SPRINGFIELD –Thanks to State Senator Laura Murphy (D—Des Plaines), vehicle owners will now be granted more communication from property owners seeking to tow their vehicles.

“Car owners will have more protections to move their vehicle if a property owner needs it removed from their property,” Murphy said. “This law will ensure vehicle owners are promptly notified so they can move their car—saving both vehicle owners and property managers time and money.”

Before this law, property owners were required to provide written instructions before towing vehicles. However, distributing only physical warnings causes many residents who may not be able to physically receive mail to miss the notice, leaving them to deal with the cost to get their car back. In one such instance, a resident in the district Murphy represents was out of town and could not receive the written notice, and came back to find their vehicles were taken to a storage facility without their knowledge—one of which was sold at auction. After hearing from this community member, Murphy wanted to modernize the law to ensure there is clear communication between property and vehicle owners in the event of a vehicle being towed and prevent similar situations from happening.

Murphy’s law will require property owners to provide a more direct notice to people that have established agreements to park with the owners. This means property owners are required to, at a minimum, contact the vehicle owner via a telephone call, text message, or an email to the address or number provided by the vehicle owner at least three hours before the vehicle is towed.

“Most residents would try to prevent their car from being towed—it is extremely inconvenient, expensive and they risk completely losing their vehicle,” Murphy said. “With this law, I hope that communication between property managers and residents will improve, and unnecessary car removals can be avoided.”

Senate Bill 3629 was signed into law last Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023.

SPRINGFIELD – Physician assistants will soon be able to begin new employments at a quicker rate, thanks to a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy (D--Des Plaines) that eliminates an outdated rule requiring physicians to file a notice of employment before a physician assistant can begin work.

“Before this initiative, the process to become a physician assistant was stalled with unnecessary paperwork and bureaucratic red tape,” Murphy said. “This law will encourage physician assistants to practice in Illinois—ensuring we have more high-quality practitioners administering care.”

Under Murphy’s law, physician assistants are now required to file a notice of employment with a doctor within 60 days instead of at the time of employment. Physician assistants may also begin employment before this notice has been filed—allowing them to join the workforce sooner.

Many other states, such as Minnesota, North Dakota, and West Virginia have similar laws to eliminate unnecessary restrictions for this primary reason. With less time spent waiting for paperwork to be filed and approved, people can begin making money faster, which may incentivize health care professionals to relocate or to stay in the state.

“We invest so much in the education of top-notch physician assistants in Illinois, only for them to leave to other states after graduation because they do not have this burdensome requirement,” Murphy said. “With this measure, we will encourage Illinois students to keep their talents in the state, and create more opportunities to provide care to underserved areas.”

SB 145 was signed into law Friday, May 6. It goes into effect Jan. 1, 2023.

SPRINGFIELD – Mobile home residents will now have access to more information about projected rent increases when going into a rental agreement, thanks to a measure introduced by State Senator Laura Murphy (D--Des Plaines) that was signed into law Friday.

“Tenants deserve to know about future changes to their rental agreements when they sign a new lease,” Murphy said. “This law will give them more insight into rental projections so that they can make informed decisions that impact their financial future.”

The law aids mobile home park residents by ensuring they are shown rent increase projections to their lots before signing their lease. This allows them to decide if they can invest in a lot with the fluctuating rent prices. Additionally, the law clarifies language for tenants and first time buyers of mobile homes to help people living in mobile home parks better understand the terms of their financial agreements.

The law also removes fees for owning a pet in a mobile home. All of these measures aim to assist mobile home park residents with selecting the most financially viable rental agreement for them, and removing unnecessary fees that may have deterred potential tenants from choosing to live in a mobile home park.

“Pet fees are sadly a financial deterrent for working class families deciding on where they can afford to live,” Murphy said. “I am proud that this law not only eliminates pet fees, but also works to make sure that families can enter rental agreements that work for their financial situations, allowing them to rest easier without having to worry about unexpected price increases and instead, enjoy their home.”

SB 1097 was signed into law Friday, May 6. It is effective immediately.

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Murphy (D—Des Plaines) strongly condemns the draft Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, the case that legalized abortion nationwide, that was leaked to the press last night. Murphy released the following statement in response to the opinion:

"It is terrifying that in 2022 a woman in this nation may be given less freedoms and choices over her body and places to receive care for it. We've worked too hard to move women forward to take a step back like this now. I will continue to fight until the right to choose is protected for all women."