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SPRINGFIELD – Current Illinois law requires mental health professionals inform the Illinois State Police when patients are determined to be a clear and present danger to themselves, others or the public. The acquired information is used to ensure that those individuals cannot possess a Firearm Owner Identification Card, which is legally required in Illinois to own a firearm.

“Events across the country have highlighted what happens when individuals with mental illness have access to firearms,” State Senator Julie Morrison (D –Deerfield) said. “It is important we follow up with the information already being collected to safeguard against potentially tragic events.”

While Illinois’ new system is hailed by many as one of the strongest mental health reporting systems nationwide, there remains a disconnect between identifying potential threats and ensuring that people who shouldn’t have guns don’t have them.

Group to study alternatives to incarceration

SPRINGFIELD – A newly formed Springfield commission will soon meet for the first time to begin studying potential alternatives to incarceration for individuals struggling with mental illness, substance abuse disorders and intellectual disabilities. State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) recently was named as a member of the nine-person commission.

“For too long, we have sidestepped some critical public health issues and how they relate to our criminal justice system,” Morrison said. “I am excited to begin working with my colleagues on crafting long-term, responsible solutions that acknowledge the challenges facing our prisons and courts.”

SPRINGFIELD – A new law that prohibits minors from possessing e-cigarettes and other tobacco-free nicotine products was signed on Friday by the governor. State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) introduced the proposal last year in hopes of updating Illinois law to protect children from the dangers of this increasingly popular product. 

“Current Illinois law prohibits the selling of these products to kids,” Morrison said. “It only makes sense that they should also be prohibited from being in their possession.”

In Illinois, it is already illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to possess cigarettes, cigars and all other forms of tobacco. The penalty for the first violation is a fine of $25 or 15 hours of community service, and the maximum penalty for repeated violations is a fine of $100 and 30 hours of community service.

Morrison's plan would impose the same penalties for the possession of e-cigarettes and other alternative nicotine products.

While e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, they still pose potential health risks, especially for minors. Nicotine, an addictive chemical, can affect fetal brain development and can alter growth and function of the nervous system. The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes have not yet been thoroughly evaluated.