no matter what we are up against.
Fighting for Our Seniors
One of my top priorities is ensuring that our most vulnerable neighbors, especially seniors, receive the support they need. That’s why I’m proud to co-sponsor HB5911, legislation aimed at protecting funding for programs that provide meals to senior citizens, such as Meals on Wheels.
Recently, programs like this have faced delays in funding, jeopardizing their ability to serve those who rely on them most. HB5911, would allocate an additional $25 million from the state’s General Revenue Fund to the Department on Aging for the Home Delivered Meals Program. By prioritizing this funding, we can help address the delays and make sure seniors across Illinois don’t go without the meals they need.
Our seniors deserve to be treated with dignity and care, and I’m committed to making that happen. I’ll continue working hard to ensure programs like this are fully supported, so no one in our community is left behind.
Improving Access to Dental Care for Low-Income Families
As a registered dental hygienist and your State Representative, I’ve seen how hard it can be for low-income families to find quality dental care, especially when a procedure requires anesthesia. That’s why I’m so encouraged by a recent Medicaid policy change that will help expand access to these critical services for Illinoisans in need.
Until now, reimbursements for dental anesthesia under Medicaid were limited to dentists. This created significant barriers for families who needed more advanced care. Under the new policy, medical anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) can also be reimbursed for dental anesthesia. This change means that more clinics, surgical centers, and hospital outpatient settings can now provide these services without passing large anesthesia bills onto patients.
This policy shift is part of a larger effort to make dental care more accessible. Earlier this year, the state also implemented a 33% rate increase for sedation evaluation and IV sedation services under Medicaid. These changes will make it easier for low-income families to receive the care they need, particularly when it comes to complex procedures requiring deep sedation.
Affordable dental care is a vital part of overall health, and I’ll continue to support initiatives that make it more accessible to everyone in Illinois. If you or someone you know is in need of dental care, I encourage you to learn more about the programs offered by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Together, we can break down barriers and improve access to essential services.
Illinois unemployment rate remained at 5.3% in October 2024
Based on the preliminary figures released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), the unemployment rate remained unchanged from the 5.3% confirmed for the previous month of September. This Illinois jobless rate was 120 basis points higher than the comparable national unemployment rate of 4.1%.
The preliminary October findings continue to indicate that the post-COVID-19 economic recovery has effectively ended in Illinois, with payroll growth flattening out to zero. Illinois employers reported paying 6,142,400 (seasonally adjusted) non-agricultural workers in October 2024, down 2,400 from the equivalent number in September.
The overall picture of zero job growth in Illinois in 2024 contains large pockets of growth and decline. Over the most recently concluded 12-month period, Illinois employers of people in professional and business services reported cutting 18,400 Illinois jobs, and employers in financial services reported cutting 8,000 jobs.
Illinois continued to create new jobs in healthcare (up 30,400) and government (up 22,300) during the same 12-month period. Manufacturing-oriented metro areas within Illinois continued to experience comparative job stagnation and high unemployment in October 2024. Examples include Danville (6.2% unemployment in October 2024), Decatur (5.8%), and Rockford (5.4%).
Change to State law partly forestalls additional lawsuits based on biometric privacy. Many workplaces use technology-based identifiers, such as fingerprints, to verify that workers have signed in for their work hours and for other essential purposes. Workplaces constantly require people to sign in. As just one example, current federal law requires over-the-road truckers to maintain secure electronic logs for their work hours and mileage driven. These logs are essential to maintain the safety of our nation’s highways.
The Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), an Illinois law enacted in 2008, jeopardized many forms of electronic sign-in in its original wording. Up until this year, the Act treated each of these sign-ins as separate potential violations of the biometric privacy of the people who sign in. Aggressive trial lawyers then began to use the Act to file class-action lawsuits against Illinois employers, seeking huge damages. These damage suits were filed against a wide variety of workplaces and employers, including employers who were using electronic sign-ins to comply with other State and federal laws.
Seeing a threat to Illinois jobs and acting with increasingly rare sensitivity to the need to protect Illinois jobs and workplaces, the 103rd General Assembly enacted a key amendment to BIPA. The new amendatory Act maintains the status of Illinoisans’ biometric privacy as a legal right, but sharply lowers the amount of damages that aggressive trial lawyers can sue for and collect for alleged violations of this privacy.
In a recent decision in federal court in Chicago, the court upheld the validity of this year’s General Assembly clarification of the BIPA law. The decision could save some jobs from being moved out of Illinois. Many House Republicans continue to call for further changes to BIPA to create a reasonable standard for protection of worker privacy, and to grant much-needed clarity to workers and employers as to when a violation of the Act has taken place.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving, from my family to yours. I hope it’s a day filled with love, laughter, and gratitude. May your heart be as full as your plate!
Just a reminder that in recognition of Thanksgiving, my district office will be closed Wednesday Nov. 27th- Friday Nov. 29th.
Resources
Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Winter months can put a strain on family budgets, especially with rising energy costs. LIHEAP is a program that helps eligible households cover heating bills. Applications are open, and if you think you might qualify, I encourage you to check it out at Illinois.gov/LIHEAP.
Mental Health Support Through Call4Calm
We all face stress and challenges, and sometimes we need someone to talk to. Call4Calm is a free and confidential text line that connects you with a mental health professional. Simply text “TALK” to 552020, and someone will be there to help.
Help Finding a Job
If you’re looking for work or thinking about a career change, Illinois JobLink is a resource worth checking out. It’s a free tool that connects job seekers with employers and provides helpful tools like resume assistance. Visit IllinoisJobLink.com to get started.