SPRINGFIELD – Higher education institutions in Illinois will soon be required to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities if they meet transparent eligibility requirements thanks to an initiative from State Senator Laura Fine that was signed by the governor on Friday.

“Students should not have to face roadblocks or jump through hoops to receive accommodations for their disabilities,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This law will ensure students will not face unnecessary hurdles to access the support they need.”

Currently, federal law only protects students with disabilities seeking public higher education from being discriminated against based on their disability and does not outline the need for reasonable academic accommodations past high school. Senate Bill 99 establishes a process for students with disabilities to receive reasonable accommodations from public universities and colleges.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine recognizes crucial investments in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget that will help transform the behavioral and mental health care system for children.

“When a caregiver is looking to treat their child’s physical health needs, there is easily accessible information on where to go. This information needs to be just as accessible when caregivers are seeking to support their child’s mental health,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This budget’s investment in the Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative will help normalize treating mental health concerns in children and ensure essential treatment is available for the kids who need it most.”

The FY 2024 budget invests nearly $23 million to implement the new Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative. This plan is based on findings from a year’s worth of research on how to make mental and behavioral health care more accessible for our state’s children and adolescents. Based on this research, the initiative will transform statewide systems to provide clear guidance to families seeking behavioral or mental health services, as well as increasing capacity so youth in need have access to essential resources and care.

SPRINGFIELD – Between 2013 and 2021, health care costs increased by 25% causing Illinoisans to spend, on average, over $7,000 on healthcare per person. In order to protect consumers and small businesses from excessive insurance premium increases, State Senator Laura Fine sponsored House Bill 2296, which would require the state to review and approve health insurance rate changes and make the process more transparent.

“Since becoming a legislator, I have been a fierce consumer advocate to provide quality, affordable healthcare to Illinois residents,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative empowers the Department of Insurance to reject unsubstantiated increases in insurance premiums and provides essential transparency to the process.”

House Bill 2296 protects consumers by giving the Illinois Department of Insurance (DOI) the authority to approve, modify, or deny excessive premium rate increases for individuals and small businesses. The legislation would also provide transparency on the process of insurance plans changing their rates by requiring DOI to post proposed rates on their website with space for members of the public to comment.

SPRINGFIELD – To encourage Illinoisans to take care of their mental health and explore our state’s natural resources, State Senator Laura Fine is sponsoring a resolution declaring July 15 “Unplug Illinois Day.”

“It is so easy to get caught up in our phones and electronics that we forget to take time to take care of our mental health and connect with nature,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Having a day dedicated to unplugging from our devices will help us reconnect with our environment, our friends and ourselves.”

Unplug Illinois Day is a public service campaign by the Illinois Park and Recreation Association to highlight the value of “unplugging,” or taking a break from electronic devices to enjoy the outdoors. It aims to bring awareness to the staggering amount of time people spend on their phones or computers, and the positive impact unplugging can have on people’s health.