Pritzker signs bills to aid seniors, veterans
By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – With the ongoing Illinois State Fair as a backdrop, Gov. JB Pritzker signed several bills into law in recent days during ceremonies that coincided with daily fair themes.
On Monday, which was Senior and Scout Day at the fair, Pritzker signed a package of bills aimed at improving health care for seniors, including those suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
“I am excited to sign four pieces of legislation that will make Illinois an even safer state for seniors,” Pritzker said at the signing ceremony. “Together, the steps we’re taking today mark a bipartisan commitment to ensuring that Illinois seniors can live their best lives.”
Senate Bill 677, by Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, and Rep. Kathleen Willis, D-Addison, requires all health care workers with a continuing education requirement as part of their license take at least a one-hour training course each renewal period on the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. That new requirement takes effect Jan. 1, 2023.
House Bill 848, by Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, and Sen. Melinda Bush, D-Grayslake, extends the Illinois Lottery’s special scratch-off game that helps fund Alzheimer’s care, support, education, and awareness to Jan. 1, 2025. It had been scheduled to expire in 2022.
House Bill 3147, by Manley and Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, addresses an issue that arose during the pandemic when patients in long-term care facilities were unable to communicate with family members due to lock-downs of those facilities. It requires those facilities to make “every reasonable effort” to facilitate at least one phone call or video call with a family member each day during a governor-declared disaster. It took effect immediately.
And House Bill 2570, by Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, and Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, allows drivers over age 55 to qualify for automobile insurance rate reductions by taking an online defensive driving course or accident prevention course, rather than an in-person course.
“The past year has been challenging for all of us, but especially for older adults,” said Paula Basta, director of the Illinois Department on Aging. “This package of legislation is about respecting yesterday, supporting today, and planning for tomorrow.”
Monday’s signing ceremony followed a similar ceremony Sunday, which was Veterans and Gold Star Families Day at the fair, during which Pritzker signed several bills dealing with services for military veterans and their families.
House Bill 1290, by Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, and Cullerton, amends the definition of “honorable discharge” for purposes of qualifying for state veterans benefits to include any type of discharge other than honorable if the only reason why they were discharged was due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.
According to the governor’s office, an estimated 13,000 enlisted members of the LGBTQ community were discharged under the military’s now-defunct “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.
House Bill 2776, by Rep. LaToya Greenwood, D-East St. Louis, and Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Swansea, provides for expedited licensing of service members or their spouses who hold professional licenses in other states and are stationed or deployed in Illinois. It requires the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to process those applications within 30 days of receiving them, rather than within 60 days after submission. It also updates statutes about licensure requirements.
House Bill 3865, by Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, and Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, requires private companies that provide military benefit services to disclose that the benefits are available without charge. It also makes it unlawful under the state’s Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to fail to make the required disclosure, fail to comply with fiduciary responsibilities under federal law, or to charge fees in violation of federal law.
Senate Bill 505, by Hastings and Rep. Dave Vella, D-Rockford, provides that members of the Illinois National Guard serving on state active duty, in addition to those serving in a federal duty or in training status, shall have a state flag presented to their next of kin upon their death.
Senate Bill 2089, by Belt and Greenwood, requires the Department of Natural Resources to fly POW/MIA flags, in addition to the United States and Illinois flags, at all state parks, effective Jan. 1, 2022. It also requires the department to have flags at all national parks in the state within five years of the effective date.
House Bill 1915, by Rep. Michael Marron, R-Fithian, and Sen. Scott Bennett, D-Champaign, allows the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs to create a “Fold of Honor” decal for state license plates to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps provide educational scholarships for the families of fallen and disabled service members.
