July 2, 2025 • 5 mins
From expanding mental health care access and strengthening safe drinking water standards, to lowering prescription drug costs and offering permanent traffic fine relief for low-income residents, these new laws led by members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus aim to build a more compassionate, affordable, and healthier Illinois for everyone.
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm Colby Huff. To further increase access to mental health treatment,
State Senator Laura Fine of Glen View passed a law
extending the existing prior authorization ban to cover medically necessary
outpatient mental health services. Senator Fine said, in part, mental
health care needs are equivalent to physical health care needs.
This law breaks down barriers to access so patients can
(00:31):
receive the help they need in a timely manner. Last year,
the health Care Protection Act was signed into law, making
health care more accessible and affordable for illinoisans. The law
banned step therapy requirements, prohibited prior authorization for impatient mental
health care at hospitals, banned junk insurance plans, and ended
unchecked rate increases for large group insurance companies. Building on
(00:52):
this effort, House Built thirty nineteen extends the prior authorization
ban on inpatient mental health care to outpatient services and
part mental health treatment hospitalizations covered by state regulated insurance
private insurance plans and Medicaid. The new law also requires
insurers to report how they are spending dollars from insurance
premiums to the Department of Insurance in order to ensure
consumers' premium dollars are being properly spent. Additionally, regulated commercial
(01:17):
insurers must reimburse individuals for travel costs associated with attending
behavioral health appointments when the distance traveled exceeds the network
adequacy requirements. Senator Fine continues, this new law is another
step towards increasing access to mental health care. Eliminating outpatient
prior authorization requirements for behavioral health treatment and ensuring patients
can afford to travel to their appointments are essential in
(01:38):
order to expand availability. House Built thirty nineteen takes effect
to January first. State Senator Karina vispeerheaded a new law
that fortifies safe drinking water standards to ensure residents have
access to clean water. Senator Via of West Chicago said,
in part, when people are out in the community, they
deserve to know that the water they use is safe.
Safe drinking water standards must be enforced to secure the
(02:00):
health of our communities. This law ensures every water source
we rely on is Safe. The law allows the Illinois
Department of Public Health to impose civil penalties against non
community water supplies that violate drinking water standards and clarifies
that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is the primary agency
responsible for implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act consistent with
federal law. Non community public water systems are facilities such
(02:22):
as schools, factories, restaurants, resorts, and churches served by their
own water supply, which is usually a well. Senate Built
twenty two sixty six was signed into law Monday and
took effect immediately. State Senator Dave Kaylor has led a
new law to end unfair practices by pharmacy benefit managers,
in turn protecting local pharmacies and consumers. Senator Kayler of
(02:43):
Peoria set in part, pharmacy benefit managers have too often
prioritized profits at the expense of patients and local pharmacies.
This new law allows transparency and fairness, keeping health care
services affordable and accessible for Illinois families. House Bill sixteen
ninety seven, the Prescription Drug Affordability Actor, gets pharmacy benefit
managers or PBMs, entities that manage prescription drug benefits for insurers.
(03:05):
This law will end harmful practices such as spread pricing,
where pharmacy benefit managers profit by charging insurers significantly more
than what pharmacies receive. It will also restrict PBMs from
profiting from the sale of drugs to pharmacies and would
require them to return one hundred percent of pharmacy rebates
back to the individuals or sponsoring organizations. Further, it prevents
pharmacy benefit managers from unfairly steering patients toward particular pharmacies
(03:28):
and stops PBMs from limiting an individual's access to a
drug from a pharmacy by classifying it as a specialty drug.
Senator Kaylor continues local pharmacies service trusted healthcare resources, particularly
in underserved and rural communities. This law protects consumers and
community pharmacies from PBM harmful practices and prevents pharmacy deserts
across Illinois. Lower income Chicago residents will have one more
(03:51):
support in place to help them get back on their
feet and he finds or fees from traffic violations will
now be waived indefinitely thanks to a new law champion
by State Senator Or Savantes. What makes Illinois such a
great place to live, said Senator Savantes, is that we
show up for one another, and we believe in second chances.
We do not believe someone should be forced into homelessness
because they can't afford to pay a speeding ticket. This
(04:12):
new law extends grace to some of the most vulnerable
members of our community, and I am proud to be
a leader in getting it passed. The Cook County Traffic
Fee Waiver Program was established in twenty twenty one and
made fees, fines, and costs due to traffic violations eligible
for a waiver in Cook County for people suffering financially.
Thanks to this program, judges in the county have evaluated
applications to grant fee waivers under the program over the
(04:34):
last three years. However, the program had a sunset date
for twenty twenty four, which was recently extended through this year,
but as it is currently written, would need to be
renewed annually to still be operational. Senator Savantes's law removes
the need for the program to be renewed. Instead, it
establishes it as a permanent option for Cook County residents
and ensure as low income residents will be met with
compassion when facing an expensive traffic fee. Senator Savantes continues,
(04:58):
the past three years of this pilot pro has demonstrated
how helpful it is to chicagoan's It is a clear
decision to extend the program indefinitely and help prevent thousands
of residents who are in stressful financial situations from losing
everything over a small mistake.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
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
of the State podcast series, as well as our Spanish version,
estadodella Stado 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, Anddorra
(05:40):
and more. From the Springfield Office of Senate to President
Don Harmon, I'm Colby Huff
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.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm Colby Huff. To further increase access to mental health treatment,
State Senator Laura Fine of Glen View passed a law
extending the existing prior authorization ban to cover medically necessary
outpatient mental health services. Senator Fine said, in part, mental
health care needs are equivalent to physical health care needs.
