News & Events

CHICAGO – Legislation sponsored by state Representative Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, granting local governments authority to give exemptions for businesses who wish to serve alcohol within 100 feet of a church, school, or other community establishment became law today.

“This law is common sense — it will cut red tape for small business and the hospitality industry,” said Feigenholtz. “Rather than requiring legislators from all corners of the state to decide the fate of a business license from hundreds of miles away, this new law gives the decision making to local governments — exactly where it should be.”

Prior law required businesses seeking to serve alcohol near churches, schools, or other community establishments to acquire permission from the General Assembly and Governor. Senate Bill 2436 changes this law by allowing local governments to adopt ordinances so they can control the exemption process.

Earlier this year, Governor Rauner vetoed a bill which would have provided an exemption to a specific establishment in Chicago. His veto message stated, “Businesses should not have to secure exemptions to state law to acquire the licenses they need to thrive. Liquor licensure of this sort should be handled at the local level, where the impact of allowing a business to sell certain products is the greatest.”

This legislation has the support of a coalition of groups including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Restaurant Association, the Small Business Advocacy Council, the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, and the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, among others.

For full text of SB2436, click here. For more information, contact Feigenholtz’s Chicago office at 773-296-4141 or sara@staterepsara.com.

Feigenholtz Legislation Expanding Access to Physician Assistants in Illinois Becomes Law  

Springfield, Ill. – Legislation sponsored by state Representative Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, improving access to healthcare by increasing access to physician assistants (PAs) became law on Friday.

“Under current law, only five physician assistants are permitted to practice in collaboration with one doctor, which restricts access to health care,” said Feigenholtz. “This arbitrary ratio is now gone, and the new law will enable highly trained medical professionals to work in our hospitals and improve healthcare in regions where staffing shortages exist.”

About half of the counties in Illinois are marked as “Health Professional Shortage Areas” and are particularly vulnerable due to lack of medical professionals. This legislation exempts physician assistants from the ratio in these regions to meet the needs of these hospitals. In other counties, the ratio improves from 5-to-1 to 7-to-1.

“This new law represents sweeping reform and addresses the needs of patients, hospitals and healthcare providers across the state,” said Feigenholtz. “Illinoisans are one step closer to receiving the health care they deserve no matter where they live.”

This legislation has broad support from health coalitions in Illinois Academy of Physician Assistants, Illinois Primary Health Care Association, and the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

For full text of SB2904, click here. For more information, contact Feigenholtz’s Chicago office at 773-296-4141 or robert@staterepsara.com.

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State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (Center), is joined (left to right) by Museum of Tolerance Director and event moderator Liebe Geft, Shiza Shahid, Jaha Dukureh and Wiesenthal Center Midwest Director Alison Slovin at the Women of Valor Award Luncheon on Thursday, June 21 in Chicago. The Center honored the three women for their work of spearheading human rights and women’s rights on a global scale.

Rep. Feigenholtz Honored for Women’s Rights Work

CHICAGO – As part of their commitment to honoring women whose work has made a global impact, the Midwest Region of The Simon Wiesenthal Center recognized state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D – Chicago, Jaha Dukureh, and Shiza Shahid at Thursday’s Women of Valor Award Luncheon. The Center honored the three women for their work of spearheading human rights and women’s rights on a global scale.

“I am honored to receive this award alongside warrior women like Jaha Dukureh and Shiza Shahid,” said Feigenholtz. “Across the globe women are stepping up and making a big impact .”

As the lead sponsor of HB40, Feigenholtz helped make Illinois the first and only state to strike the discriminatory Hyde amendment by legislation, thereby allowing all women, regardless of income, access to abortion.

Additionally, Feigenholtz was the chief sponsor of the Contraceptive Equity Act, which expanded access to a full array of birth control options.

Feigenholtz also passed legislation t hat created the Holocaust and Genocide Commission. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a human rights organization committed to confronting anti-Semitism, hate, and terrorism.

The Center strives to promote human rights on a global scale, defend the safety of Jewish people worldwide, and teach the lessons of the Holocaust. The Simon Wiesenthal Center recognized Feigenholtz, Dukureh, and Shahid due to their personification of the Center’s values through their impactful work around the globe.