SPRINGFIELD –   In an effort to protect individuals from certain illnesses, State Senator Laura Fine championed a law to require insurance coverage for the administration of yearly vaccines.

“Choosing to be vaccinated for COVID or the common flu is a personal decision that allows an individual to look after their own wellbeing,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Patients seeking to protect their health are now able to do so without the added barrier vaccination administration costs can present.”

Although there may not be a cost for the vaccine, there are times when patients are required to pay the vaccine administration fee. Under SB 2744, all state-regulated insurance plans would be required to cover the administration fees associated with COVID-19 vaccines, flu vaccines and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines, beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to reduce the amount of plastic waste across Illinois, State Senator Laura Fine championed a law to phase out the use of small, single-use plastic bottles in hotels.

“Tiny plastic bottles provided by hotels that contain personal care products, like shampoo and conditioner, produce unnecessary plastic pollution,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “By taking an environmentally conscious approach to hospitality, we can reduce plastic pollution across the state and throughout our waterways.”

Sen. Fine’s law, known as the Small Single-Use Plastic Bottle Act, requires hotels with 50 or more rooms to eliminate the use of small, single-use plastic bottles containing personal care products in individual rooms and public bathrooms beginning July 1, 2025. By Jan. 1, 2026, all hotels with fewer than 50 rooms are expected to make this transition.

SPRINGFIELD – Families dealing with substance use disorder face many uncertainties. When a loved one is in treatment, their families hope they are in the safest place possible. In the unfortunate event of an unexpected death, families and caregivers deserve timely notice of their loved one’s passing. Thanks to a bill spearheaded by State Senator Laura Fine, mental health facilities and substance abuse programs will now be required to provide transparent communication regarding a patient’s death.

“It is heartbreaking to lose a loved one, and it is unconscionable that there would be a delay in notification,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “No family should experience this unnecessary pain.”

Jordan’s Law is named in honor of an Evanston family who shared their story about their son, Jordan, who passed away while in a rehab facility. The family was not immediately notified of their son’s death. To ensure no other family would have to experience this, Jordan’s law will require substance abuse disorder programs and mental health and developmental disability facilities to notify a patient’s personal representative of their death within 24 hours and provide a written notice within five days.

SPRINGFIELD – Individuals who are prescribed at-home pregnancy tests will soon have the costs of these tests covered by insurance, thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine.

“A part of expanding access to health care services is identifying the barriers individuals face every day,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “That is why I worked with Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl to assist individuals afford the costs of these pregnancy tests.”

The new law requires all state-based insurance plans and Medicaid to provide coverage for prescribed at-home pregnancy tests, regardless if the tests are available over-the-counter. The measure limits the number of tests to two every 30 days, except under Medicaid, where it is limited to a multipack every 30 days.