SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure through the Senate to help individuals with substance use disorders by requiring insurance companies to cover the medication needed to curb the addiction.

“People suffering from a substance use disorder deserve access medication that could save their life,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “I am committed to removing barriers to treatment that insurance companies put in place.”

Recent studies have shown that most people who could benefit from medications for substance use disorders don’t receive treatment. In 2022, there were 3,261 opioid overdose fatalities in the state – more than twice the number of fatal vehicle accidents and homicides. Senate Bill 3741 would improve these statistics by increasing coverage of and access to treatment by prohibiting insurance from requiring prior authorization for the treatment of substance use disorders.

SPRINGFIELD – Student’s safety while participating in a sport is a concern for many parents. To ensure safe practices are being followed at schools across the state, State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to mitigate injury for cheerleaders.

“Sports provide students with vital life skills and a sense of belonging, but they can also present an increased risk of injury,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Improving enforcement and knowledge of cheer and spirit safety standards will help prevent future injuries.”

Senate Bill 2861 was brought to Morrison by a student in her district. She suffered a terrible accident while doing a cheer routine at a football game, leading her to bring legislation her State Senator. The bill prioritizes cheer safety and the adoption of uniform rules.

SPRINGFIELD – The prevalence of gambling is on the rise and with it has come an increase in addictive gambling behaviors. State Senator Julie Morrison passed legislation to provide prevention, treatment and recovery services for people who experience problem gambling.

“Like many drugs, gambling activates an addictive part of our brain,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “People who struggle with a gambling disorder deserve the same help and treatment as someone with a drug dependency.”

SPRINGFIELD – To increase efficiency in emergency response, State Senator Julie Morrison led a measure through the Senate to outline training on how to access the medical ID function within health apps on cellphones.

“With the majority of people having a cell phone on them at all times, it’s easy for people to have their own digital medical ID,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This measure will help first responders keep up with technology and use this feature to save lives.”

With few excluded, cell phones have a health app where a user can enter pertinent information to help emergency response services in the event the user is unresponsive or otherwise unable to report healthcare needs during a medical emergency. Morrison’s measure would outline training to teach EMS personnel and law enforcement how to access this information on a person’s phone.