Building a Health Care System that Works

Across Illinois, too many families are under pressure from rising health care costs. Deb is fighting for access to quality and affordable health care.

Last year, after Republicans in Washington voted to kick 23 million people off their health insurance, Deb fought to protect patients in DuPage County. She sponsored House Bill 2959, which keeps insurers in Illinois from discriminating against patients with preexisting conditions. Deb’s bill passed the legislature with bipartisan support, and was signed into law earlier this year.

As chair of the House Mental Health Committee, Deb’s been working to help children and parents get the care they need. That’s why she passed House Bill 5770, which helps children with a mental health diagnosis access the resources they need.

For children with rare autoimmune disorders, finding necessary medical care can be a challenge – with serious effects on children’s health. Last year, Deb passed House Bill 2721, which mandates insurance coverage for children with PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections), a rare autoimmune disorder. This bill helps children across Illinois access the medical care they need – and protects families from medical bankruptcy.

Finally, Deb’s worked to expand organ donor registration. That’s what House Bill 1805 did, by allowing 16 and 17 year olds to register as organ donors. It’s a necessary step towards quicker treatment for patients across Illinois – and for Deb, it’s personal. This June, Deb walked the walk and became a live donor, donating a kidney to a family member in need.

Keeping DuPage County Schools Strong

Families shouldn’t have to choose between good schools and sensible taxes. DuPage County deserves both. Last year’s historic school funding reform is a victory on both fronts. This legislation made Springfield pay its fair share of school funding, and brought more than $507,000 in new funding to 46th District schools. With Springfield covering its fair share of funding, school boards are free to cut taxes without hurting vital programs. This evidence-based reform will protect our local schools, while paving the way for property tax relief in DuPage County.

Deb’s also working to make sure every school offers a rigorous curriculum. That’s why she passed House Bill 4025 – a bill to ensure civics is taught in schools across Illinois. Today, it’s more important than ever that students know their rights and responsibilities as Americans, and this bill will ensure that’s the case in every school.

Government Consolidation

Redundant units of local government cost DuPage County millions of dollars. Taxpayers deserve an efficient and effective government – and Deb is working to consolidate and streamline government services in DuPage County.

One of the first bills Deb passed as a legislator was Senate Bill 494, a bill to consolidate local government in DuPage County. This bill made our county government more efficient and delivered major savings for taxpayers. This was the first consolidation bill to be passed and implemented in the state of Illinois. It’s now become a model for counties across Illinois as they look to reduce wasteful spending.

And Deb’s not done. Earlier this year, she passed House Bill 5123 – a bill to eliminate wasteful and redundant layers of bureaucracy at the DuPage County Board of Elections. This bill will allow DuPage County to provide better election services, while saving taxpayers millions of dollars.

Protecting Women’s Health

Deb believes in a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. That’s why she’s consistently voted to protect a woman’s right to choose. During the state budget crisis, Deb worked to protect funding for lifesaving breast cancer screenings. And Deb supported House Bill 40, a bill that expanded access to health care and reproductive health care for women across Illinois.

If you’d like to see other legislation that Deb has championed, click here!