News Brief - August 8, 2025

From protecting vulnerable mental health patients from unregulated AI, to supporting working nursing mothers, to helping unhoused residents get back on their feet — Illinois is taking bold steps toward equity and access. In this episode, Senators Villivalam, Fine, and Simmons explain how their new laws will make life better for people across the state.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to this edition of the News Brief, part of
the Sound of the State podcast series from the Illinois
Senate Democratic Caucus, keeping you up to date with what's
happening in Springfield and around the state. I'm Colby Huff.
As artificial intelligence continues to become more widely used, State
Senator rom Villi Vlama of Chicago is leading the charge
with a new law ensuring those seeking mental health treatment

(00:22):
are safeguarded from loopholes allowing AI in healthcare. Senator Billy
vlam set in part, it is imperative that we provide
our communities with the critical mental health support they need
and are seeking. By setting guidelines for the use of
AI and mental health treatment, we are investing into the
well being of communities, the quality of care they receive,
and the standards we hold our mental health care professionals too.

(00:42):
To combat this, House Bill eighteen oh six creates guidelines
for professionals who use artificial intelligence in their practice. The
law requires services to be delivered by qualified, licensed, or
certified professionals and prohibits the use of AI to make
therapeutic decisions, such as recommending medications, assessing a patient's mental state,
or making recommendations for treatment plans. It also requires a

(01:02):
therapist to notify the patient if AI is used in
any way. The guidelines would not apply to religious counseling,
pure support, or self help sources that are available to
the public and do not offer a therapy or psychotherapy services.
House Built eighteen oh six was recently signed into law
and took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature. To support
mothers trying to balance work life and home life, State

(01:25):
Senator Laura Finds legislation to allow for paid break time
for pumping breast milk has been signed into law. This law,
sponsored by the Senator from Glen View, ensures working mothers
who nurse their infants do not have to be concerned
about losing their income in order to provide for their baby.
Senator fine set in part. Without workplace accommodations that consider
the time required to breastfeed a newborn or infant, the

(01:46):
burden of balancing work responsibilities and personal responsibilities becomes increasingly challenging.
We are not only encouraging a supportive work environment for
these employees, we are also empowering Illinois mothers who must
work to support their families. Senator Feine's new law clarifies
that employees time for pumping breast milk casts to be paid,
and that employees would not be required to use paid
leave during breaks. Research shows about eighty percent of new

(02:10):
mothers across the nation breastfeed and about sixty percent of
mothers are working women. Senator Fine continues, the personal accounts
I've heard from Illinois mothers across my district expressing their
genuine concerns about being able to support their families while
also managing their role as mothers have touched me throughout
the process of working on this law. This support is
critical and allows nursing mothers to feel protected in their career.

(02:31):
Senate built two twelve's recently signed into law and takes
effect January first, to remove barriers to unhoused residents. State
Senator Mike Simmons has passed into law the removal of
notary fees in order to obtain a state ID. Senator
Simmons set, in part, with no form of legal identification,
unhoused individuals cannot access housing, jobs, or transit, and this

(02:53):
law will help. This bill makes it one step easier
to obtain state identification, which in turn means folks will
have quicker acts us to jobs, transportation, and housing. Prior
to this law carried by Senator Simmons, application fees where
standard Illinois state IDs are waived for unhoused individuals, but
their application must be accompanied by notarized affirmation. This is
a difficult task for individuals with little financial resources, as

(03:16):
some notary fees can cost up to twenty five dollars.
Under Senate Bill eleven seventy three, no fee will be
charged for any notorial act related to the execution of
an Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services Homeless Status certification form,
and that a notary public cannot charge a fee for
any act related to the execution of that form. Senator
Simmons continues, when a person is facing housing insecurity, a

(03:38):
seemingly small fee can be the difference between continued hardship
or stability. This bill makes it one step easier for
folks to get an ID and get back on their fee.
For more on the stories you just heard and others,
visit Illinois Senate Democrats dot com and subscribe to our
weekly Majority Report newsletter. You can listen to the Sound

(04:00):
of the State podcast series, as well as our Spanish
version Estado dell Astado with Carlos Mendez, featuring regular updates
and in depth conversations with our senators on your choice
of platforms including the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Pandora,
and more. From the Springfield Office of Senate to President
Don Harmon, I'm coldy Huff