New Illinois laws target senior care complaints

Gov. Pat Quinn has signed two pieces of legislation giving seniors and the disabled greater access to people who can address complaints about their care or their living conditions.

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program is designed to help people living in nursing homes. A measure Quinn signed Monday expands ombudsman rights and protections to people in community-based care.

It was sponsored by Democrats Sen. Heather Steans of Chicago and Rep. Naomi Jakobsson of Urbana. It takes effect Jan. 1.

The governor also signed legislation allowing people with complaints about nursing homes to submit them electronically to the Illinois Department of Public Health. That law takes effect immediately and was sponsored by Rep. Michael Unes, a Pekin Republican, and Sen. Julie Morrison, a Deerfield Democrat.