Governor Signs Syringe Access Legislation

On July 25, 2003, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed landmark HIV prevention legislation allowing adults to purchase and possess syringes without a prescription. This change in law will save lives and money by dramatically reducing cases of HIV, hepatitis C, and other blood-borne diseases.

State Senators Donne Trotter (D-Chicago) and Steven Rauschenberger (R-Elgin) and State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) sponsored the Senate Bill 880, which passed the Senate 30 to 24 on March 24, 2003, and passed the House 70 to 48 on May 13, 2003. Seven other senators and 25 other House members co-sponsored the legislation, now known as Public Act 093-0392.

The enactment of Public Act 093-0392 comes after a four-year campaign by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and its community partners to deregulate the sale and possession of syringes. Illinois is now one of 46 states to allow adults to purchase sterile syringes without a prescription. Only California, Delaware, Massachusetts, and New Jersey remain with state laws requiring prescriptions to purchase syringes.

One critical aspect of implementing the change in law is promoting the proper disposal of used syringes. Toward this end, the Illinois Department of Public Health has contracted with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago to create the Sharps Container Pilot Program that utilizes pharmacies and community organizations as distribution points for household sharps containers. Pharmacies and agencies throughout Illinois may join in this effort by participating in this important program.

View a list of the senators and representatives voting for Public Act 093-0392, as well as AFC's lobbying and community partners.

AFC thanks Gov. Blagojevich and the 100 legislators who passed the legislation (co-sponsors are listed in bold).

Senators Voting for Public Act 093-0392:

James Clayborne, Jr. (D-E.St. Louis)
Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago)
Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest)
John Cullerton (D-Chicago)
Miguel del Valle (D-Chicago)
James DeLeo (D-Chicago)
Susan Garrett (D-Highwood)
William Haine (D-Aton)
Debbie Halvorson (D-Chicago Heights)
Don Harmon (D-Oak Park)
Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago)
Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago)
Denny Jacobs (D-Moline)
Emil Jones, Jr. (D-Chicago)
Kimberly Lightford (D-Chicago)
Terry Link (D-Lake Bluff)
Edward Maloney (D-Chicago)
Iris Martinez (D-Chicago)
Barack Obama (D-Chicago)
Christine Radogno (R-Lemont)
Steven Rauschenberger (R-Elgin)
Carol Ronen (D-Chicago)
Martin Sandoval (D-Cicero)
Jeffrey Schoenberg (D-Evanston)
Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago)
Dave Syverson (R-Rockford)
Donne Trotter (D-Chicago)
Louis Viverito (D-Burbank)
Lawrence Walsh (D-Joliet)
Larry Woolard (D-Carterville)

