CHICAGO – State Rep. Lindsey LaPointe announced Friday that House committees have approved nine of her bills, putting them on a path to becoming law.
“Several of these bills are based on my commitment to increasing access to mental health services and reducing stigma related to mental health, especially for youth and first responders,” LaPointe said. “I also am very proud to create new protections and opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. I look forward to presenting these bills on the House floor over the next few weeks, and I am eager to see them passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor.”
The bills are:
- HB 292 – Ensures adults with disabilities who live in group homes can keep their earned income.
- HB 576 – Allows students and their families to cite mental health and behavioral issues
- as a reason for an excused absence from school
- HB 577 – Requires school districts to make sure their suicide awareness and prevention programs are designed to help students who are at the highest risk of self-harm
- HB 3240 – Requires the State Board of Health to develop and present an annual State Health Assessment to the Governor and General Assembly
- HB 3849 – Creates the Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act, which allows a supporter of a person with an intellectual or developmental disability to help the person make their own daily living decisions, providing an alternative to full-blown guardianship
- HB 3850 – Ensures treatment courts in Illinois follow best practices to get at the root causes of crime.
- HB 3853 – Sets a new deadline for a University of Illinois report on Illinois water rate affordability.
- HB 3950 – Requires community colleges to work with school districts to offer dual credit courses for students with disabilities
- HB 3977 – Creates the First Responders’ Behavioral Healthcare Bill of Rights Act
###