And House Bill 2984, by Rep. Randy Frese, R-Paloma, and Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, establishes the first Saturday in May as “Veterans Gardening Day,” to honor and remember veterans.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
‘Curtis got it done’
Spread the love. Pete’s Fresh Market opens at 87/Kedzie . By Tim Hadac A grand opening that wasn’t supposed to happen…happened in Ashburn this month. For 18th Ward Ald. Derrick G. Curtis, architect of the development, it was a time of joy and nervous energy. “I didn’t get any sleep last night,” he told several…
Learning history is fun, honest
Spread the love Seventh and eighth graders from Our Lady of the Snows School clamor to rub the nose of a bust of President Abraham Lincoln during a field trip to Springfield earlier this month. Rubbing the nose of the famous bust of Honest Abe–a part of the tomb of the nation’s 16th President–is said…
Fight to save ShotSpotter is still alive
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . As you have read several times in the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound, the people of Clearing and Garfield Ridge are clear in their support of keeping ShotSpotter technology deployed in Chicago, to help police fight crime. So I won’t go over old…
63rd Street getting a facelift
Spread the love. Quinn hails federally funded resurfacing project . By Tim Hadac The old joke about there being not four seasons, but just two in Chicago each year—winter and construction—was apparent late last week as heavy equipment arrived in Clearing. As 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn and other city officials gathered for an outdoor…
Tabares blasts Foxx over ‘no seizure’ idea
Spread the love. Brands State’s Attorney as ‘pro-criminal’ . By Tim Hadac Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares this week blasted outgoing Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx over a possible change in how crimes are—or are not–prosecuted.Foxx recently said she is considering a plan to decline to prosecute weapons and drug crimes detected by routine…
School can get messy
Spread the love Second grader Weronika Kozielec squirts ketchup on the head of Our Lady of the Snows School Principal Christina Avis at a recent gathering in the parking lot of the school, 4810 S. Leamington. But the condiment was not all that was dumped on the principal. Students, faculty and staff laughed and cheered…
Brother, what a day today is
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . May 24 is National Brothers Day. The word “brother” comes from the Latin root for “frater” and the Proto-Germanic word “brothar” which itself comes from the Proto-Indo-European root “bhrater.” I’m sure everyone already knows that, but…
May your Memorial Day be meaningful
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . I hope we all will have a meaningful Memorial Day. Let us remember that this day is set to honor military personnel who died in service of their country. Memorial Day also marks…
Neighbors
Oak Lawn Fourth of July festivities
Spread the loveCelebrate Independence Day at the Village of Oak Lawn’s annual Fourth of July Parade at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 29! This cherished community event brings together families, friends, and neighbors to honor the spirit of freedom and patriotism. Parade will step off at 95th Street and Lacrosse and head west on 95th…
District 230 names Director of Safety and Security
Spread the loveFrom staff reports The Consolidated High School District 230 Board of Education approved Dr. Mary Pat Carr as the district’s first Director of Security. She will move from her current position as Assistant Principal of Activities at Stagg High School to the Administrative Center on July 1. Her duties as Director of Safety…
Worth Public Library kicks off summer reading program
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Patrons at the Worth Public Library welcomed in the summer season earlier this month. The library, 6917 W. 111th St., hosted its annual celebration on June 1 to bring patrons of all ages out to sign up for its summer reading program. “We love any excuse to celebrate reading with…
Fire knocks out Orland’s UFC Gym
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A fire last Thursday afternoon practically destroyed an Orland Park gym and knocked out neighboring businesses, as well. Orland Park firefighters received a call at 2:31 p.m. June 20 for a reported fire in the UFC Gym located at 66 Orland Square Drive Unit C. Multiple 911 calls were received for a…
Chicago Ridge Fire Chief Bonnar retires
Spread the loveStarted his 50-year career as Orland Park cadet By Dermot Connolly Chicago Ridge Fire Chief William Bonnar officially announced his retirement from a nearly 50-year career at the June 18 Village Board meeting. Mayor Jack Lind made the announcement “with great regret,” joking that “he doesn’t have the age to retire but he…
Stagg tabs Allee Hernandez to guide girls hoops
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Allee Hernandez has accrued many years of basketball experience as a player and as an assistant coach. She will soon embark on a new experience as a head coach at Stagg, where she will be the Chargers first new head coach in 16 seasons. She succeeds Bill Turner, who…
Shepard’s yearbook wins national recognition
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Shepard High School students have worked tirelessly to create a yearbook for this academic year that was nationally recognized. The high school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Palos Heights, was chosen as a Yearbook Excellence Contest recipient from Walsworth Publishing Company, a family-owned printing company based out of Marceline, Missouri.…
Hickory Hills man charged in grandfather’s murder
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam A 32-year-old Hickory Hills man has been charged with first-degree murder in the June 21 death of his 90-year-old grandfather. Dean J. Faulk was charged on June 22 with the June 21 murder of Dean L. Faulk. Police said they responded to a call at 9:45 a.m. June 21 at…
Orland Park Public Library kicks off summer
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Summer is nearly here and the Orland Park Public Library is ready for it. On June 8, the library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave., hosted its second annual Summer Reading Challenge Kick-Off event themed, Read, Renew, Repeat. “There are multiple interpretations to this theme,” Jackie Boyd, Communications Manager at the Orland…
llinois VFW names Porfirio Senator of the Year
Spread the loveIllinois Veterans of Foreign Wars recently selected state Senator Mike Porfirio as the Senator of the Year. “I’m deeply honored to receive this prestigious award from the Illinois VFW,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “I am committed to ensuring our veterans receive the protections, care and dignity they deserve. This recognition is a testament…
