Bill expands access to abortion, genderaffirming treatments

The minimum wage increase is actually the result of a 2019 law that phases in a state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025. This year, it will increase by one dollar to $12 an hour.

The law allowing public housing tenants to keep pets is the result of Senate Bill 154, by Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora, and Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego. It provides that tenants of multifamily housing units that are acquired, built or renovated with money from the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund may keep up to two cats or one dog weighing less than 50 pounds.

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed a bill into law Friday expanding access to abortion and other reproductive health care services.

House Bill 4664, passed Tuesday during the General Assembly’s “lame duck” session, came in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and declaring that the federal constitution does not protect a woman’s right to abortion.

It applies to residents of housing units that are designated as affordable housing for low- and very-lowincome families. The bill passed both chambers in its final form on May 30 and Gov. JB Pritzker signed it into law Aug. 6.

That decision triggered the reinstatement of long-dormant laws in other states that either banned or imposed severe restrictions on the procedure and prompted other states to impose new restrictions, resulting in a wave of patients from those states seeking services in Illinois, where abortion remains legally protected.

Other new laws include:

Vehicle taxes: SB58 raises the private vehicle tax, which is a sales tax paid on the purchase of vehicles, by $75 for each model year where the purchase price is less than $15,000 and by $100 for vehicles priced above that amount. However, the registration fee for trailers weighing less than 3,000 pounds will drop to $36 instead of $118.

“The U.S. Supreme Court has forced women, especially those most marginalized, to flee their home states in search of safe health care,” Pritzker said at a bill signing ceremony in Chicago. “Here in Illinois, we know we have an obligation to support and protect reproductive freedom for our residents, and those who seek safe haven. And we must protect our doctors and nurses to the right to reproductive health care that has been the law of the land in Illinois and across the nation, really, for 50 years.”

The bill aims to address the increased demand for abortion services in Illinois by expanding the list of providers qualified to perform the procedure to include advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants when general anesthesia is not required. It also provides an expedited process for health care providers licensed in other states to obtain temporary licenses to practice in Illinois.

The bill also provides legal protections to health care providers who are sanctioned in other states if those sanctions are based solely on the fact that they performed a medical procedure that is legal in Illinois. That includes abortion services as well as “gender-affirming” treatments for transgender individuals.

It also guaranties that abortion medications, HIV prevention drugs known as PEP and PrEP, and gender-affirming care will be covered by state-regulated insurance plans at no extra cost to consumers and requires local government employers to offer insurance plans that provide coverage for these treatments, as well as for birth control.

“Last year when the Supreme Court took away our freedoms, when they overturned Roe, Illinois immediately felt the impact as state after state moved to ban or severely restrict abortion access,” Jennifer Welch, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois, said during the event. “Sometimes it looks like a race to the bottom in our neighbor states. And those same states are hostile to the LGBT community, restricting access to gender-affirming health care, equality, marriage equality and many other rights.”

The new law takes effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide, as well as hundreds of radio and TV stations. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.

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College admissions: HB226, establishing the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act, prohibits public colleges and universities from requiring applicants to submit SAT, ACT or other standardized test scores as part of the admissions process, although prospective students may choose to submit them if they wish.

South Suburban College Board Of Trustees

CELEBRATES MEN’S BASEBALL TEAM REGIONAL TITLE

sports teams, such as the Women’s Soccer Team and the Men’s Basketball Team, in successful runs.

CST Weekly, published weekly on Wednesdays and distributed in the Township of Bloom, (publishing 52 issues annually). W ritten permission is required to reproduce contents in whole or part from the General manager or the publisher CST Weekly does not assume the responsibility for nor are we able to return unsolicited marterials. Deadline for advertising is every Monday at noon. For information on subscriptions or advertising call us at (773) 783-1251. Our office is located at 8741 S. Greenwood Ave., Ste# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

CST Weekly,published weekly on Wednesdays and distributed in the Township of Bloom, (publishing 52 issuesannually). W ritten permission isrequired to reproduce contents inwholeor part from the Generalmanager or the publisher CST Weekly does not assume the responsibilityfor nor are weable to return unsolicited marterials. Deadline for advertising is everyMonday at noon. For information on subscriptions oradvertising call us at (773)783-1251. Our office is locatedat 8741S. Greenwood Ave., Ste# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

