DES PLAINES – State Senator Laura Murphy is urging area bus riders to voice their concerns about the possible cancellation of Saturday Pace bus service on a route that serves Des Plaines and Park Ridge.

The 209 Busse Highway route provides service to the Harlem Avenue station of the CTA Blue Line. Pace is considering cancelling the service on Saturdays no later than April 2019 because of budgetary restrictions.

“Many of the residents of my district rely on this route on Saturdays, especially disabled residents who might not have any other means of transportation” said Murphy (D – Des Plaines). “If Pace is considering cancelling it, then those who will be affected by the cancellation deserve to have their voices heard.”

Pace will discuss the potential cancellation at its monthly board meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 14. Those who wish to comment on the proposed changes are welcome to share their views by submitting written material on or before the date of the meeting by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by using Pace’s online form, https://bit.ly/2OdUK9a.

Individuals can also attend the regular board meeting to express their concerns in person as part of the board's public comment portion of their meeting.

>More information can be found on Murphy’s website, www.SenatorLauraMurphy.com, or by calling her district office at 847-718-1110.

New law covers fertility preservation services

Des Plaines — Moved by the stories of young cancer patients who are unable to have children of their own, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) sponsored a new law to help them access fertility preservation services.

“Undergoing treatment for cancer is difficult enough for patients without also having to worry about its impact on their future plans for a family,” Murphy said. “This is a preventative solution to address the effects of medically-necessary procedures that can render patients infertile.”

House Bill 2617 requires insurers to cover standard fertility preservation services when a necessary medical procedure, such as radiation, chemotherapy and surgery, could cause infertility. Fertility preservation services, such as freezing eggs or sperm, would be completed prior to the medical procedure that could lead to infertility.

“I hope that this new law will provide some piece of mind to young patients who have been dealt a difficult diagnosis,” Murphy said.

Currently, employers with 25 or more full-time employees who provide pregnancy-related benefits are required to provide coverage for infertility treatment, though some restrictions apply. Additionally, plans sold through the Affordable Care Act cover regular infertility treatment but do not cover fertility preservation services.

This legislation, which was signed into law today, takes effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

DES PLAINES — Hitting the jackpot and winning more than $250,000 from the Lottery will no longer automatically cost you your privacy under a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines).

“Not everyone wants the fame that comes with winning a large prize from the Lottery,” Murphy said. “Illinois Lottery winners should be able to keep their information private if they so choose.

Currently, Lottery winners’ names, city of residence, date the prize is won and amount of winnings are matters of public record and are therefore subject to public disclosure laws. Under Senate Bill 211, Lottery winners of more than $250,000 can submit a written request that their identity be kept confidential.

Additionally, this new law creates a new scratch-off for homelessness prevention programs.

This legislation, which was signed into law today, takes effect immediately.

DES PLAINES – Public housing applicants will be able to learn where they are on the waiting list under a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy, bringing more transparency to a placement process that can take years in some communities because of the high demand for affordable housing.

“People who rely on public housing already suffer from limited resources,” Murphy (D – Des Plaines) said. “Ensuring them the opportunity to learn their place in line gives them the ability to budget these resources so they don’t run out over the course of a potentially long wait.”

Senate Bill 3081, which was signed into law Tuesday, says public housing operators must provide information about an applicant’s position on the wait list within 10 business days upon request.

The measure passed the Senate and the House with bipartisan support and is effective immediately.