SPRINGFIELD – Illinois residents with multiple sclerosis could receive easier access to medically necessary physical therapy without the fear of burdensome limits or calendar year maximums.

“People struggling with multiple sclerosis need access to physical therapy to delay or prevent future problems,” State Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) said.

Legislation Link is proposing this year, Senate Bill 193, would require all insurance companies to cover all physical therapy treatments for people with multiple sclerosis without treatment limitation or calendar year maximums.  It means that patients with MS would no longer be subject to waiting periods, cost sharing limits and other limits.

“It is unfathomable that those who struggle with multiple sclerosis are not being allowed to take action that could help them,” Link said. “Insurance companies’ restrictions allow potentially irreversible damage to be done to the patient.”

Currently, insurance companies can limit the number of physical therapy session covered even if more sessions are medically necessary.

SPRINGFIELD—This week, Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills) voted with his colleagues to override the governor’s veto and pass automatic voter registration.

Senate Bill 250 would automatically register a qualified voter who presents all the information necessary to register to a government agency. This would most commonly occur at the secretary of state’s office who would then forward the information to the State Board of Elections for verification.

“We need to be opening doors and making it easier for our citizens to participate in their democracy,” Link said. “This is about ensuring that those who should have a voice get their right to be heard at the ballot box.”

The legislation now moves to the House for an override vote.

SPRINGFIELD—On Monday, a measure to change the way defendants are informed about the consequences they could face became law, thanks to State Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills).

“We have a legal system built on the foundation of due process and individual rights,” Link said. “We couldn’t say our judicial system is fair when defendants might not have understood the consequences they were facing.”

House Bill 2569, sponsored by Link in the Senate, would require judges to inform defendants of the maximum and minimum penalties they may face before being allowed to accept a guilty plea.

“Many defendants under extreme stress may plead guilty without any idea of what that will mean for their lives,” Link said. “This law can help change that.”

The legislation also requires judges to inform defendants that they could face increased penalties if they commit additional crimes in the future.

SPRINGFIELD—Seventeen-year-olds soon will be receiving more rights when it comes to getting involved in the political process.

House Bill 6167, which was sponsored by Senator Terry Link (D-Vernon Hills), was signed into law today. The new law would allow 17-year-olds to vote in the primary of a consolidated election if they would be 18 by the time of the consolidated election. Consolidated elections are held primarily for local offices, like school boards, city councils and village boards.

“We should be opening up access to the voting booth for those who will be 18 to have a full say in who represents them at every level of government,” Link said.

The new law would also allow 17-year-olds, who will be 18 by the general election, to pass nominating petitions for candidates or for a question to be put on the ballot.

“This is about our next generation getting involved. The last thing we should do is tell them no,” Link said. “It gives our democracy a breath of new life when the next generation gets involved.”

The new law went into effect immediately upon the governor signing the legislation.