Villivalam: We must acknowledge the crisis of democracy we currently face

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) voted to pass two sweeping ethics measures out of the Illinois Senate today. The legislation enhances current ethics laws and creates a bipartisan commission to make recommendations on where the laws can be strengthened.

“We must acknowledge the crisis of democracy we currently face,” Villivalam said. “We need to continue to work on regaining faith in government – both in Springfield and in Washington. We must work to restore public trust so future generations can have an accountable, democratic form of government.”

Senate Bill 1639 creates the following reforms:

• Increases what must be disclosed on a Statement of Economic Interests.
• Requires the secretary of state to create a database of lobbyist contributions, statements of economic interests filed by State officials, among other items.
• Requires lobbyists to disclose their subcontractors.

House Joint Resolution 93 creates the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform. The Commission will consist of 16 members appointed by legislative leaders, the governor, the secretary of state and the attorney general. No member may have been a lobbyist in the past five years. The Commission will hold a series of public hearings to review various ethics laws and make final recommendations by March 31, 2020.

In addition to this measure, Senator Villivalam plans to introduce other pieces of ethics legislation that would reform campaign finance laws, address conflicts of interest and make the Legislative Inspector General truly independent.

Senate Bill 1639 awaits the governor’s signature.

Villivalam: We must end pharmaceutical price gouging

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) supported legislation that would end pharmaceutical price gouging practices for prescription insulin.

“This is a matter of values,” Villivalam said. “We need to value people over profits and ensure that everyone has access to the health care they need to survive.”

The measure would cap prescription insulin copayments at $100 per 30-day supply. It also directs the attorney general to investigate rising prescription insulin costs and to make pro-consumer recommendations to the General Assembly.

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, 7.4 million of which require prescription insulin every day to survive. The price of insulin has tripled between 2002 and 2013, which has led to many patients rationing their insulin and sacrificing other daily needs to pay for insulin.

If passed into law, Illinois would be the second state to cap insulin copayments. Colorado passed a similar law earlier this year.

Senate Bill 667 passed in the Senate and will move to the House for consideration.

Villivalam appointed to Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership

CHICAGO — State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) has been appointed by Senate President John Cullerton to serve on the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership.

“Everyone deserves easy access to mental health services. Right now, young people in our state are faced with obstacles when trying to receive timely, appropriate treatment,” Villivalam said. “I look forward to working with parents, teachers, advocates, community leaders, law enforcement and medical experts to ensure that every child struggling with mental health and their families have access to a full array of mental health services when and where they need it most.”

The Illinois Children’s Mental Health Partnership (ICMHP) is the only statewide, public/private partnership of policymakers in Illinois committed to improving the scope, quality and access of mental health programs services and support for children. The ICMHP was created by the Children’s Mental Health Act in 2003 to convene the child-serving state agencies, parents, youth, policymakers, providers, and advocates to identify needs and gaps, and recommend innovative solutions to improve children’s mental health in Illinois

Over the past 10 years, the ICMHP has made progress in improving children’s mental health through collective efforts such as raising awareness through the Say It Out Loud Campaign to help reduce stigma and empower children and families to talk about mental health, early childhood mental health consultation, implementation of the Illinois Social and Emotional Standards, community-based linkage to services for youth discharged from correctional facilities, and statewide expansion of Screening Assessment and Support Services Program. 

Villivalam’s appointment is effective immediately, and will expire Jan. 13, 2021.

New Illinois Law Requires Panic Buttons for Hotel and Casino Staff

Originally published in Security Magazine, Sept. 15, 2019.

“No one deserves to feel unsafe in their work environment,” Villivalam said. “By following the example of some of the nation’s most populous cities, we will provide a safer and more productive workplace to those who work at these facilities.”

Hotels and casinos in Illinois will soon be required to have anti-sexual harassment policies that include, for certain workers, access to a safety button or notification device that alerts security staff.

The Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act that was signed into law by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker requires all employees working alone in guest rooms, restrooms or casino floors to be supplied with a safety or notification device at no cost to them. It also prohibits employer retaliation against workers who use the device or disclose, report or testify about violations of the act.

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