This law breaks down barriers to access so patients can
(00:31):
receive the help they need in a timely manner. Last year,
the health Care Protection Act was signed into law, making
health care more accessible and affordable for illinoisans. The law
banned step therapy requirements, prohibited prior authorization for impatient mental
health care at hospitals, banned junk insurance plans, and ended
unchecked rate increases for large group insurance companies. Building on
(00:52):
this effort, House Built thirty nineteen extends the prior authorization
ban on inpatient mental health care to outpatient services and
part mental health treatment hospitalizations covered by state regulated insurance
private insurance plans and Medicaid. The new law also requires
insurers to report how they are spending dollars from insurance
premiums to the Department of Insurance in order to ensure
consumers' premium dollars are being properly spent. Additionally, regulated commercial
(01:17):
insurers must reimburse individuals for travel costs associated with attending
behavioral health appointments when the distance traveled exceeds the network
adequacy requirements. Senator Fine continues, this new law is another
step towards increasing access to mental health care. Eliminating outpatient
prior authorization requirements for behavioral health treatment and ensuring patients
can afford to travel to their appointments are essential in
(01:38):
order to expand availability. House Built thirty nineteen takes effect
to January first. State Senator Karina vispeerheaded a new law
that fortifies safe drinking water standards to ensure residents have
access to clean water. Senator Via of West Chicago said,
in part, when people are out in the community, they
deserve to know that the water they use is safe.
Safe drinking water standards must be enforced to secure the
(02:00):
health of our communities. This law ensures every water source
we rely on is Safe. The law allows the Illinois
Department of Public Health to impose civil penalties against non
community water supplies that violate drinking water standards and clarifies
that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is the primary agency
responsible for implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act consistent with
federal law. Non community public water systems are facilities such
(02:22):
as schools, factories, restaurants, resorts, and churches served by their
own water supply, which is usually a well. Senate Built
twenty two sixty six was signed into law Monday and
took effect immediately. State Senator Dave Kaylor has led a
new law to end unfair practices by pharmacy benefit managers,
in turn protecting local pharmacies and consumers. Senator Kayler of
(02:43):
Peoria set in part, pharmacy benefit managers have too often
prioritized profits at the expense of patients and local pharmacies.
This new law allows transparency and fairness, keeping health care
services affordable and accessible for Illinois families. House Bill sixteen
ninety seven, the Prescription Drug Affordability Actor, gets pharmacy benefit
managers or PBMs, entities that manage prescription drug benefits for insurers.
(03:05):
This law will end harmful practices such as spread pricing,
where pharmacy benefit managers profit by charging insurers significantly more
than what pharmacies receive. It will also restrict PBMs from
profiting from the sale of drugs to pharmacies and would
require them to return one hundred percent of pharmacy rebates
back to the individuals or sponsoring organizations. Further, it prevents
pharmacy benefit managers from unfairly steering patients toward particular pharmacies
(03:28):
and stops PBMs from limiting an individual's access to a
drug from a pharmacy by classifying it as a specialty drug.
Senator Kaylor continues local pharmacies service trusted healthcare resources, particularly
in underserved and rural communities. This law protects consumers and
community pharmacies from PBM harmful practices and prevents pharmacy deserts
across Illinois. Lower income Chicago residents will have one more
(03:51):
support in place to help them get back on their
feet and he finds or fees from traffic violations will
now be waived indefinitely thanks to a new law champion
by State Senator Or Savantes. What makes Illinois such a
great place to live, said Senator Savantes, is that we
show up for one another, and we believe in second chances.
We do not believe someone should be forced into homelessness
because they can't afford to pay a speeding ticket. This
(04:12):
new law extends grace to some of the most vulnerable
members of our community, and I am proud to be
a leader in getting it passed. The Cook County Traffic
Fee Waiver Program was established in twenty twenty one and
made fees, fines, and costs due to traffic violations eligible
for a waiver in Cook County for people suffering financially.
Thanks to this program, judges in the county have evaluated
applications to grant fee waivers under the program over the
(04:34):
last three years. However, the program had a sunset date
for twenty twenty four, which was recently extended through this year,
but as it is currently written, would need to be
renewed annually to still be operational. Senator Savantes's law removes
the need for the program to be renewed. Instead, it
establishes it as a permanent option for Cook County residents
and ensure as low income residents will be met with
compassion when facing an expensive traffic fee. Senator Savantes continues,
(04:58):
the past three years of this pilot pro has demonstrated
how helpful it is to chicagoan's It is a clear
decision to extend the program indefinitely and help prevent thousands
of residents who are in stressful financial situations from losing
everything over a small mistake.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
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
of the State podcast series, as well as our Spanish version,
estadodella Stado 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, Anddorra
(05:40):
and more. From the Springfield Office of Senate to President
Don Harmon, I'm Colby Huff
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