Latest news with #Dillon'sLaw
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
RI lawmakers consider legislation aimed at safer storage of firearms
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — A bill that would tighten penalties for gun owners who don't properly secure their weapons is moving through the Rhode Island legislature. During Tuesday night's House Judiciary Committee meeting, the bill was amended to be called 'Dillon's Law,' which is named after Dillon Viens, a Johnston teen who was killed three years ago. Dillon's Law is an effort to increase the length of time a person would serve for having an unsecured firearm from a misdemeanor with a non-mandatory one-year sentence, to a felony with five years in prison. Viens was 16 years old when he was shot and killed while hanging out with friends in a Cedar Street home in 2022. The incident resulted in the arrest of the homeowner, Marios Kirios, who was not home at the time. He was charged with improperly storing a firearm. Another 16-year-old was also charged with manslaughter. BACKGROUND: Johnston man charged in teen's shooting death faces judge Detectives searched Kirios' home and found five unsecured firearms inside, including the one used to shoot Viens. The bill was passed by the committee last year, but ultimately didn't make it through the Senate. It now heads to the full House for consideration. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois advocates concerned about proposed cuts to care hours for developmentally disabled
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — If you just look at the line item for the Illinois Department of Human Services in Governor Pritzker's proposed budget, you will see an increase for services for the developmentally disabled. However, advocates are now drawing attention to a specific cut that could result in less care hours for people who need care in group homes. The They Deserve More Coalition, which is made up of different organizations that support the developmentally disabled, came to the Illinois State Capitol to share their concerns. Bill cracking down on license plate flippers in Illinois passes Senate The Governor's proposed budget would include a $32 million dollar decrease in funded hours for care of developmentally disabled living in group homes. The funded hours specifically pay for direct support professionals to staff these group homes. The Illinois Association for Rehabilitation Facilities said the decrease would result in 900,000 hours being cut from the current total, which could mean over an hour less of care per day. 'If we cut 900,000 hours out of the service system from those people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, then they're going to be in danger of not being able to live effectively in their community,' Lore Baker, President of the Association for Individual Development said. People with developmental disabilities are assessed and prescribed a certain number of hours of care. In these group home settings, hours are typically pooled together to make sure the people have the proper care. A spokesperson for Governor JB Pritzker's office said the rollback is more about efficiently using the hours allotted. Illinois House passes 'Dillon's Law' to help more people carry Epi-Pens 'The discussion of the 'funded hours' obscures a basic fact: IDHS and Governor Pritzker are committing more to DD services than ever before,' Spokesman for the Governor Alex Gough said in a statement. 'Providers will never be told 'you've reached your hours limit' or be forced to lay off support workers. The global hours total is part of a funding model with multiple parts, designed to fairly and equitably distribute limited resources.' The administration pointed to the other investments being made to services for the developmentally disabled. Those include a 50-cent per hour wage increase for direct support professionals. It's also another year of increases for the overall budget for that division. That overall increase is why advocates and organizations were so caught off guard by the proposed cut, especially since they thought they were past this discussion. This cut was proposed after the state already backed off a much bigger proposed cut last year. Starting in 2023, the state was prepared to cut 2.3 million hours to the same area. At the time, the state said that was just a step in implementing the findings from the state-commissioned Guide House Rate study, but the state backtracked on that plan after pressure from advocates and lawmakers. While this proposal will impact significantly less hours, advocates still say it will result in a loss of care. Bill to ban two food additives passes Illinois Senate 'I think it might be possible if the hours didn't disappear,' Baker said. 'But what happened, instead of moving around two hours to go have more hours for someone who has a higher service need and less hours for someone who needs less support, the total amount of hours in the system totally shrunk.' The governor's proposed budget is just that — a proposal. Lawmakers will spend the next month and a half hammering out the details of the budget. Advocates voiced their concerns about these proposed cuts to the appropriations committee in the House of Representatives. 'Every legislator that we've spoken to has been shocked that this was in the governor's proposed budget,' Baker said. 'They keep saying, didn't we fix this last year? And we're like, We thought so, but not so much.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Dillion's Law' passes in the Illinois House in hopes of saving lives
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — A bill to make Epi-pens more accessible to Illinois residents passed the House of Representatives on April 11th. Dillon's Law would allow anyone to be trained to use, carry or administer epinephrine to someone who is experiencing anaphylactic shock. Epi-pens are usually only provided to someone who has a known allergy. Rockford's State Representative Maurice West (D) sponsored the bill and said this bill would save people with undiagnosed allergies. 'As the father of a daughter with a peanut allergy, I know how important it is to be prepared for allergic reactions,' West explained. 'Dillon's Law will help keep people safe in unexpected emergency situations and help prevent unnecessary tragedies.' The legislation came about when Dillon Mueller, 18, was stung by a bee and died soon after due to anaphylaxis. The teen did not know he was allergic to bee stings. First responders attempted to help Mueller, but no epinephrine was provided in the multiple first aid kits that were on the scene. The bill is now headed to the State Senate after unanimous support. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill cracking down on license plate flippers in Illinois passes Senate
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — A bill outlawing license plate flippers has passed the Illinois Senate. The bill to explicitly ban license plate flippers is sponsored by State Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford). The flippers enable motorists to avoid tolls and identification by police when potentially violating the law with just the push of a button. Illinois House passes 'Dillon's Law' to help more people carry Epi-Pens 'Many drivers are using plate flippers to avoid tolls and police, evading the consequences of their actions on our roadways,' Stadelman said. 'Banning flipper devices is a crucial step toward keeping our roads safe and holding drivers accountable.' While driving with an obscured license plate is already illegal, the bill stops the use of tape and any other 'manual, electronic, or mechanical device' that 'hides or obscures a registration plate.' 'Everyone needs to play by the same rules of the road,' Stadelman added. 'This measure allows us to take a clear stand for public safety and responsible driving.' The bill was passed unanimously in the Senate. It now heads to the Illinois House of Representatives. Other states with similar laws include Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois House passes ‘Dillon's Law' to help more people carry Epi-Pens
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — An Illinois bill passing Dillon's Law could help save lives by making a medication more accessible. Under Dillon's Law, anyone could be trained to use, carry and administer epinephrine (commonly called Epi-Pens) to save someone who is experiencing anaphylaxis. It is commonly only prescribed for people with known allergies. Neoga superintendent speaks out against Illinois bill that would ban indigenous mascots The legislation is named after 18-year-old Dillon Mueller, who died from anaphylaxis after being stung by a bee. He had no knowledge he was allergic to bee stings. Despite someone with him having multiple first aid kits as well as first responders attempting to help, no epinephrine was available to save Mueller. The bill's sponsor said it will save lives for people with undiagnosed severe allergies. 'As the father of a daughter with a peanut allergy, I know how important it is to be prepared for allergic reactions,' State Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) said. 'Dillon's Law will help keep people safe in unexpected emergency situations and help prevent unnecessary tragedies.' Homeschool Act stalls in House ahead of April 11th deadline Dillon's Law was first passed in Wisconsin in 2017, and has also been passed in nearby states like Minnesota, Indiana, and Michigan. The bill received unanimous support from both chambers, and heads to the State Senate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
