SPRINGFIELD – Professionals seeking licensure through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will soon see improvements to the process thanks to a newly signed law championed by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton.

“We have plenty of folks in Illinois who are ready to work but are left waiting due to the burdensome licensure process,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “We have taken a positive step to modernize, streamline and expedite the licensure process.”

IDFPR administers licenses for over 100 different professions including nurses, barbers, roofers, social workers, dentists and others. In Illinois, over one million people need a professional license or registration to work.

House Bill 2394 addresses the backlog of licenses and registrations by creating an expedited and competitive bid procurement process for software to modernize the way IDFPR processes licensing.

The measure also requires the department to extend the expiration date or renewal period for any profession licensed by them if the agency secretary finds that there is a significant operational need to do so or it is necessary to avoid undue hardship on a profession's licensees.

“This new law will move us one step closer to streamlining the state’s licensure process to help connect residents with good jobs and alleviate workforce shortages across our communities,” said Glowiak Hilton. “Providing IDFPR with this support will move us further down the path toward an effective and efficient licensure process for all Illinoisans.”

House Bill 2394 was signed by the governor Friday and takes immediate effect.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – With daylight saving time coming to an end this weekend, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton is reminding households to also check and change their smoke detector batteries as needed.

“It’s time to fall back, and daylight saving also serves as an important reminder to make sure your smoke detectors are working,” said Senator Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “This is a helpful habit to ensure your household is safe.”

If you find an alarm that is not working or is expired, replace the alarm immediately with a new 10-year sealed battery alarm. It’s also a great time to review your family’s fire escape plan.

Between the years 2014-2018, the National Fire Protection Association reported that almost three out of every five home fire deaths in the U.S. resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or non-working smoke alarms. The chances of dying in a home fire was reduced by 55% in homes where working smoke alarms are present.

“Working smoke alarms are one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning of a potentially deadly fire in your home,” said Senator Glowiak Hilton. “Maintaining the alarm is a simple way to help keep your family members and pets safe from harm.”

For more information about fire safety, visit the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance website.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – National Mammography Day is recognized during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton is reminding women to schedule this potentially life-saving exam.

“Mammograms save lives, as early detection for breast cancer is vital to patient care,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “National Mammography Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month serve women as a reminder to schedule their yearly exams.”

Breast cancer affects more than 250,000 women and 2,400 men in the United States every year. But unfortunately, the National Cancer Institute reported an estimated 9.4 million screenings that normally would have taken place in 2020 did not occur due to the pandemic.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – To increase microchip production and attract companies to invest in Illinois, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) championed a new law to create a series of tax credits to support the semiconductor industry.

“The U.S. relies on microchip imports to fulfill local manufacturing needs,” said Glowiak Hilton, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee. “In response to the national semiconductor supply chain shortage, we can use this opportunity to serve local production, build the industry in Illinois and create job opportunities for residents.”

Nationally, the semiconductor supply chain has been fragile for years and has hindered manufacturing across the United States. For added economic security, Glowiak Hilton’s measure incentivizes bringing chip manufacturing back to local production.