SPRINGFIELD – Illinois newborns will now be tested for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) under a proposal passed by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) that was signed into law on Tuesday.

“Medical advancements have made all the difference in treating this horrific disease that affects our youngest children,” Morrison said. “Including testing for SMA in regular newborn screenings will ensure treatment can begin immediately to prevent the disease from progressing and causing life-time harm or even death.”

Morrison’s new law, passed under Senate Bill 456, requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to test for SMA during the newborn screening test. The department is required by the new law to begin testing by 2020 at the latest.

Read more ...

SPRINGFIELD – Every school bus in Illinois carrying children will now be required to use the stop signal arm and flashing signal lights under a proposal signed into law today that was passed by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) earlier this year.

Current state law gives an exception and even prohibits school buses from using the safety technology if students are not being transported to school or if the bus is not being used for specific youth camp or child care purposes.

“Any school bus transporting children should without exception be using the safety equipment already installed,” Morrison said. “This is an example of state bureaucracy getting in the way of common sense.”

Read more ...

SPRINGFIELD – A proposal by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) that would allow home nurses and members of law enforcement to safely dispose of unused liquid medication was signed into law on Friday.

“A key component in our fight against the opioid crisis is limiting access to highly addictive painkillers and other drugs,” Morrison said. “While we have seen success in combating doctor shopping and the over-prescribing of opioids, we must also ensure leftover painkillers – especially in home health situations – are disposed of and not readily available for potential abuse.”

The new law, passed under House Bill 1338, would expand the ability of nurses and law enforcement to properly dispose of leftover medications.

Read more ...

Fire agencies from Elgin to Lake Michigan responded to the massive structural fire that destroyed three apartment buildings and displaced nearly 100 families in Prospect Heights yesterday.

Remarkably, and thankfully, no one was seriously injured or killed in the fire.

“Under very difficult conditions, firefighters from across our region worked tirelessly to contain this massive blaze,” State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) said. “While the destruction is widespread, the coordination of our brave firefighters kept this fire from spreading to even more structures and potentially causing loss of life.”

Displaced families are already receiving services from the American Red Cross, including temporary shelter placements and casework assistance to replace vital documents and other important items.

“In the days and weeks ahead, families will need our help replacing household and personal items that were destroyed,” Morrison said. “So many families have lost so much from this fire. It is my hope that working together with relief agencies and stakeholders in the area that we can bring as much stability back to these families lives as possible.”

Interested in helping?

Click here to donate to the American Red Cross

Check back to see how else you can help displaced families.