Mason receives Legislative Hero Award

SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, received the Live4Lali’s Legislative Hero Award for her successful legislative work on preventing and ending drug overdoses.

Mason worked to pass Louie’s Law, requiring that the Illinois State Board of Education and the Department of Human Services work collectively with stakeholders to develop a substance use prevention and recovery guide for schools and regional education offices. The Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Instruction Resource Guide is integral to universalizing substance use prevention and recovery instruction in education settings.

Mason’s bill received bipartisan support and is now law.

“This guide is paramount to preventing drug overdoses,” Mason said. “Not only is this resource guide lifesaving, it gives educators and students a reality-based, safety-focused approach to reducing substance use risk factors in our youths’ lives. Louie’s Law is extremely important for the future of drug education.”

Mason was awarded the Legislative Hero Award on Oct. 26 at Live4Lali’s Masquerade Ball fundraiser.