PEORIA- With strong support from Senator Dave Koehler, the Pleasure Driveway Park District of Peoria will receive $600,000 from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant to help continue ongoing improvements.

“Local parks are essential in community building especially in a time when it is more common for adults and children alike reach for a phone instead of racing to the swings,” Said Koehler (D-Peoria). “By revitalizing the park, we hope to see a renewed sense of excitement in spending time in the outdoors and meeting your fellow neighbors.”

OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since its establishment, OSLAD has awarded $675 million for park projects throughout Illinois.

A total of $36 million in grant funding was awarded to 67 local park projects across Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities. In Koehler’s district, the Pleasure Driveway Park District received $600,000 to improve Chartwell Park.

Visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website for more information on the OSLAD grants.

SPRINGFEILD- State Senator Dave Koehler’s law ending unfair practices by pharmacy benefit managers comes into full effect Jan. 1.

"Pharmacy benefit managers have too often prioritized profits at the expense of patients and local pharmacies," said Koehler (D-Peoria). "This new law allows transparency and fairness, keeping health care services affordable and accessible for Illinois families."

House Bill 1697, the Prescription Drug Affordability Act, targets pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), entities that manage prescription drug benefits for insurers. This law will end harmful practices, such as “spread pricing,” where pharmacy benefit managers profit by charging insurers significantly more than what pharmacies receive. It also will restrict PBMs from profiting from the sale of drugs to pharmacies, and would require them to return 100% of pharmacy rebates back to the individuals or sponsoring organizations. Further, it prevents pharmacy benefit managers from unfairly steering patients toward particular pharmacies and stops PBMs from limiting an individual’s access to a drug from a pharmacy by classifying it as a “specialty drug.”

"Local pharmacies serve as trusted health care resources, particularly in underserved and rural communities," Koehler said. "This law protects consumers and community pharmacies from PBM harmful practices and prevents pharmacy deserts across Illinois."

House Bill 1697 takes effect Jan. 1.

SPRINGFIELD – Starting Jan. 1, the right of parents to have full access to their child’s mental health records will be on the books thanks to State Senator Dave Koehler.

“Families deserve straightforward access to essential information that impacts their child’s educational success and mental well-being,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “This law ensures parents and caregivers have the tools to understand their child’s mental health needs better, and advocate effectively for their education.”

House Bill 2994 permits parents or guardians of students receiving special education services to access their child’s mental health records regarding services the parent or guardian consented to on the child’s behalf. Additionally, a designated representative of a student who is 18 or older will have access to these records. This law strengthens communication and helps close the information gap between families, teachers and school administrators.

Under previous law, parental access to these records can be unclear or limited as students grow older, potentially hindering effective care coordination.

“This law removes barriers that sometimes leave parents feeling disconnected from their child’s care,” Koehler said. “With better access to these records, parents, educators and health care providers can work more closely to create the supportive educational environments our students deserve.”

House Bill 2994 takes effect Jan. 1.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler’s House Bill 767, legislation designed to put clear, expert vaccine guidance at the center of Illinois’ public health response, has become law.

“Families deserve clear, evidence-based guidance when making health decisions for their children,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “This law requires expert input to drive our immunization policies, makes those recommendations public and adds practical protections so pharmacies can continue serving their communities safely and effectively.”

The new law comes at a time when the federal administration has gone dark on vaccine transparency. The goal is to shine a spotlight on this issue so Illinois continues to follow the science, no matter what happens at the federal level.

It will clarify advisory duties for the Department of Public Health’s medical director and require the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee to advise the director on diseases for which a vaccine is licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This aims to give the state advisory committee more authority to advise the director on vaccine guidelines that protect Illinois public health in the absence of federal action.