SPRINGFIELD—Surviving spouses of Illinois veterans would benefit from an extended property tax exemption under legislation sponsored by Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills).

“Veterans put their lives on the line to defend our country. Their families also are a part of that sacrifice, and we should be there for them as well,” Link said.

Senate Bill 3042 would extend the property tax exemption to all surviving spouses of veterans who would have been eligible for the property tax exemption as long as the spouse is the property owner, is their permanent residence and does not remarry.

“Protecting the families of those who defend our country should be a top priority of this General Assembly. We need to continue to honor our veterans and help their families even when our service members are gone,” Link said.

The legislation moves on to the House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD—Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) voted to approve Senate Bill 2046, which would appropriate funds to many human service programs, higher education and other critical programs.

SB 2046 would authorize money for local school construction grants. One of those schools is Mundelein High School, which is waiting on more than $8.2 million.

“These schools were promised this money and we need to send it out. Now is not the time for the state to be breaking our promises and expanding the damage done to our credibility,” Link said.

The legislation now moves to the governor’s desk.

SPRINGFIELD—State officials would be able to shorten the time it takes to reunite people with unclaimed property and money under legislation that Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) passed out of the Senate today.

Senate Bill 2783 would require government entities to report unclaimed property as abandoned after five years instead of seven, giving the Illinois treasurer the ability to alert people about unclaimed property nearly two years earlier than before.

“This could be a potential paycheck that is doing nothing but collecting dust in a vault somewhere,” Link said. “We need to be proactive in getting this property in the hands of those who can benefit from it and do some good with it.”

The legislation passed the Illinois Senate. It now moves to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD—People struggling with multiple sclerosis may no longer have to worry about restrictions on getting the care they need.

Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) proposed Senate Bill 2596, which would allow patients with multiple sclerosis to receive the necessary treatment without restrictions.

Currently, insurance companies by law are required to cover medically necessary preventative physical therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis, but that can be limited by a health insurance plan’s waiting periods, cost sharing limits, treatment limits and annual caps.

“Medically necessary treatment is being effectively denied through many of these restrictions insurance companies are allowed to put on those with multiple sclerosis,” said Link. “It is unfathomable that those with insurance are not being allowed to get the care they need when they need it.”

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 20,000 individuals in Illinois are currently living with MS.

The legislation would eliminate the ability of insurance companies to institute treatment limits or calendar year maximums for patients with MS who are seeking preventative physical or rehabilitative therapy.

The legislation passed the Senate Insurance committee recently and now heads to the full Senate.