Senator Halpin finds a way to get children the benefits they deserve

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that would help stop parents who do not have primary custody of their child from skipping on child support payments.

"This is an important initiative to ensure that parents who refuse to pay their child support can be tracked and held accountable," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "This is a step in the right direction to ensure that children receive the support they need and deserve."

House Bill 3301 would include independent contractors in the definition of "employee" so that anyone who reports income on 1099 forms as an independent contractor would be reported to the National Directory of New Hires registry. The registry was established in 1996 to help track parents who are delinquent on child support payments across state lines.

Under current law, parents can avoid the state database by not self-reporting income because they don’t receive a W-2. Under House Bill 3301, the parent’s 1099 would be reported to the database so the state will know approximately how much income was earned and can enter a court order to pay.

House Bill 3301 makes this change to recognize the need to prevent parents who do not have custody of the child and who are avoiding their child support payments from skirting reporting requirements by filing a 1099 instead of a W-2.

House Bill 3301 passed the Senate Labor Committee on Wednesday and awaits consideration before the full Senate.

Senator Mike Halpin advances legislation to limit EpiPen costs

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that limits the cost of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors, commonly known by the brand name EpiPens, to a maximum of $60 per twin-pack.

"No family should have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and putting food on the table," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "This legislation is a major step towards making EpiPens more affordable and accessible to all Illinoisans who need them."

Epinephrine Auto-Injectors are the only medication that works on the entire body to combat anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal allergic reaction. However, since 2017, a global shortage of these devices has made this medication increasingly difficult to obtain. Parts of the United States have experienced shortages since 2018, with the FDA permitting an extension of the recommended shelf life of EpiPens to combat the shortage.

In addition to the shortage, the cost of EpiPens has skyrocketed in recent years, with a twin pack costing anywhere from $500-700 on average, and a single injector costing anywhere from $300-400. This has placed a significant financial burden on families who need to keep multiple EpiPens on hand for emergencies.

“This is a major victory for families struggling to afford this life-saving medication,” said Halpin. “With corporate profits at an all-time high, it’s time to say enough is enough. People’s lives shouldn’t depend on whether or not they can come up with $500 bucks.”

House Bill 3639 passed the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday and awaits consideration before the full Senate.

Halpin leads measure to increase access to higher education

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that aims to increase access to higher education by modernizing and removing barriers to student directory information. 

“By expanding access to student directory information, we can ensure that students are presented options and can make informed decisions about their future,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “We want to keep Illinois students in Illinois for higher education, and this information will help.”

One of the key components of the legislation is expanding access to student directory information to public higher education institutions in Illinois. By Jan. 1, 2024, student directory information must be made available electronically through a secure centralized data system for official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States and to public higher education institutions in Illinois. This will allow colleges and universities to reach high school students more effectively, at a lower cost, and inform them of educational and career opportunities for their school.

Currently, a school board can provide student directory information including a student's name, address and telephone number to official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States for the purpose of informing students of educational and career opportunities. House Bill 3759 expands this by allowing school boards to provide student directory information to institutions of higher education for the purposes of informing students of educational and career opportunities for their school.

“The goal of the legislation is to get more information about in-state universities to high school students in Illinois,” said Halpin.

House Bill 3759 advanced through the Senate Higher Education Committee and awaits further consideration before the full Senate.

EMT recruitment legislation sponsored by Halpin, Anderson passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Mike Halpin passed a measure through the Senate aimed at creating incentives to recruit much-needed emergency medical technicians in Illinois fire departments.

“Now that we’ve gotten this passed, we need to ensure the money is appropriated in this year’s budget,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “I look forward to working with Senator Anderson to get it done.”

Senate Bill 1750 would require the board of trustees of a fire protection district to reimburse the mandatory training expenses of EMTs, EMT-Is, A-EMTs or paramedics who are employed by or under contract with the district. The mandatory training expenses would be covered by a state-funded program.

EMTs are essential first responders in emergency situations and are often the first point of contact for patients. However, many fire departments in Illinois are struggling to recruit and retain EMTs due to the high cost of training and certification. Senate Bill 1750 would provide a much-needed incentive for candidates to pursue a career in emergency medical services and help ensure that fire departments have the necessary personnel to respond to emergencies and save lives.

Senate Bill 1750 passed the Senate and awaits further action in the House.