Fro the Office of State Rep. Sue Ness:

Here are some of the bills I have been working on in Springfield that I would like to highlight:
HB1329 – Co-Responder Unit-McHenry County
HB1329 passed out of the House, heading to the Senate! HB1329 aims to include McHenry County’s shared social worker program in a state pilot program initiated four years ago. The primary goal is to foster more appropriate mental health responses to non-emergency calls. The program has demonstrated excellent results to date, and its structure helps local communities save money. This unit will include social workers who will follow up with victims who they feel would benefit from behavioral or mental health-related services, leading to a trauma-informed approach when assisting victims. Thank you to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office for your advocacy!
HB4612 – Home Services Referral
One of my bills, HB4612, passed the House and is headed to the Senate! HB4612 helps protect seniors in long-term care and assisted living facilities by requiring that any home health care providers referred by a facility be licensed by the State of Illinois. The legislation is intended to reduce fraud, exploitation, and abuse while still allowing individuals and families to choose their own preferred home care provider.
HB5236 – Digital Library Protection Act
I co-sponsored HB5236, the Digital Library Protection Act, which passed the House with bipartisan support. This legislation helps protect libraries from excessive digital material pricing and supports their ability to continue serving residents effectively in the digital age. Thank you to our local libraries for their continued advocacy and service to our communities.

HB5513 – POWER Act
The POWER Act is proposed legislation focused on protecting consumers and communities as data centers continue to expand across Illinois. The bill aims to address concerns related to energy demand, water usage, environmental impacts, and rising utility costs to help ensure residents and ratepayers are not unfairly burdened by rapid data center growth. This legislation is still being developed as discussions continue with stakeholders and community members.

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