Welcome to Illinois State Senator Michael Hastings Legislative Website

Hastings bill opens the door for virtual dental care

SPRINGFIELD — To expand access to dental care, State Senator Michael E. Hastings passed legislation designed to ensure patients can access virtual dental care safely while maintaining strong professional standards.

“When life gets hectic, dental care is often the first thing that gets put to the side,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “This will especially help rural and low-income communities who often have a lack access to dental care.”

Senate Bill 3211 would clarify when and how virtual dental care may be used, ensuring patients can access dental care safely while maintaining strong professional standards. Hastings stressed that the bill would:

• Address critical access gaps.
• Reduce barriers for children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families with transportation, mobility or scheduling challenges.
• Enable care delivery in schools, long-term care facilities, community health centers and other settings where patients already are.
• Support early intervention, preventing minor oral health issues from becoming costly emergency room visits.

Virtual dental care has been found to offer patients and providers the flexibility needed to solve in-person limitations. Patients have the valuable option to directly reach out to a dentist from virtually anywhere. This approach allows dentists to conduct a detailed evaluation of the issue before recommending any treatment, resulting in significant time and cost savings. Consequently, this approach minimizes the need for travel and leads to shorter waiting times at dental offices.

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Hastings leads effort to expand virtual dental care

SPRINGFIELD — To expand access to dental care, State Senator Michael E. Hastings is carrying legislation designed to ensure patients can access virtual dental care safely while maintaining strong professional standards.

“Whether it is because of a disability or lack of access to transportation, people often struggle to make it to the dentist as much as they should,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “While it may seem harmless early on, missing out on routine dental work can lead to costly emergency room visits down the road.”

Senate Bill 3211 would clarify when and how virtual dental care may be used, ensuring patients can access dental care safely while maintaining strong professional standards. Hastings stressed that the bill would:

• Address critical access gaps.
• Reduce barriers for children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families with transportation, mobility or scheduling challenges.
• Enable care delivery in schools, long-term care facilities, community health centers and other settings where patients already are.
• Support early intervention, preventing minor oral health issues from becoming costly emergency room visits.

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Hastings landmark insurance reform passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD — Capping off years of advocacy and negotiations, State Senator Michael E. Hastings carried legislation that would protect Illinois homeowners from unfair rate hikes similar to those endured in the last few years.

“On behalf of my neighbors back home, I have made it my mission to get them the answers they deserve on their insurance bill,” said Hastings. “There is no world where insurance companies should get away with 20% or more rate hikes without having to explain where those numbers are coming from.”

House Bill 4273 would prohibit a company selling homeowners insurance from increasing premiums by more than 10% without first notifying the consumer 60 days prior. This would give consumers the necessary time to shop around and find a better rate. Most importantly, the bill would prohibit homeowners insurance premiums from being excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory. The measure would be overseen by the Illinois Department of Insurance, with set rules for hearings on newly filed rates.

The legislation would also ban cost shifting, a practice where losses or high-claim payouts in other states are shifted unfairly onto Illinois homeowners.

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Hastings school safety measure “Alyssa’s Law” passes in committee

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Michael E. Hastings is advancing legislation aimed at improving emergency response in Illinois schools using mobile panic alert systems. The bill seeks to provide schools with modern tools to quickly alert first responders in the event of a crisis.

“As a dad, school safety isn’t abstract to me, it’s personal,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “Schools should have reliable, straightforward tools that help protect our kids and give staff a direct line to law enforcement and emergency services.”

House Bill 5107 would require school districts and private schools to consider the use of a mobile panic alert system in the development of their school emergency and crisis response plans by the beginning of the 2028-2029 school year.

Mobile panic alert systems, sometimes known as Alyssa’s Alert, allow school staff to instantly communicate emergencies to first responders, enabling faster response times and better coordination across agencies. The legislation would also emphasize compatibility with 911 infrastructure to ensure alerts reach the proper emergency channels without delay.

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