HARVEY – State Senator Napoleon Harris, III championed a law signed on Friday to ensure patients needing home health services receive adequate care.

“Home health services prevent older adults from experiencing discomfort through isolation and unfamiliar surroundings,” said Harris (D-Harvey). “By allowing our state’s older population to stay in the comfort of their own home, we are providing them with independence while still receiving the appropriate level of supportive care.”

House Bill 5585 will require all health insurance plans governed by state law issued on or after Jan. 1, 2024 to provide coverage for access to home health services for the duration of medically necessary care.

Home health services will be offered to any individual at their residence to treat significant illnesses or conditions diagnosed by a licensed physician.

House Bill 5585 was signed by the governor and is effective immediately.

Harris supports FY 23 budget, tax relief plan

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey) released the following statement regarding the FY 23 budget to make working families and public safety a priority in Illinois: 

“As we get our state back to normal, it’s imperative to help our most disadvantaged residents and working families. Unfortunately, our working families face numerous barriers, so I strongly support providing more than a billion dollars in tax relief to provide them with better stability and economic security. 

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure patients needing home health services receive adequate care, State Senator Napoleon Harris, III (D-Harvey) advanced legislation to require all state health insurance plans to offer coverage.   

"Home care offers individualized services that are tailored to the client's health care needs and finances," Harris said. "By ensuring all state insurance plans cover home services, Illinois can play a tremendous role in protecting the most vulnerable among us, including older residents, the chronically ill and individuals with disabilities."

SPRINGFIELD – To prevent an abusive partner from receiving spousal support, State Senator Napoleon Harris, III (D-Harvey) introduced legislation to create the Domestic Violence Maintenance Task Force. 

“Victims of abuse should not have to pay alimony to an abusive spouse, regardless of their financial situation,” Harris said. 

House Bill 861 creates the Domestic Violence Maintenance Task Force. The task force will review domestic cases involving domestic violence and maintenance awards, also known as alimony, and issue recommendations to improve court procedures regarding a maintenance award when a spouse has been convicted of domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery against the other spouse.

“Requiring any spouse to pay alimony to their partner who has been convicted of domestic or aggravated battery is unjust and should be written in Illinois law,” Harris said. 

House Bill 861 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and will now head to the full Senate for further debate.