Bills Proposed to Prevent Future Legionnaire’s Outbreaks
Illinois senators are proposing three new bills to prevent future Legionnaires' disease outbreaks at the Illinois Veterans' Home in Quincy, which has had 13 deaths since 2015.
The State Journal-Register reports that State Sens. Tom Cullerton, Sam McCann, Michael Hastings and Bill Haine slammed Gov. Bruce Rauner and his administration's handling of the outbreaks at a press briefing Tuesday while presenting the bills.
The bills would put into place new warning systems for the disease, improve infrastructure and create measures to screen for the Legionella bacteria to prevent further outbreaks.
Cullerton says he's unhappy the legislature had to enact measures. McCann added that Rauner and his administration failed to fix the Quincy's Legionnaires problems.
Rauner spokeswoman Rachel Bold said Wednesday that the veterans' safety is a priority and it's "unfounded" to say the administration failed to act.