GRAYSLAKE – Illinois will now have the strictest limits in the nation on ethylene oxide emissions thanks to legislation from State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) that was signed into law today.

“This is a major step forward to ensure the air we breathe is safe,” Bush said. “Ethylene oxide emitters will now have to follow stricter guidelines and will be required to be better stewards of the environment.”

Senate Bill 1852 puts restrictions on facilities like Medline and Sterigenics that use ethylene oxide for sterilization. The measure requires facilities to reduce emissions by 99.9 percent; sets emissions, dispersion and ambient air testing protocols; strengthens seal order implications; and prevents future facilities from being built near schools and parks.

Senate Bill 1854 requires Vantage Specialty Chemicals, a Lake County manufacturer that uses ethylene oxide in its products, to put in place several environmental safeguards in order to continue operating. It requires Vantage to have an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency-approved emission monitoring plan and dispersion modeling in order to receive a site-specific permit for ethylene oxide emissions.

Last year, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry released a report showing that the areas around Sterigenics in DuPage County and Medline in Lake County have increased rates of cancer due to ethylene oxide emissions.

“Thank you to Gov. Pritzker for signing this legislation to keep Lake County residents safe,” Bush said. “These new regulations will allow the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to keep a close eye on Medline and Vantage and make sure they’re meeting these strict environmental safeguards.”

These laws have an immediate effective date.

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SPRINGFIELD – The Reproductive Health Act, which repeals outdated abortion laws that have been blocked by the courts and ensures that reproductive health care is treated like all other health care and not as a crime, was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker this morning.

“The Reproductive Health Act sends a clear message that we trust women to make their own decisions,” said State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake), chief sponsor of Senate Bill 25. “Women can now rest assured that regardless of what happens at the federal level, they will have access to comprehensive reproductive health care here in Illinois.”

The Reproductive Health Act provides a critical update and modernization to Illinois’ outdated law. It codifies regulations that reflect current standards of medical practice and repeals state laws that are not in effect and not enforced because of court rulings.

“Women across the country are seeing their rights taken away,” Bush said. “Thank you to Gov. Pritzker for being a fierce advocate of reproductive rights and for taking this final step in guaranteeing the right to an abortion in the state of Illinois.”

The Reproductive Health Act:
• repeals felony penalties imposed on doctors for offering abortion care and some contraceptives
• removes the requirement that a married woman be required to get her husband’s consent to an abortion
• lifts disciplinary penalties adopted decades ago aimed solely at physicians who perform abortions
• protects assisted reproductive techniques like in-vitro fertilization
• treats the cost of abortion like all other medical expenses
• requires insurance companies (not multi-state plans) to provide coverage for abortions without cost-sharing requirements

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Senator Melinda Bush and State Representative Joyce Mason will be holding a free shred event Saturday, June 15 from 9AM to noon at 964 Spafford St in Antioch. Cell phones, books and eyeglasses will also be accepted.

Senator Bush's office is hosting neighborhood office hours in June at the following locations:

Antioch Library, 757 N Main St, Antioch
Thursday, June 20, 6:00 - 8:00PM

Wauconda Library, 801 N Main St, Wauconda
Saturday, June 22, 10:00AM - 12:00PM

Zion Township, 1015 27th Street, Zion
Wednesday, June 26, 2:30 - 4:30PM

If you have a state-related issue that you need assistance with, or have any questions or concerns, stop by one of these events.