SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A Democrat-led initiative in the Illinois State House is seeking to bar life insurance companies from discriminating against Illinois residents due to their criminal histories.
The proposed legislation would specifically prohibit insurance providers from denying payouts for a former convict’s funeral or increasing premiums based on a customer’s past criminal record.
State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) introduced the plan to the committee, arguing that insurance companies should cover a former convict’s funeral expenses regardless of their past offenses. “We just want to remove that hardship from the families and say ‘hey it’s okay to bury your dead,” Mayfield stated. “You may have committed a felony 20, 30 years ago and now you turn your life around, you can’t get life insurance. So it’s just basic policy.”
The bill successfully passed the House insurance committee with a partisan vote of 10-5. It is now set to move to the House floor, where lawmakers are expected to discuss it in the coming weeks.