CST Weekly,published weekly on Wednesdays and distributed in the Township of Bloom, (publishing 52 issuesannually). W ritten permission isrequired to reproduce contents inwholeor part from the Generalmanager or the publisher CST Weekly does not assume the responsibilityfor nor are weable to return unsolicited marterials. Deadline for advertising is everyMonday at noon. For information on subscriptions oradvertising call us at (773)783-1251. Our office is locatedat 8741S. Greenwood Ave., Ste# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

Editorial: Send press releases,newstips, calendar listingetc. to: editorial@cstweekly.com

Editorial: Send press releases, news tips, calendar listing etc. to: editorial@cstweekly.com

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Drug prices: SB1682 requires pharmacies to post a notice informing consumers that they may request current pharmacy retail prices at the point of sale.

FOID card changes: HB562 enacts several changes to the Firearm Owner Identification card law. Among other things, it provides for a streamlined renewal process for FOID cards and Concealed Carry Licenses for people who voluntarily submit fingerprint records. It also allows the Illinois State Police to issue a combined FOID card and Concealed Carry License to qualified applicants, and it establishes a new Violent Crime Intelligence Task Force to take enforcement action against people with revoked FOID cards.

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Student mental health: HB576 and SB1577 allow students in Illinois up to five excused absences to attend to their mental or behavioral health without providing a medical note. Those students will be given an opportunity to make up any work they missed during the first absence and, after using a second mental health day, may be referred to the appropriate school support personnel. its public health authorities from regulating or shutting down lemonade stands or similar operations that are operated by children under the age of 16. Known as “Hayli’s Law,” it was inspired by 12-year-old Hayli Martinez, whose lemonade stand in Kankakee was shut down by local officials.

Official flags: HB605 requires state agencies and institutions to purchase Illinois and American flags that are made in the United States.

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL– South Suburban College (SSC) men’s baseball team was honored by the SSC Board of Trustees on Thursday, January 12, for receiving their fourteenth regional title from the National Junior College Athletic Association. The baseball team, coached by Steve Ruzich, has an overall record of 42-19 with a regional championship score of 9-8. “It was a challenging season dealing with the horrible spring weather. I am so proud of these players for what they accomplished. They were dedicated and worked hard, which is why they are champions,” stated Coach Ruzich. Coach Ruzich has had twenty-four players drafted by major league teams, including six players that have reached the big leagues. As a previous player, Steve was named second-team All-American Catcher, All-District Catcher, and All-Area Catcher.

Hair styles: SB817 prohibits discrimination in schools against individuals on the grounds of wearing natural or ethnic hairstyles, which include dreadlocks, braids, twists and afros.

During the evening board celebration, the SSC Board of Trustees acknowledged the accomplishments of Coach Ruzich and the baseball team while encouraging continued success in 2023. SSC Chairman Terry Wells added that the baseball team joins other successful SSC

Lemonade stands: SB119 prohib- www.citizennewspapergroup.com

Juneteenth: HB3922 recognizes June 19, or “Juneteenth,” as an official state holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the

United States. In June, President Joe Biden also signed a bill designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday.

“We should consider adding the school of champions to our moniker in the future, Congrats Team,” stated Chairman Wells. In an interview with the SSC PR team, baseball player Donavan Noble stated, “Being recognized by the SSC Board Members was an honor. Listening to what they said in terms of congratulating us meant a lot. I want to give a big thank you to all of them.” Noble stated that he looks forward to working with his teammates and reaching new heights as a team for the 2023 season.

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.

If you are interested in participating in the SSC Men’s Baseball program, contact Coach Steve Ruzich, Director of Athletics, at (708) 596-2000 ext. 5843 or via email at sruzich@ssc.edu<mailto:sruzich@ssc.edu>. The South Suburban College Main Campus is located at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois. The college’s extension site, the Oak Forest Center, is located at 16333 South Kilbourn Avenue, Oak Forest, Illinois.