The 2024 Spring Legislative Session concluded in May during which the ACLU of Illinois and our partners worked on legislation on a range of issues to advance our civil rights and liberties.
HB 4093: Protect Health Data Privacy Act
Sponsors: Rep. Ann Williams & Sen. Celina Villanueva
Status: In the originating chamber
Requires entities that collect health data to offer greater privacy protections to all Illinoisans over their health data by mandating that regulated entities adopt and publish a Health Data Privacy Policy and making consent an essential prerequisite to the collection, sharing, sale or storing of any health data. The bill also prohibits regulated entities from selling health data unless provided written consent in a separate agreement.
HB 4781: Kinship in Demand Act
Sponsors: Rep. Marcus Evans Jr. & Sen. Mattie Hunter
Status: In the second chamber
The KIND Act recognizes the valuable role relatives play in lessening the trauma of family separation and improving youth outcomes by removing barriers to relative placement and maintaining family connections for youth in DCFS care. It requires court oversight for family finding efforts designed to ensure youth have long-term connections with relatives, improves access to guardianship if youth cannot be reunified, provides kinship caregivers with the same level of financial support that foster homes receive, and requires DCFS to pursue federal funding to establish a kinship navigator program.
HB 5548: Protect Youth Access to Health Care Act
Sponsors: Rep. Mary Beth Canty
Status: In the originating chamber
This bill protects families by making sure that young people can access needed health care and that supportive parents are not penalized by policies that are counter to Illinois public policy. It updates two child custody statutes to ensure parents are not at risk of being punished or losing their rights when they help their children get the reproductive or gender affirming health care they need – including when a custody dispute crosses state lines. This bill secures protections for lawful health care enacted by the Patient and Provider Protection Act.
SB 3499: End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act
Sponsors: Sen. Linda Holmes
Status: In the originating chamber
In Partnership: Compassion & Choices and Final Options Illinois
This bill makes medical aid in dying, a part of the full spectrum of end-of-life care options that is authorized in 10 states and Washington D.C., available to Illinoisans. It allows a mentally capable, terminally ill adult with a prognosis of six months or less the option to obtain a prescription medication so they can die peacefully and end their suffering. The bill includes multiple protections to prevent coercion. The individual can withdraw their request for medication or change their mind after receiving the medication and decide not to take it.
