Welcome to Senator Adriane Johnson's Legislative Website

Johnson’s law strengthens menopause education and training

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson’s new law aims to strengthen medical education around perimenopause and menopause care by allowing this coursework to count toward Illinois’ required implicit bias awareness training.

“No one should feel dismissed or ignored while navigating menopause symptoms that impact their daily life, health and well-being,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Expanding education for health care professionals leads to more compassionate care and better outcome for patients.”

Senate Bill 3325 allows a continuing education course covering perimenopause and menopause to count toward the existing one-hour implicit bias awareness training already required for licensed health care professionals. The implicit bias training requirement has been in place since Jan. 1, 2023.

The law recognizes that education surrounding perimenopause and menopause — critical yet historically under-discussed stages of life — can help providers better understand patient experiences, improve communication and reduce disparities in care. The law will not create a new mandate. Rather, it incentivizes providers to expand their knowledge of menopause care while fulfilling existing requirements.

For health care professionals who provide maternal health services, previous law required implicit bias training to include instruction on maternal health risk factors affecting individuals from marginalized groups beginning July 1. Johnson’s law expands flexibility within the broader continuing education framework without adding new hours or requirements.

“Menopause and perimenopause affect millions of people, yet far too many patients struggle to find accurate information and proper care,” Johnson said. “Greater awareness and education can help ensure women receive the support and treatment they deserve.”

Senate Bill 3325 was signed into law Friday.

Johnson’s new law requires life-saving training

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson’s law to require athletic head coaches to learn life-saving techniques has been signed.

“Student athletes depend on coaches for not only leadership and guidance, but also safety during high-intensity activities,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “CPR training equips coaches with the skills and confidence to act quickly in cardiac emergencies and protect the lives of those in their care.”

House Bill 3275 will require all paid school head coaches and chief sponsors of the sports activities to obtain training in CPR, first aid and the use of an AED. School districts will be required to conduct an annual cardiac response drill to practice the steps established in its cardiac emergency response plan. The drills are able to be conducted without student participation.

According to the American Heart Association an estimated 23,000 children under 18 experience cardiac arrest in the US each year, and 90% of victims die unless someone nearby is trained to respond.

“Knowing how to respond during a cardiac emergency empowers ordinary people to save lives,” Johnson said. “Education and preparedness turn bystanders into lifesavers when moments matter most.”

House Bill 3275 was signed into law Friday.

Domestic violence survivors have stronger protections under Johnson’s law

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson’s new law uplifts domestic violence survivors, addresses emerging forms of digital abuse and expands access to legal protections.

“Our laws must evolve to reflect the realities of the digital era and the way that technology can be used against domestic violence survivors,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Survivors deserve laws that prioritize their safety, privacy and peace of mind. We do this by strengthening our laws to ensure that survivors are protected from threats, stalking and intimidation in all forms including digital harassment.”

Senate Bill 3020 updates the state’s criminal laws to better reflect the ways abuse can occur in the digital age and ensures survivors have greater access to court protections. Johnson’s law expands the definition of harassment to include conduct such as electronic tracking, doxing and the nonconsensual creation or dissemination of digitally altered sexual images and other harmful online content.

The law seeks to improve access to the legal system for individuals seeking an order of protection. Petitioners can request remote hearings in any Illinois county unless a judge determines there is good cause to deny the request. Previously, remote hearing options are only guaranteed in counties with populations above 250,000.

In addition, Senate Bill 3020 clarifies that survivors cannot be denied an order of protection simply because the offender is incarcerated at the time the order is issued.

The law also strengthens protections related to orders of protection by allowing courts to grant extensions for any fixed period of time or longer upon good cause, expediting extension hearings when an order is nearing expiration and clarifying that a violation or a new incident of abuse is not required to extend an existing order.

“The internet has created new ways for abusers to harass, stalk and intimidate survivors long after they leave unsafe situations,” Johnson said. “Protecting domestic violence survivors means recognizing that online abuse can be just as harmful and dangerous as abuse that happens in person.”

Senate Bill 3020 was signed into law Friday.

Johnson’s new law codifies civil rights

SPRINGFIELD – In order to strengthen and preserve Illinois’ civil rights protections, State Senator Adriane Johnson’s new law codifies standards to assess whether policies have discriminatory impacts within the Illinois Human Rights Act.

“Fairness means ensuring that opportunity is truly accessible to all people, regardless of background or circumstance,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Disparate impact standards help identify unintended inequalities and encourage policies that better serve the public as a whole.”

Senate Bill 3777 will codify the use of disparate impact standards within the Illinois Human Rights Act, ensuring policies that appear neutral at face value but disproportionately harm protected communities can still be challenged under state law.

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