June 30th, 2011
Now that the Springfield legislative session is over, I wanted to share with you a few items I have been proud to have accomplished so far this year. While the task has been daunting, I have been committed to fighting for our community, our families, and our values. When I ran to be your Representative last year, I pledged to you that my main priorities would be to continue my lifelong fight to improve health care for Illinois families, reform education and pursue smart economic growth. These efforts go beyond just voting on or supporting legislation, it is building coalitions, meeting with our neighbors to develop ideas, and taking action. We still have much to do to get the state back on the right track, but I am glad we finally made some real progress.
Improving the economy
The high cost of workers compensation and its affect on job creation was a major concern of businesses in our community and throughout the State. It took a coalition approach to address this issue, and I believe the bill we passed to reform the workers compensation system will make a significant impact, saving Illinois businesses as much as $700 million each year. In addition, we are working in complementary paths to ensure we have an educated workforce and a good transportation system (roads, trains and airports) that are critical components job creation and business development in our region.
I am also spearheading an exciting new initiative that is designed to leverage our state’s strong intellectual capital to accelerate new science- and technology-based start-up companies. As the co-chair of the new Legislative Research and Development Caucus, we have been working to help new start- up companies connect new research with companies interested in bringing the research to market.
Education Reform
When we send our children to school, we expect nothing but the best for them. Excellence in schools is something our community values highly. This Spring, we passed landmark bipartisan reforms to our public education system. By bringing to the table teachers unions, reform advocates, and legislators, we were able to design a reform package that will help us in the near term to get our public education system back on track. Unlike Wisconsin, where unreasonable reforms were imposed on the system unilaterally, teachers were vilified, and a new battle has emerged that will be fought for decades, Illinois will have high performing teachers with improved student learning right away.
The reforms focus on identifying and retaining talented teachers by giving more weight to teacher performance. Seniority would no longer be the deciding factor in determining layoffs, hiring and certification, and the rules for tenure are changed to account for teacher performance.
Additionally, teacher performance evaluations will be implemented with additional standards that highlight the difference between teachers who continue to need improvement and professional development, and teachers who are proficient in their classroom instruction. The goal of the measure is to ensure that proficient teachers are in classrooms, and teachers who are not meeting standards are able to work to address and improve their performance.
Health Care
This Spring, the General Assembly established a committee to review the design of an Illinois Healthcare Exchange as a key element of implementing national healthcare reform. I expect to be a key member of the committee that will begin working this summer. The Exchange will be a transparent comparison model for individuals and businesses to purchase insurance on the market.
Additionally, I supported the passage of three important health-related bills this year. The Mental Health Parity Act requires insurance companies in Illinois to treat mental health services the same way physical health services are paid. Also, the Patients Right to Know Act re-establishes a data base of physicians with information about any professional or legal trouble, so patients can make informed choices. Furthermore, in response to abuses in state funded community integrated living arrangements, we passed a law that protects residents by responding more quickly to reported incidences and increasing penalties.
Highlights of Legislative Successes
To protect Illinois residents and increase public safety, I passed House Bill 1338, requiring the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to develop an immunization data registry to collect, store, analyze, release and report immunization data. The data in the registry will be used to avoid over-immunization, evaluate coverage rates, establish underserved areas and document that required immunizations have been properly provided for school or child care admission. As part of the legislation, confidential information can only be released to another state’s immunization data registry; health care providers or designees; local health departments; elementary or secondary schools, licensed child care centers, or colleges or universities that are attended by the individual; and licensed child placing agencies. Any person who knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly discloses confidential information contained in the registry will be committing a class A misdemeanor.
I am also proud to have passed House Bill 1706 that allows a student to receive home or hospital tutoring if he or she will be absent from school due to a medical condition. As part of this measure, home or hospital tutoring must start within five days of the school district receiving a doctor’s note requesting the instruction. Currently, for a student to qualify for home or hospital tutoring, a student must be unable to attend school for at least two weeks in a row or on an ongoing intermittent basis. A student needs a doctor’s note stating the medical condition, impact on the student’s education and anticipated time away from school.
In response to Evanston’s interest in looking at offshore wind energy that will help the environment while potentially creating more jobs, I passed House Bill 1558, creating the Lake Michigan Offshore Wind Energy Advisory Council Act. The new advisory council will be a separate entity within the Department of Natural Resources charged with examining certain topics related to offshore wind energy facilities on Lake Michigan. The council will report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly by next year.
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