SPRINGFIELD – To protect patients and providers in the future, State Senator Adriane Johnson has advanced legislation that would remove hormonal medications such as testosterone and estrogen from the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program.

“A patient’s medical information is deeply personal, and protecting it is essential to preserving trust between individuals and their healthcare providers,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Without that trust, people are less likely to seek the care they need.”

SPRINGFIELD — Student teachers across Illinois will now have greater opportunities to receive compensation for their classroom contributions, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Adriane Johnson.

“Student teachers put in long hours and shoulder real responsibilities — it’s only fair they have the option to be compensated,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “This law brings us one step closer to a more equitable, inclusive education system where aspiring educators aren’t pushed out due to financial hardship.”

House Bill 3528 prohibits public universities from enforcing rules that bar student teachers from receiving payment during their placement. While the law does not require student teachers to be paid, it eliminates longstanding prohibitions that blocked school districts, higher education institutions and nonprofit partners from providing stipends, wages or other forms of compensation.

Under previous policies, many student teachers worked full-time without pay for an entire semester — a financial burden that often discouraged talented candidates from low-income or underrepresented backgrounds from pursuing teaching careers.

“This law is about fairness and flexibility,” Johnson said. “By removing outdated barriers, we empower schools and teacher preparation programs to offer support that better reflects the demands placed on student teachers and helps diversify our education workforce.”

House Bill 3528 was signed into law Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – In a landmark effort to tackle food waste and reduce methane emissions, State Senator Adriane Johnson outlined two measures at a press conference Wednesday that are part of Illinois first statewide framework for food scrap management and sustainable composting.

“By diverting edible food to feed people and food waste from landfills and into composting, we help build Illinois’ circular economy,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Creating an infrastructure for enhanced food recovery and food waste diversion, and opening markets for compost makes sense for everyone.”

SPRINGFIELD – Better water quality is in the future for Lake Michigan, thanks to a new law spearheaded by State Senator Adriane Johnson.

“We need to be doing all we can to protect our water quality, and this new law will continue to ensure our efforts in having a clean water supply,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Lake Michigan provides drinking water to millions of people in the state, so we will never stop our work in having safe, potable water.”

The law updates an existing provision to task the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) with regularly monitoring water quality from nearshores, harbors and public water supply intakes in Lake Michigan. The IEPA will also be required to provide an executive summary every two years on conditions of the lake’s water quality to the governor and General Assembly.

This update further aligns the state with the federal Clean Water Act and was included in a package initiative this spring session aimed at enhancing water quality.

“Ensuring the sustainability of Lake Michigan is critical for long-term planning and development in the state,” said Johnson. “Updating these protections supports sustainable growth in Illinois while also balancing economic, human and environmental needs.”

Senate Bill 3716 was signed into law Friday and is effective immediately.