Senator Morrison applauds cap on insulin costs

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) applauds Illinois for becoming the second state in the country to cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $100 a day for a 30-day supply.

“No one should have to choose between getting the medication they need to survive and putting food on their family’s table,” Senator Morrison said. “I’m pleased the governor signed this life-saving measure into law.”

The new law caps co-payments for insulin at $100 per month for all patients, regardless of the supply they require. The cap, however, only applies to commercial insurance plans regulated by the state.

About 1.3 million adults in Illinois have diabetes – 12.5% of the state’s population – according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. On average, people with diabetes pay $475 a month on insulin, the Health Care Cost Institute reports. The high cost drives many patients to ration their insulin supply, which can result in blindness, kidney failure or death.

“Insulin is not an option for more than one million Illinois residents,” Morrison said. “It is time Illinois leads by example to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for choosing to maximize profits at the expense of consumers’ health.”

The measure takes effect Jan. 1, 2021.

Senator Morrison commends Medline Industries

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) commends Medline Industries for taking steps to decrease ethylene oxide emissions from its Waukegan plant.

“Ethylene oxide causes cancer,” Morrison said. “We took action last year to ensure the emission of this harmful substance is no longer the cause of numerous deaths across the north suburbs.”

Medline Industries temporarily closed its Waukegan-based medical device sterilization operation to install nearly $10 million in upgrades to make the plant compliant with state laws regulating ethylene oxide, the company announced Tuesday.

Two measures co-sponsored by Sen. Morrison, both which passed in 2019, prohibit the renewal of any permits for facilities that violate federal or state standards for ethylene oxide emissions. The other puts emission limits on non-sterilization facilities that emit ethylene oxide and requires them to obtain a permit from the IEPA. That permit must include a site-specific cap on the business’ ethylene oxide emissions.

Medline said Tuesday that it has been working “around the clock” to finish the upgrade to install the emissions abatement equipment, but must close down for a few weeks to complete the final stages of testing. Late last year, Vantage Specialty Chemicals Facility in Gurnee also completed improvements necessary to bring the plant up to the state’s guidelines.

“Facilities that use the cancer-causing chemicals should be held to the highest standards,” Morrison said. “They cannot put money over people. Medline has done the right thing by temporarily shutting down its plant in order to better protect the people of Illinois.”

The improvements from both companies come a year after a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago found higher levels of ethylene oxide in the blood of people who live near the plants. Ethylene oxide was placed on a national list of carcinogens in 1985. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released an assessment linking ethylene oxide to breast and blood cancer. The EPA, World Health Organization and the National Toxicology Program all declared the gas cancer-causing.

Morrison to host town hall meeting with local legislators

A few of my colleagues and I are hosting a town hall meeting Tuesday, January 21 at the Northbrook Public Library.

The event is an opportunity for you to learn about our goals for the upcoming legislative session and ask any questions you may have.

It is free and open to the public. Please RSVP by visiting northbrooktownhall.eventbrite.com.

Check out the flyer below to learn more.

Morrison responds to sexual assault cover-up

SPRINGFIELD –In response to a disturbing report that a former lobbyist attempted to cover-up sexual assault to leverage a friend’s upcoming disciplinary hearing, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) released the following statement:

“These actions by government officials are disheartening and cannot continue to happen. The facts of the WBEZ investigation once again prove the serious issue of sexual harassment and assault in Illinois politics. When public officials do wrong, they should not be shielded from authoritative action.”

Senator Morrison’s statement comes after a WBEZ article showed officials within former-Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration sent an email in 2012 referencing someone keeping “the rape in Champaign” quiet.

The senator asks anyone with information to contact the following:
• Champaign County State’s Attorney, 217-384-3733
• Illinois State Police, 217-278-5000
• Illinois Executive Inspector General, 312-814-5600