NORTH CHICAGO – To protect the picturesque natural spaces and diverse wildlife of Lake County, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) and her Youth Leadership Advisory Panel will host a community park cleanup in partnership with Clean Power Lake County.

The event will take place Saturday, Aug. 7 from 8-10 a.m. in Foss Park, located at 1901 Foss Park Ave. in North Chicago.

“This park cleanup is a hands-on way for people of all ages to get involved in the effort to preserve our natural spaces,” Johnson said. “The environmental crisis can sometimes feel overwhelming, but we all have the power to make a difference in our own communities.”

Children and families are invited to participate in the cleanup. Students in National Honor Society and other service-oriented clubs can count hours spent at the cleanup toward required volunteer hours—a representative from Johnson’s office will be on hand to sign log sheets.

Johnson’s 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel spearheaded the event. The student-run panel works alongside Johnson’s district office staff to help put together youth-centered community events and amplify young voices in the Lake County area.

“With this panel and our events, I hope to inspire younger generations to get more involved with pressing societal issues and advocate for their own beliefs within their community,” said Maddie Wang, a junior at Stevenson High School and co-chair of the 2021 Youth Leadership Advisory Panel.

Registration is not required, but interested participants are encouraged to sign up for updates at bit.ly/VolunteerBeachCleanup.

BUFFALO GROVE – Out of a pool of 187 nominees from all levels of government, nonprofit organizations and the business world, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) has been selected to be part of the ninth annual Edgar Fellows Program.

“It is my great honor to participate in this year’s Edgar Fellows Program,” Johnson said. “I look forward to engaging with brilliant and experienced individuals from across the state, and I hope to return to the 30^th District energized and inspired.”

The fellows will gather at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign next week for an intense executive training program, featuring more than two dozen policy experts and experienced practitioners. They will also have the opportunity to learn from each other in discussions of issues such as workforce development, climate change, public safety, disaster planning and intergovernmental cooperation.

The Edgar Fellows Program is an initiative designed by former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs to inspire respectful and collaborative leadership to address the state's major challenges.

Senator Johnson is one of 40 participants selected for the program this year.

“I’m both excited and humbled to be rubbing shoulders with so many respected community leaders,” Johnson said. “I am ready to listen and learn, and I can’t wait to make the most of our week in Champaign.”

More information about the Edgar Fellows Program is available here.

SPRINGFIELD – Clean energy alternatives are within reach for more Illinois households under a new law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) preventing property owners’ associations from putting up unnecessary barriers to solar installation.

“Solar panels are getting sleeker, more affordable and more powerful all the time,” Johnson said. “We should encourage—not punish—homeowners who want to take advantage of this developing technology and reduce their environmental footprints.”

The law expands the Homeowners’ Energy Policy Statement Act to prevent property owners’ associations from enacting policies that outright or effectively prohibit their members from installing solar energy systems on buildings under 60 feet in height that do not have a shared roof. Previously, the act only covered buildings under 30 feet in height.

Property owners’ associations can still determine the configuration of the solar energy system on a roof, as long as the new configuration does not prohibit installation in any way or limit energy production by more than 10%.

Johnson’s initiative also shortens the timeline for property owners’ associations to respond to solar energy system installation applications or requests for policy statements, helping reduce delays for individuals looking to install solar panels on their homes.

“Greener, cleaner energy is the future,” Johnson said. “Residents should be able to make the switch without worrying about obstacles and delays.”

House Bill 644 takes effect immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – Individuals who have overcome addiction can no longer be denied life insurance coverage or charged sky-high rates solely because they have undergone treatment for substance abuse under a new law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“For too long, life insurance companies have discriminated against those who have shown exceptional strength and commitment in seeking treatment for their addiction,” Johnson said. “This new law empowers them to move forward from their past and celebrate their recovery.”

The new law prohibits a life insurance company from denying or limiting coverage or charging higher rates based solely on whether an individual has participated in a substance use treatment or recovery support program more than five years prior to application.

Insurance companies are also now prohibited from discriminating based on whether the applicant has previously been prescribed an opioid antagonist such as Narcan or Naloxone.

“Overcoming an addiction means putting your future first,” Johnson said. “I’m excited to see insurance companies will no longer be able to punish individuals for changing their lives for the better.”

The legislation does not prohibit life insurance companies from making coverage decisions based on physical and mental conditions caused by substance abuse.

House Bill 33 takes effect Jan. 1, 2022.