Rock Island Today

Health care professionals in Illinois will soon receive more training to recognize and respond to Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE), a rare but life-threatening condition for pregnant women. Senate Bill 1814, sponsored by Representative Dan Swanson, was signed into law on Friday. The legislation aims to improve outcomes by helping health care workers identify AFE symptoms quickly.

Swanson explained the urgency behind the bill: "Senate Bill 1814 would help health care workers recognize the signs of Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) and respond in time to save lives. AFE can strike suddenly and is extremely dangerous to pregnant women and their unborn child if proper medical care is not quickly administered. But because it is such a rare condition too much time can pass before it is properly diagnosed. This legislation will help to change that."

The new law also requires local health departments to notify the public when Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever cases are detected locally.

Two additional bills from Swanson were signed last week. House Bill 2547 updates statutes referencing the Department of Veterans Affairs, while House Bill 3388 expands the definition of “fire department vehicle” to include certain off-road vehicles and watercraft authorized for fire department use.

Swanson noted that six of his sponsored bills have been signed into law this summer. Other measures enacted earlier include requiring colleges to create policies awarding academic credit for firefighter training, directing state health officials to provide information online about alpha-gal syndrome, and updating regulations for online auctions and estate sales in Illinois.

Next month, Swanson will join Representatives Norine Hammond and Travis Weaver for a series of Farmland Assessment Seminars with local Farm Bureaus. The seminars aim to help residents understand farmland assessment procedures and how they can challenge assessments if needed. Events are scheduled for September 2 at Moline Public Library and Knox County Farm Bureau in Galesburg, followed by two more sessions on September 3 at Warren-Henderson Farm Bureau in Monmouth and Spoon River College Community Outreach Center in Macomb.

Swanson encouraged community participation: "I hope you can stop by for this informative and helpful program."

With students returning to school, Swanson shared safety reminders from the American Red Cross for parents, especially those with younger children or first-time students. He also highlighted the importance of driver awareness near schools and school buses.

This week marked the celebration of Swanson’s Summer Reading program for 2025, which saw participation from 33 children across the district. Participants were recognized with certificates from the Illinois House of Representatives and “Readers make Leaders” medallions during an event featuring ice cream, cookies, and a magic show by David Casas.

"It was a fun-filled day with magic and laughter," Swanson said.

Swanson was elected as a Republican representative for Illinois’ 71st District in 2023, succeeding Donald L. Moffitt.

https://ballotpedia.org/Daniel_Swanson

Additional news items mentioned include upcoming laws aimed at supporting veterans in Illinois next year, scrutiny over IEMA-OHS responses by state representatives, an incident involving an Illinois State Police trooper on I-88 in Oak Brook, statistics on aging farmers in Illinois, and national recognition earned by a Western Illinois University student.