SPRINGFIELD – In order to protect victims of wrongful foreclosures that occurred during the COVID pandemic, State Senator Laura Murphy has introduced a bill that would seal foreclosure records that were initiated during the foreclosure moratoria.

“Many families struggled with job and income losses due to the pandemic. As a result, they fell behind on rent and mortgage payments,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “Despite the protections put in place at the state and federal level, many families wrongfully lost their homes. We need to do our part to ensure that our hardworking families do not suffer from the negative impacts of foreclosure.”

The measure would allow a mortgagor to request that foreclosure records be sealed if they were meant to be protected under the moratoria enacted by the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Corporation, the Federal Housing Administration, or the Department of Veterans Affairs.

According to ATTOM, a property and real estate data platform, nationally nearly 12,000 properties had foreclosure filings in October 2020. In October 2021, one in every 1,923 homes in Illinois faced foreclosure. Chicago ranked fourth among cities with a population of at least 220,000 with one in every 2,284 homes facing foreclosure.

“Foreclosures on an individual’s record can have countless impacts, including their ability to qualify for another mortgage, which will only perpetuate the cycle started by these wrongful foreclosures,” said Murphy. “I want to protect the families of Illinois, and prevent wrongful foreclosures from sabotaging their futures.”

Senate Bill 201 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. It now goes to the Senate floor for further deliberation.

SPRINGFIELD – Libraries may have an easier time acquiring e-book and e-audiobook licenses thanks to a new measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy that would allow the State Librarian to negotiate with publishers on behalf of libraries.

“Allowing the State Librarian to negotiate on behalf of libraries will help streamline the process of acquiring e-books and e-audiobooks significantly increase the use among adults and children alike,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “Right now licenses to access this technology are often prohibitively expensive, restrictive or just not available.”

The measure would allow the Secretary of State, acting as the State Librarian, to negotiate with publishers of e-books and e-audiobooks on behalf of libraries to enable to acquisition of necessary licenses.

Consumption of digital books has been on the rise for more than a decade. According to Pew Research Center, the number of adults who read e-books has increased by 13% since 2011, and during the same time, the number of audiobook listeners increased by 12%. Since 2019, adults in households earning less than $30,000 have seen an 8% increase in audiobook listening.

“Our libraries are often going without access to these useful resources due to their inability to negotiate reasonable terms,” said Murphy. “E-books and e-audiobooks are incredible tools that can encourage our children to love reading and help individuals with disabilities connect with reading again.”

Senate Bill 2419 passed the Senate State Government Committee on Wednesday. It now goes to the Senate floor for further deliberation.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that Illinoisans in need of insulin have affordable access to the life-saving medicine, State Senator Laura Murphy has introduced a measure to cap its price at $35.

“No Illinois family should have to go into debt or skip meals to afford life-saving medications,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “We have made great strides in Illinois to make insulin more affordable, but we will not stop our work until every person who needs this medication has continuous access to it.”

In addition to capping out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 per month, Murphy’s measure would also outline a plan to ensure that residents in urgent need of insulin are able to receive it in a timely manner.

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. Murphy’s measure would make insulin more affordable and accessible so no person has to choose between purchasing the medicine they need or putting food on their family’s table.

“It’s vital we make this medicine more accessible to the people who need it,” said Murphy. “It’s past time to put people’s health ahead of financial gain.”

Senate Bill 1559 passed the Senate Insurance Committee Tuesday and now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

DES PLAINES – State Senator Laura Murphy is teaming up with Versiti and the Des Plaines Park District to host a blood drive Tuesday, Feb. 28.

“Blood transfusions are required for many life-saving operations and procedures,” said Murphy (D—Des Plaines). “When there is a short supply of blood—life-saving operations can be at risk of being performed safely—leaving many people without the immediate medical attention they need. I hope this drive will bolster our local blood supply to make sure those who need medical care can get treatment as quickly as possible.”

The event will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the Prairie Lake Community Center at 515 E. Thacker St. in Des Plaines.

In 2022 the Red Cross announced they were experiencing the worst blood shortage in over a decade. Hospitals across the country were only receiving one-quarter of the blood products they requested, severely limiting the amount and type of procedures doctors would be able to perform.

Individuals interested in donating are encouraged to sign up at https://bit.ly/BloodDrive-2-28-23.