Representatives Voting for Public Act 093-0392

Edward Acevedo (D-Chicago)
Frank Aguilar (R-Cicero)
Patricia Bailey (D-Chicago)
Mark Beaubien (R-Wauconda)
Patricia Bellock (R-Westmont)
Maria Antonia Berrios (D-Chicago)
Mike Boland (D-Moline)
Richard Bradley (D-Chicago)
James Brosnahan (D-Oak Lawn)
Daniel Burke (D-Chicago)
Ralph Capparelli (D-Chicago)
Annazette Collins (D-Chicago)
Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago)
Elizabeth Coulson (R-Glenview)
Tom Cross (R-Plainfield)
Steve Davis (D-East Alton)
William Davis (D-Harvey)
William Delgado (D-Chicago)
Kenneth Dunkin (D-Chicago)
Joe Dunn (R-Naperville)
Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago)
Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago)
John Fritchey (D-Chicago)
Paul Froehlich (R-Schaumburg)
Calvin Giles (D-Chicago)
Deborah Graham (D-Oak Park)
Julie Hamos (D-Evanston)
Gary Hannig (D-Gillespie)
Brent Hassert (R-Romeoville)
Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville)
Thomas Holbrook (D-Belleville)
Constance Howard (D-Chicago)
Charles Jefferson (D-Rockford)
Lovana Jones (D-Chicago)
Robin Kelly (D-Hazelcrest)
Carolyn Krause (R-Mt. Prospect)
Rosemary Kurtz (R-Lake in the Hills)
Lou Lang (D-Skokie)
David Leitch (R-Peoria)
Patricia Reid Lindner (R-Sugar Grove)
Eileen Lyons (R-LaGrange)
Joseph Lyons (D-Chicago)
Michael Madigan (D-Chicago)
Sidney Mathias (R-Arlington Heights)
Karen May (D-Highland Park)
Jack McGuire (D-Joliet)
Larry McKeon (D-Chicago)
David Miller (D-Dolton)
Robert Molaro (D-Chicago)
Charles Morrow (D-Chicago)
Rosemary Mulligan (R-Des Plaines)
Ruth Munson (R-Elgin)
Elaine Nekritz (D-Des Plaines)
John Philip Novak (D-Kankakee)
Mary O'Brien (D-Coal City)
JoAnn Osmond (R-Antioch)
Harry Osterman (D-Chicago)
Terry Parke (R-Schaumburg)
Sandra Pihos (R-Glen Ellyn)
Dan Reitz (D-Sparta)
Kathleen Ryg (D-Vernon Hills)
Ricca Slone (D-Peoria)
Michael Smith (D-Canton)
Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago)
Arthur Turner (D-Chicago)
Eddie Washington (D-Waukegan)
Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville)
David Wirsing (R-Sycamore)
Karen Yarbrough (D-Maywood)
Wyvetter Younge (D-E. St. Louis)

AFC also thanks the thousands of Illinoisans who wrote letters, signed petitions, and made phone calls in support of the legislation, including dozens of organizational supporters.

Lobbying Partners:

ACLU of Illinois
Chicago Department of Public Health
Chicago Bar Association - Lesbian/Gay Rights Committee
Cook County Bureau of Health
Cook County Department of Public Health
Illinois Academy of Family Physicians
Illinois Association of Public Health Administrators
Illinois Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
Illinois Chapter, National Association of Social Workers
Illinois Chapter, National Organization of Women
Illinois Council of Health System Pharmacists
Illinois Nurses Association
Illinois Planned Parenthood Council
Illinois Pharmacists Association
Illinois Public Health Association
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
Illinois State Medical Society
Walgreen Company

Community Partners:

AIDS Pastoral Care Network
CALOR
Central Illinois CARE Consortium
Champaign Urbana Public Health District
Chicago House and Social Service Agency
Chicago Recovery Alliance
Citizens Alliance for VD Awareness
Coordinated Youth and Human Services: Madison County AIDS Program
Crusader Clinic
DeKalb County Health Department
Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. - Illinois State Chapters
East Central Illinois HIV Care Consortium
Hemophilia Foundation of Illinois
HIV Prevention Planning Group - Chicago Region
Illinois HIV Prevention Community Planning Group
Illinois Region 6 HIV Prevention Regional Implementation Group
Illinois Region 7 HIV Prevention Regional Implementation Group
Illinois Region 8 HIV Prevention Regional Implementation Group
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Chicago
Kane County Health Department
Lake County Health Department
Macoupin County Health Department
Metro East AIDS Task Force
Mount Sinai Hospital
Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium
Ogle County Health Department
South Shore Hospital
Springfield AIDS Resource Association (S.A.R.A.) Center
Trinity United Church of Christ
UIC College of Medicine Peoria, HIV/AIDS Center
Will County Health Department

Language of Public Act 093-0392

Senate Roll Call Vote (PDF)

House Roll Call Vote (PDF)

Fact Sheet (PDF)

AFC Press Release on the signing of Public Act 093-0392


Information on Syringe Access

Responsible Syringe Policy Fact Sheet (PDF)

Syringe Availability: Myths and Facts (PDF)

Syringe Availability: Disposal Information (PDF)

Maps (PDF)


The Chicago Tribune comes out in support of expanded access to clean syringes.
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