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.”

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.

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.”

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

SPRINGFIELD – Family members and law enforcement officials concerned about disturbing or threatening behavior in an individual with access to a firearm now have the legal ability to act before tragedy occurs under legislation sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) that was signed into law today.

“In far too many of the mass shooting events that have taken place recently across our country, a family member identified threatening behavior in a loved one and didn’t know where to turn,” Morrison said. “In some cases, reports were made with law enforcement. But with no legal mechanism in place, there was no ability to step in before that individual caused tragedy.”

Morrison’s new law, which passed under House Bill 2354, would create the Firearms Restraining Order Act, allowing a family member or law enforcement official to alert the court system when an individual with access to a firearm is displaying threatening or unsafe behavior that could lead to injury to themselves or to the general public.