SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine supported legislation to extend the number of business days Cook County taxpayers have to file a property tax appeal, standardizing the length of time taxpayers have to work through the appeals process.

“The property tax appeal process is often daunting for homeowners, and the current deadline established based on calendar days results in inequities among taxpayers and townships,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This legislation will make the appeals process fairer for Cook County homeowners, giving them more time to attend workshops to help with this process, file and defend their appeal.”

The Cook County Assessor’s filing deadlines for taxpayer appeals can vary from year to year. This year, the assessor’s office established a deadline of 30 calendar days for filing complaints. However, the available business days for filing were different in each township after factoring in weekends and holidays, varying from 19 to 22 business days.

Senate Bill 1988 would establish uniform filing periods to ensure homeowners have adequate time to address their complaints to the assessor. The measure requires the Cook County Assessor to accept appeals for at least 30 business days after the date the increased property assessment was mailed or published on the assessor’s website.

Senate Bill 1988 heads to the governor for final consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans will soon have annual mental health wellness visits covered under their insurance at no additional cost, thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine.

“Much like annual checkups for your physical health, annual mental health visits allow specialists to identify or address underlying mental health concerns or new symptoms that may have come up in the past year,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Offering these annual visits at no additional cost will encourage people to treat their mental health as seriously as their physical health, and seek this form of health care that everyone can benefit from.”

House Bill 2847 requires health insurance plans under the Insurance Code, State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code and the School Code to cover annual mental health checkups and wellness visits starting in 2025.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine released the following statement after the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the General Assembly’s assault weapons ban:

“As a member of the community neighboring Highland Park, I saw up close the devastation these weapons can levy on our communities. I am grateful for the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the assault weapons ban that will prevent further tragedies from taking place.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine and State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz’s initiative to limit the consumption of single-use plastics and polystyrene by state agencies has just been signed into law. The Degradable Plastic Act, SB 58, prioritizes sustainability by banning the purchase or use of polystyrene or styrofoam by state agencies and universities by January 1, 2025.

“By finding environmentally friendly alternatives to styrofoam, this new law allows the state government to lead the way in protecting our environment,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Because it is so lightweight and easily breaks apart into smaller pieces, styrofoam tends to drift away. Since it is used so much in disposable packaging, polystyrene is one of the largest causes of global pollution.”

"For years, non-biodegrade pollutants like polystyrene have piled up in landfills, clogged bodies of water and left unsightly imprints on cities and towns across America. Banning these pollutants will prevent that contamination from spreading further," said Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview). "There is a lot more progress to make, but Illinois is committed to a greener future. Today we are taking a major step to crack down on this enduring threat to our environment."