SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Cristina Castro backed legislation designed to put clear, expert vaccine guidance at the center of the state’s public health response.

“The education and effort put into ensuring our doctors and clinicians make evidence-based decisions should be second to none,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “In the absence of federal leadership, this measure equips our medical professionals and families with the best information available.”

House Bill 767 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.

The legislation would strengthen 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.

As consumer protections and insurance coverage at the federal level are rolled back, the Castro-backed legislation would require health insurance plans to cover vaccines that are recommended within the State Guidelines for Communicable Disease Prevention. Under this bill, coverage would take effect within 15 days after becoming law, removing a financial barrier to timely access for families.

“At the end of the day, health care de-regulation of any sort will be a price that children and families have to pay and we will stand against that,” Castro said.

House Bill 767 passed the Senate Thursday, Oct. 30.