SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois continues to face a shortage of mental and behavioral health professionals, State Senator Rachel Ventura is spearheading a series of legislative efforts with State Representatives Nabeela Syed and Hoan Huynh to improve licensure processes and expand educational opportunities in the health care field.

To address workforce gaps, Ventura and Syed advanced House Bill 3487, which passed the Senate Licensed Activities Committee on Wednesday. The bill requires the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to request voluntary demographic and employment data — including primary language, anticipated retirement year and ZIP code — when individuals apply for or renew behavioral health licenses. The goal is to generate more accurate data to better understand and address service gaps across Illinois.

“Our state’s rural areas continue to suffer due to a lack of mental health professionals,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Accurate and recent data can greatly assist in addressing the behavioral health care workforce needs we have in this state. When we know the totality of the situation, we can come up with better solutions, such as grants or improved training programs to help this essential field.”

SPRINGFIELD – To address ongoing efforts in mitigating the climate crisis, State Senator Rachel Ventura and State Representative Nabeela Syed spearheaded legislation to support green infrastructure loans for municipalities and counties, which passed the House Revenue and Finance Committee on Thursday.

“The costliness and unpredictability of abnormally large and powerful storms in the recent years due to the climate crisis has sent a clear signal for the state and local government to invest in climate resilience projects to protect Illinoisans from future disasters,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Meeting our state's clean energy goals and tackling the climate crisis requires real investment in our communities. That’s why expanding low-cost financial options for local governments is critical to accelerating the transition to clean energy.”

SPRINGFIELD — Following the visit from Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, many Illinois lawmakers and community advocates gathered to say, “Go Home Noem.”

Ventura stood in solidarity with Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Senate President Don Harmon, House Speaker Chris Welch, and dozens of lawmakers who delivered remarks at the rally held outside the Capitol.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Governor JB Pritzker have filed lawsuits to fight against the federal administration’s attacks on human rights — a fight Ventura has vowed to carry forward.

SPRINGFIELD – Following the House passage of House Bill 3796 from State Representative Hoan Huynh, State Senator Rachel Ventura carried the legislation through the Senate Insurance Committee on Tuesday, seeking to protect Illinoisans from out-of-pocket charges for ongoing treatments if the appointment was scheduled before their provider was removed from the insurance network.

“As a former actuarial analyst, I saw firsthand how insurance companies prioritized profits over health care — that being the main reason I left the industry. When a doctor has been removed from a network, patients need time to transition,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “This legislation provides time for a transition of care for those currently undergoing treatments with scheduled appointments. It's one small change that can bring a bit of peace of mind to those currently undergoing changes in their medical journey.”