SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) joined her colleagues and health advocates at a press conference in the Capitol this afternoon to announce a renewed effort to combat teen smoking by raising the age to legally purchase tobacco products in Illinois to 21.

Today’s press conference comes after a recent study by the American Lung Association that highlights Illinois’ failure to do enough to cut down on tobacco and e-cigarette use.

“Illinois has a real opportunity to make a major impact to bring down smoking rates among teenagers,” Morrison said. “Tobacco 21 will reduce access in our young populations, bring down overall smoking rates over time and save the state millions in health care costs.”

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) applauded Gov. Pritzker for signing Senate Bill 337, a gun dealer certification measure that became law this morning.

“This law will make our communities safer by bringing more transparency and accountability to the process of purchasing a weapon,” said Morrison, a chief co-sponsor of Senate Bill 337 and ardent supporter of sensible efforts to curb gun violence in Illinois.

The measure requires firearms dealers to certify with the Illinois State Police, train employees in conducting background checks and take steps to prevent theft that leads to firearms trafficking.

“Legislators on both sides of the aisle negotiated several years to make this bill happen,” Morrison said. “I am pleased that we now have one more tool to help fight gun violence across our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) was sworn in to the Illinois Senate this afternoon at an inauguration event at the state Capitol.

“I am humbled to serve the many suburban residents who call our local communities home,” Morrison said. “While the last few years have been incredibly difficult for the State of Illinois and its residents, I remain hopeful that in the coming years we come together in a bipartisan fashion to confront the serious issues facing Illinois.”

In the upcoming 101^st legislative session, Morrison has vowed to continue working to reduce the threat of gun violence, ensure Illinois’ most vulnerable residents have access to quality and essential services and increase transparency and efficiency in all levels of state government.

Senate District 29 includes portions of the North Suburbs of Chicago in Lake and Cook Counties, including all or portions of Highland Park, Deerfield, Lake Forest, Buffalo Grove and Wheeling.

A lawsuit against the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) regarding the continuing problem of children being held in psychiatric hospitals longer than medically necessary was filed recently by the Cook County Public Guardian.

Senate Human Services Chair Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) has been working with advocates on solutions to the issue for months.

“It is shameful that is has taken legal action on behalf of abused or neglected children for the state to do what is both morally and legally right,” Morrison said. “No child should languish in a psychiatric hospital for longer than necessary. These children are vulnerable and the state needs to step up and start taking their care seriously.”

After a ProPublica Illinois report was released this summer highlighting the problem, Morrison convened a hearing in Chicago to seek solutions to the issue. The hearing highlighted the lack of adequate placements for children when leaving hospitals and the lack of front-end community resources to support children suffering from mental illness.

Morrison first brought attention to the issue in 2015, when she filed Senate Resolution 140 seeking an audit to determine just how pervasive the issue of longer than necessary psychiatric stays. At the time, the DCFS did not track and could not provide information requested in Morrison’s resolution.