SPRINGFIELD – In order to protect community based foster care agencies from the increasing costs and the decreasing availability of liability insurance, State Senator Laura Fine passed legislation to analyze the current foster care liability insurance landscape in Illinois.

“Foster care and adoption services must maintain liability coverage to operate in the state,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Without sustainable insurance options, these foster agencies are at risk of shutting down altogether.”

 Agencies are required to carry liability insurance to protect the 13,000 children in their care.  Many carriers are no longer offering this line of insurance, and only two carriers offer liability insurance for foster care providers in the state. This has resulted in higher costs and limited coverage.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine has introduced Senate Bill 2712, comprehensive legislation to protect access to essential services and strengthen privacy when federal immigration enforcement occurs at schools, hospitals, or in local communities across Illinois.

“Making sure that people feel safe in our communities, schools, and hospitals is our responsibility as lawmakers in Illinois,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This bill gives teachers, essential healthcare workers, and law enforcement the tools to do their jobs while keeping our neighborhoods safe from fear-based enforcement and federal overreach."

This legislation includes several key provisions:

SPRINGFIELD – To increase transparency and provide additional data on opioid overdose in Illinois, State Senator Laura Fine passed a law to enhance reporting standards.

“Opioid overdoses impact the lives of thousands of Illinoisans every year,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Additional data and transparency is critical to implement future life-saving measures.”

Expanding on existing requirements for overdose reporting, Fine’s law ensures all municipalities report overdoses using the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program tool – a free web-based tool that works to provide the most up-to-date suspected overdose surveillance data to support public safety and health efforts. This law requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to work with stakeholders to utilize overdose data collected by EMTs to identify areas of need and bolster harm reduction efforts. It also strengthens patient protections to ensure ODMAP data is used to guide public health strategies, not for law enforcement purposes.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Fine has championed a new law to strengthen employee protections by clarifying unlawful labor practices related to workplace harassment and discrimination.

“We can only strengthen Illinois’ workforce and attract new talent when workers are guaranteed a fair and respectful environment,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Those who experience or witness harassment or discrimination must feel safe and supported when coming forward.”

Building on existing protections against workplace discrimination and harassment, Fine’s law includes crucial safeguards in the workplace by prohibiting employers from imposing unlawful restrictions on their employees through workplace confidentiality agreements.