SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner is leading a measure to further expand hands-on learning for FFA and 4-H students to count toward school hours.

“As a strong supporter of ag education, I advocated for FFA and 4-H program students who have been jeopardized for missing class to participate in competitions,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “We need to remove the barriers students are facing when trying to participate in agriculture education experiences by giving students the opportunity to use a school day to pursue time in the field.”

Building on Turner’s 2023 law, House Bill 2802 would allow participation in supervised career development experiences and other approved work-based learning activities to count toward the daily calculation of school clock hours.

Illinois FFA is a youth organization that prepares members for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. 4-H is the largest out-of-school youth organization across the state aimed at teaching practical skills to youth by offering lessons in communications, leadership, career development, livestock, home improvement and computer technology.

“Encouraging students to participate in the agricultural industry is important in states like Illinois that thrive on the industry,” said Turner. “Let’s not deter them from participating in hands-on learning.”

House Bill 2802 passed the Senate Education Committee and heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner is sponsoring a measure that would require insurance companies to cover anesthesia services, regardless of duration.

“We have to put patients over profit,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Insurance companies use tactics like not covering anesthesia for the entirety of a procedure to put more money in their own pockets, rather than prioritizing the health and well-being of patients.”

House Bill 1141 would require private insurers and all state group health plans to cover medically necessary anesthesia services, regardless of duration, for any procedure covered by the policy. 

SPRINGFIELD – To increase the chances of survival during cardiac arrest, State Senator Doris Turner is leading a measure that would require AEDs in nursing homes.

"Facilities entrusted with caring for individuals need to be able to demonstrate to loved ones that the health and well-being of the resident is foremost in everybody's mind," said Turner (D-Springfield). “This would give nursing home residents and their families peace of mind that if something were to happen, there are the necessary tools on site to revive them.”

House Bill 1287 would require nursing homes to have an automatic external defibrillator by Jan. 1, 2030. Additionally, Turner’s measure requires all facility staff certified to use an AED to have completed courses in CPR and AED usage.

Under current law, AEDs are required in public schools, fitness centers, horse racing facilities, police departments and dental offices. According to the American Heart Association, of the people with cardiac arrest who receive a shock from an AED within the first minute, nine out of 10 survive.

“The data shows us that AEDs can save lives,” said Turner. “Let’s prioritize the lives of our seniors and nursing home residents by requiring lifesaving devices in facilities.”

House Bill 1287 passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner passed a measure to improve teachers’ awareness of mental health resources.

“Teachers’ mental health is important too,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “We have to ensure everyone knows there is help out there.”

House Bill 3000 would require all school districts serving students in grades 6-12 to have the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (988), the Crisis Text Line, and the Safe2Help Illinois helpline on all employee IDs.

Turner’s measure builds on a 2021 law expanding suicide and crisis helpline awareness in schools by ensuring all employees in school districts have this information on their ID cards. Currently, this information is required to be in student handbooks or planners and on student IDs if schools issue them.