Cunningham's identity theft protection bill passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois residents will no longer have to pay a fee to protect their identity by freezing their credit thanks to legislation passed unanimously by the Illinois Senate today.

House Bill 4095, an initiative of Attorney General Lisa Madigan, is sponsored by State Senator Bill Cunningham, a Democrat representing Chicago and the southwest suburbs.

Once signed by the governor, the measure will bar credit reporting agencies from charging consumers a fee to place or lift a freeze on their credit report.

“Illinois residents should not have to pay a fee because of the negligence of a credit reporting agency,” Cunningham said. “It is simply unconscionable that a company would charge consumers any fee after they failed to protect their personal information.”

Under current law, credit agencies may charge up to $10 for each freeze request and each request to lift a freeze. For a freeze to be effective, consumers must contact and pay all four major credit rating agencies, which greatly expands the cost. Currently, only senior citizens, identity theft victims with police reports, and active duty service members are not charged to place a credit freeze. House Bill 4095 would extend that fee exemption to all Illinois residents.

This comes in response to the massive data breach suffered by Equifax from May to July of last year. As many as 143 million Americans nationwide and 5.4 million Illinois residents may have been impacted by the breach of sensitive consumer information.

Indiana, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina do not allow credit agencies to charge fees for freezes and lifts. Additionally, six other states have introduced credit freeze legislation in response to the Equifax breach.

The bill will take effect immediately once it is signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Vaccine bill designed to fight the flu epidemic passes out of committee

SPRINGFIELD – A legislative effort to help stop the spread of influenza in hospitals and other health facilities was approved by an Illinois state senate committee today. The measure, House Bill 2984, is sponsored by State Senator Bill Cunningham, a Democrat representing Chicago and the southwest suburbs.

The bill allows certified local health departments and any facility licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health to implement more stringent flu vaccination policies aimed at protecting patients from exposure to the flu and improving vaccination rates.

“Given the concrete science behind the effectiveness of flu vaccines, we have a responsibility to protect patients from being exposed to the flu virus by the public employees delegated to care for them,” Cunningham said.

Under current law, employees of hospitals can refuse a flu vaccination for any reason as long as they declare a “philosophical objection.” Public health experts have testified that this loophole leaves patients vulnerable to the spread of influenza while they are hospitalized. If HB 2984 becomes law, only hospital employees with religious objections and certain medical conditions will be able to refuse the offer of a vaccination.

Cunningham: Governor's veto of gun dealer licensing is unacceptable

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham, a Democrat representing Chicago and the southwest suburbs, issued a statement following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of Senate Bill 1657, a bipartisan measure that would require gun dealers to obtain a license from the state:

"This veto directly contradicts Gov. Rauner's repeated commitment to pursuing bipartisan solutions to reduce gun violence," Cunningham said. "Given that the Gun Dealer Licensing Act is a sensible measure worked on by both sides of the aisle and supported by 85 percent of Illinoisans, this decision is unacceptable and deeply disappointing, The licensing of gun dealers is an action that is well past due."

Advisory question on marijuana legalization passes senate

“Asking the people of Illinois how they feel about the subject can help determine which path we take as legislators.” - State Sneator Bill Cunningham

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois voters may get the chance to let their voices be heard on the subject of the legalization of cannabis under legislation passed in the Illinois Senate this week. The legislation, Senate Bill 2275, would place an advisory question on the 2018 ballot asking Illinois voters if they are in favor of marijuana legalization.

State Senator Bill Cunningham, the sponsor of the measure, says the advisory question will help legislators gauge the public’s opinion on the subject. Most states that have legalized recreational use of marijuana have done so through ballot initiatives.

“The debate over marijuana legalization is continuing to lead many states to consider various ideas and changes to current laws,” Cunningham said. “Asking the people of Illinois how they feel about the subject can help determine which path we take as legislators.”

The proposed referendum would ask voters to vote “yes” or “no” on this question: "Do you support the legalization of possession and use of marijuana by persons who are at least 21 years of age, subject to regulation and taxation that is similar to the regulation and taxation of tobacco and alcohol?"

The legislation would not legalize the sale of recreational marijuana.