SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva advanced a measure to allow driver’s license holders more notice for court appearances prior to suspension.

“By eliminating license suspensions for a failure to appear in court, we are able to more effectively use law enforcement resources,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “A lot of the time, these initial court notices are not reaching people at their correct addresses. It is simply unfair to revoke driving privileges when people are not even getting proper notice.”

Under House Bill 277, if a person fails to appear in court, the court may text, call or email the person's last known contact information with notice regarding the continued court dates. The notice will include a statement that a future failure to appear could result in a warrant or consequences affecting their driving privileges. The current penalty for failure to appear in court is immediate license suspension by the Secretary of State.

“It is imperative we offer drivers the courtesy of an electronic continued court date notice before we issue warrants or license suspension,” said Villanueva. “Individuals who lose their licenses are likely to continue to drive out of necessity, leading to further legal penalties and creating a cycle of legal non-compliance.”

House Bill 277 passed the Senate on Thursday and heads to the governor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure through the Senate to ensure reproductive health care records are not being improperly disclosed.

“As the war on reproductive rights continues throughout the nation, we must ensure that those who are seeking reproductive health care are protected in every way possible,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “As a safe haven state, we have a responsibility to protect individuals’ rights to care and ensure their health care records remain private.”

Last year Villanueva led House Bill 4664 – a law to shield out-of-state patients and in-state providers from legal action originating from other states regarding abortions performed here.  To expand upon that measure and provide further protections, Villanueva led House Bill 5239 this year.

The measure would ensure that location information and health records for reproductive health care performed in Illinois would not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Further, it would ensure that units of local governments could not assist in imposing a civil or criminal liability against a person or provider who received reproductive or gender affirming care in Illinois. 

“In the absence of federal protections, state-level protections are essential to counteract restrictive laws in other states,” said Villanueva. “This preventative measure will offer the necessary protection from the overarching laws of other states.”

House Bill 5239 passed Senate Thursday and heads to the governor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure to protect construction workers by enhancing Scott’s Law.

“By establishing safety measures to further prevent accidents in construction zones, we will guarantee the safety of drivers, emergency responders, and those who work in construction and maintenance zones,” said Villanueva (D–Chicago). “Enhancing Scott’s Law is a necessary step to prioritizing protection of construction workers and drivers alike.”

Scott's Law requires drivers to change lanes when approaching stationary emergency vehicles, including highway maintenance vehicles displaying flashing lights, and any stationary vehicle with their hazard lights activated. The measure also states, if changing would be impossible or unsafe, drivers would be required to proceed with due caution, reduce the speed of the vehicle and leave a safe distance until safely passing the stationary vehicle.

House Bill 5370 would enhance Scott’s Law to require vehicles entering a construction or maintenance zone to reduce speed and change into a lane that is not adjacent to construction workers, when possible.

“Protecting the lives and well-being of workers is essential,” said Villanueva. “These changes to Scott’s Law are crucial to safeguarding the lives of everyone involved.”

House Bill 5370 passed the Senate Wednesday.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a measure to provide further protections to crime victims.

“There is no reason why crime survivors, who are brave enough to share DNA, should have to look over their shoulder wondering if their DNA they voluntarily provided will be used against them,” said Villanueva (D–Chicago). “This provision protects survivors and ensures they are able to seek justice without fear of systemic retaliation.”

House Bill 1168 would ensure that DNA evidence collected from a crime victim is not entered into a DNA database.

The measure comes in response to a case in San Francisco where a rape survivor voluntarily provided her DNA to law enforcement to bring her attacker to justice. However, her DNA was put into a database without her consent – and was tested against crime scene DNA for years.

Villanueva’s measure would ensure crime survivors are protected against unreasonable searches and seizures under the Fourth Amendment.

“People should feel comfortable reporting crimes rather than face fear of future retaliation,” said Villanueva. “This provision is essential to maintaining the integrity of our criminal justice system.”

House Bill 1168 passed the Senate Wednesday and heads to the governor for final consideration.