Our 2024 Legislative Agenda

Affordable, Accessible, and High-Quality Healthcare

Prescription Drug Affordability Board– HB 4472 / SB3108 (Syed/Koehler)

Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs) are structures that oversee and regulate prescription drug prices. The board would consist of experts in fields such as healthcare economics, clinical medicine, and consumer advocates. The board conducts cost reviews to assess the affordability of certain high-cost drugs and sets upper payment limits - ensuring that no one, from wholesalers to patients, pays more than what is fair.

Banning Junk Health Plans – HB 5395 / SB 3739 (Moeller/Peters)

Short-Term Limited-Duration (STLD) health plans are intended to fill short gaps between traditional health insurance. They are extremely limited by design and lack many essential benefits, such as converge for prescription drugs, mental health services, and maternity care. STLD plans are not ACA-compliant and can also exclude pre-existing conditions. These plans often leave consumers with significant medical debt despite their initially low price tag. Illinois currently has a 6 month limitation on these plans, this bill would ban them altogether.

Prescription Drug Importation – HB 4525 / SB 2893 (West/Villa)

Prescription Drug Importation allows the state to purchase prescription drugs from international markets where prices are typically lower. This initiative requires rigorous quality and safety standards to ensure that imported drugs meet the same standards as domestically produced medications. By expanding the options for drug sourcing, states intend to introduce more competition and exert downward pressure on drug prices.

Illinois Food Safety Act – SB 2637 (Preston/Stava-Murray)

Harmful additives such as propylparaben and potassium bromate have been linked to serious health problems – including reproductive issues, hormonal damage, and an increased risk of cancer. The Food Safety Act would protect Illinoisans by banning these additives, following the lead of other states like California that have taken similar measures.

Enhanced Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Regulation — HB 4548 (Jones)

PBMs act as middlemen between pharmacies and insurers. They routinely engage in practices that raise costs for consumers, such as spread pricing, and there is little transparency in the way they operate. HB 4548 would expand PBM regulations by banning spread pricing, increasing reporting requirements, and requiring that fees & rebates are returned to consumers.

Expanding Voting Rights

Voting in Prisons – HB 39 (Ford)

Like everyone else, incarcerated individuals are affected by decisions made by our elected officials. But without the right to vote, incarcerated individuals have no voice to hold elected officials accountable. Disenfranchisement disproportionately impacts young, Black, and low-income Illinoisans. This bill restores the right to vote no later than 14 days post-conviction.

Improving Conditions for Illinois Workers

Work Without Fear Act – HB 5071 / SB 3464 (Jimenez/Peters)

Immigrant workers are often afraid to report abuses from employers due to having few protections from retaliation. This law would protect employees from immigration-related threats when reporting labor violations like wage theft, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. It would also give the Attorney General the power to investigate and fine employers who make immigration-status threats against workers.

Dignity in Pay Act – HB 793 (Mah)

For decades, many people with disabilities have been working for subminimum wages in the same jobs that pay people without disabilities more. The Dignity in Pay Act would end this unfair discrimination by requiring that all workers be paid at least a minimum wage.

Worker Freedom of Speech Act – SB 3649 (Peters)

When workers clock in, they expect to work in an environment free from uncomfortable and unnecessary messaging from their employer. A common example of this is when companies hold mandatory meetings discouraging union activity. The Worker Freedom of Speech Act would protect Illinois workers by prohibiting companies from requiring their workers to attend work-related meetings about religion or politics.

Protecting Consumers from Predatory and Discriminatory Practices

Community Safety Through Stable Homes Act - HB 5314 / SB 3680 (Ford/Villa)

Municipalities throughout Illinois have enacted “crime-free housing and nuisance property” ordinances under the guise of keeping communities safer. In reality, the ordinances force housing providers to unfairly penalize and even evict tenants based on any alleged criminal or “nuisance” activity – which can include calling emergency services for help. This bill will protect people from unfair discrimination, keep families in their homes, and refocus public policy on more effective responses to crime.

Fair Car Insurance Rates –  HB 4767 / SB 3213 (Guzzardi/Cervantes)

Illinois is one of only two states whose regulators have no power to reject or modify excessive car insurance rate hikes. Insurers regularly use credit scores and other non-driving factors such as education level and gender to set rates. HB2203 would establish a process for the Department of Insurance to review proposed rates for car insurance and end the discriminatory use of non-driving factors to set rates.

Regulating Car Kill Switches – HB 1527 /  SB 1978 (Mah/Aquino)

Auto lenders are currently allowed to use “kill switches” that can remotely disable vehicles in the event that someone misses a car payment. HB 1257 would protect consumers by prohibiting the use of these devices as a penalty for late or missed car payments.

Opposing Right of First Refusal – HB 5234 (Walsh, Jr.)

Citizen Action/Illinois is opposed to HB 5234. The “Right of First Refusal” language in the bill would automatically grant Ameren and ComEd, privately owned public utility companies, first dibs on building new transmission projects at whatever price they want to charge – increasing costs for consumers & businesses and making it more difficult to bring renewable energy to Illinois.

Juvenile Justice Reform

Attorneys for Juvenile Interrogations – SB 3321 (Peters)

Studies show that minors are more likely to waive their rights and give false confessions during highly stressful interrogations. In 2022, a 15-year-old from Waukegan confessed to a shooting despite having nothing to do with it. This bill would require the attendance of an attorney at all police interrogations involving youth under 18 – putting an end to false and often traumatizing self-incriminations for juveniles.

Preventing Gun Violence

Karina’s Bill – HB 4469 (Hirschauer)

Last year, Karina Gonzalez and her 15-year-old daughter Daniella were shot and killed in their home by Karina’s abusive husband. Two weeks before their deaths, Karina was granted an order of protection by the court – but the murderer still had access to a handgun. Karina’s Bill aims to fix the loophole that allowed this tragedy to happen by requiring firearm removal when a domestic violence survivor is granted certain orders of protection.

Protecting the Environment

Polystyrene Ban – HB 2376 / SB 100 (Gong-Gershowitz/Fine)

Polystyrene is a single-use foam plastic that significantly contributes to waste and pollution. HB 2376 / SB 100 would protect the environment by prohibiting all retailers in Illinois from using polystyrene foodware. This expands previous legislation that similarly prohibits the state from using polystyrene products.

Assisting Working Families

Child Tax Credit – HB 4917 / SB 3329 (Evans/Aquino)

Child tax credits have proven to be one of the most effective ways to provide financial relief to working families. HB 4917 / SB 3329 would create a $300 per-child refundable tax credit for families who earn less than the state's median income, which is about $75,000 per year for couples and $50,000 for single parents.