Executive Committee Holds Hearing on Sen. Murphy’s Beverage Container Recycling Refund Bill

• environment
• recycling

New Illinois program would place a refundable deposit on beverage containers at the point of sale

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate Executive Committee held a hearing today on Sen. Laura Murphy’s (D-Des Plaines) bill to create a beverage container recycling refund program in Illinois that would place a refundable deposit on beverage containers at the point of sale. The refundable deposit would be 10 cents for containers 24 ounces or less, and 15 cents for containers more than 24 ounces. Once consumers are done with the beverage, they return the container to get their refund.

Currently, 10 states have beverage container recycling refund programs, and those states consistently see higher beverage container recycling rates than states without such programs. This bill would make Illinois the first state in decades to create a new recycling refund program, giving the state the benefit of incorporating lessons learned from programs in other states and around the world.

“Beverage container recycling refund programs have a proven track record of success and creating these incentives for consumers to recycle is effective,” said Sen. Murphy, a member of the Executive Committee. “The system proposed in my bill would be fiscally self-sustaining, while immediately reducing litter, cutting carbon emissions, and saving costs on trash cleanup in communities across the state. Today’s hearing is a major step toward getting this bill passed by the legislature.”

Read more: Executive Committee Holds Hearing on Sen. Murphy’s Beverage Container Recycling Refund Bill

Right to read protected under Murphy measure

• Library

SPRINGFIELD – In order to protect the freedom of allowing people to read, State Senator Laura Murphy championed legislation to prevent the banning of books.

“The First Amendment protects more than just our right to speak, it includes the right to access resources from libraries that are free from censorship driven by partisan or doctrinal disapproval,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “These coordinated campaigns to censor books stand as a direct affront to the principles our country was founded upon.”

Under this measure, a library or library system must adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or develop a written statement prohibiting the practice of banning books or materials in order to be eligible for state grants.

Nationally, the number of attempts to ban books has been rising, with 681 attempts involving more than 1,600 titles throughout the U.S. in 2021, according to the ALA. Seven states have passed laws to impose restrictions on libraries, including Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida and Utah. If passed, Illinois would become the first state in the nation to ensure intellectual freedom for all across the state.

“Our libraries are an invaluable resource for our communities. They offer so much more than just books, including community services, classes, and resources,” Murphy said. “Attacks on libraries start with banning books, but it can escalate into something so much worse.”

House Bill 2789 passed the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday. It now goes to the Senate floor for further deliberation.

Murphy measure to cap insulin at $35 dollar passes Senate

• Insulin
• healthcare

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy passed a measure through the Senate that would ensure that Illinoisans in need of insulin have affordable access to the life-saving medicine by capping the price at $35.

“Too many lives have been lost because they could not afford the rising costs of insulin,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “No family should need to choose between purchasing medication or putting food on their table.”

In addition to capping the price of insulin, Murphy’s measure would require the Department of Public Health to establish an insulin discount program. The program would allow participants to purchase insulin at a discounted rate.

Approximately 1.3 million Illinoisans have insulin-dependent diabetes. Insulin prices have continued to increase since the early 2000s, leaving many people to forgo the life-saving medication.

“Life-saving maintenance medications like insulin are taken for a lifetime, and they should be affordable to everyone who needs them,” said Murphy.

Senate Bill 1559 passed the Senate and now heads to the House for further deliberation.

Leader Murphy creates program to raise awareness of Lyme disease

SPRINGFIELD – To raise awareness of Lyme disease, one of the most underreported and dangerous vector-borne diseases, State Senator Laura Murphy is creating the Lyme Disease Innovation Program.

“I hope that by bringing forth this proposal more people will learn how to spot tick bites and the symptoms of Lyme disease,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “Illinoisans need to know the dangers of this disease.”

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick. Symptoms include fever, headache and skin rash. If Lyme disease is not treated, the infection can spread to the heart, nervous system and joints.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 30,000 Americans report being infected with Lyme disease each year, but there could be as many as 300,000 cases annually as it is vastly underreported.

Senate Bill 1803 would create the Lyme Disease Innovation Program. This program will be appropriated by the Lyme Disease Awareness Fund, which will be financed through the sales of Lyme disease Awareness Stamps for Off-Highway Vehicles, and will raise awareness of the disease through community-based education to encourage people to get treatment as soon as possible to prevent worsening effects.

“Lyme disease can be treated if caught early,” Murphy said. “Lyme disease does not only affect hikers and hunters. People can also become infected in their homes by mice carrying infected ticks.”

Senate Bill 1803 passed the Senate on Wednesday it now goes to the House for further deliberation.