Morrison advances proposal to help combat opioid crisis

• Health
• HB 1338
• Opioid Abuse

SPRINGFIELD – Home nurses and members of law enforcement would be able to safely dispose of unused liquid medication under a proposal sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) that advanced today in the Senate Public Health Committee.

“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.”

Morrison’s proposal, which is contained in House Bill 1338, would expand the ability of nurses and law enforcement to properly dispose of leftover medications.

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Coming Up: Town Hall in Highland Park

• Events
• Town Hall
• Highland Park

Join State Senator Julie Morrison for a Legislative Update Town Hall. The event will take place on Saturday, May 5 at 10:00a.m. at the Highland Park Library (494 Laurel Avenue, Highland Park).

Questions?

Contact Senator Morrison's office in Deerfield at (847) 945-5200.

Click on the flyer for more information

Morrison passes Tobacco 21 (VIDEO)

• Video
• Tobacco 21
• SB 2332

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) that would increase the age to legally purchase tobacco products in Illinois to 21 passed the Senate this afternoon.

“We know that adults rarely pick up a cigarette for the first time, making it so important to reduce access to tobacco for teenagers,” Morrison said. “The more we can limit the availability of tobacco for teens, the lower the chance they have of developing a lifetime addiction that disproportionally affects the adolescent brain and costs state government billions of dollars annually.”

Senate Bill 2332 would make Illinois the sixth state to raise the age to buy tobacco to 21. More than 300 towns across the country have also raised the age, including 24 municipalities in Illinois. Chicago, Highland Park, Buffalo Grove, Evanston and Peoria are a few of the cities in Illinois, both small and large, to raise the age.

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Morrison passes plan requiring school buses to use safety equipment

• Public Safety
• Highland Park
• SB 2482

SPRINGFIELD – Every school bus in Illinois carrying children would be required to use the stop signal arm and flashing signal lights under a proposal that recently passed the Senate sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield).

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.”

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