SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to an initiative led by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, the Board of Nursing at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will have more authority to oversee the establishment and administration of new and existing nursing programs, creating consistency and a high standard of quality across all programs statewide.

“Nurses are essential to maintaining the health of our communities. It is important, for their well-being and ours, that our nursing programs meet national standards and provide transferable skills to young professionals,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure will allow nurses to move around the state if they choose and be recognized nationally for having an IL RN license.”

House Bill 1807 would require the Board of Nursing at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to oversee a variety of elements of new and existing nursing programs, including accreditation standards, program remediation, withdrawal or closure of programs, and more. The measure would give the Board of Nursing authority to approve or disapprove of program directors to ensure that the person selected is qualified for the role, as well as purview over the program curriculum and faculty members.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure more skilled health care professionals can practice in Illinois, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes introduced legislation to better support the state’s physician assistant workforce and improve access to care.

“Too many Illinoisans are suffering adverse health effects because they have to wait to see health care providers,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This initiative will streamline the process of becoming a licensed physician assistant, decreasing the shortage in the health care workforce so that more people can get the care they need more quickly.”

According to a 2020 workforce report prepared by the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center, Illinois currently has a shortage of more than 15,000 nurses. With projections of a shortage of more than 6,000 doctors by 2030, patients could face significant delays in seeing a provider, which can negatively impact their health.  

SPRINGFIELD – Smaller dental practices will soon have more time to transition to electronic payments, thanks to an initiative sponsored by State Senator Javier Cervantes.

“If we enforce a deadline without giving dental practices enough time to adapt, we will be doing them and their patients a greater disservice,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure will allow dental practices more time to enhance their electronic portals to better serve their patients, and to meet the new deadline in 2027.”  

Previous legislation requires dental providers and insurance companies to begin sharing all information electronically by 2026. While this measure intends to help modernize these practices and make patient payments more efficient, many dental care providers throughout the state have requested more time to make the necessary technological advancements.

CHICAGO – To clear up confusion around when young people who are incarcerated can petition for youthful parole, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes is sponsoring legislation that would clarify the timeline available for people who were committed an offense under the age of 21. 

“I am grateful that the law in Illinois extends grace to young people who have committed criminal offenses and gives them the chance to reform their lives,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This legislation will add onto that, and give them an opportunity to apply for parole earlier, helping them reintegrate to their community and create a more positive future.”

Currently, young people who were under 21 at the time of committing a criminal offense can file a petition for a parole hearing up to three years before they are eligible for parole. If appropriately filed, the Prisoner Review Board sets a parole hearing date three years from the date it received the petition. However, sometimes a person is already eligible for a youthful parole hearing when they file a petition because they have already served the required number of years. This has caused some confusion when they file a petition over if the parole hearing can take place within a year, or if they have to wait three years for a hearing.