Update: This legislation (SB 2674) passed the Senate 43-13-1. It now goes to the Illinois House.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) unveiled a compromise plan to provide funding for the endangered Illinois Poison Center that also addresses some of the concerns of local 9-1-1 systems in the Senate State Government Committee today.

Earlier this year, Harmon introduced the “2 Cent Solution” – a plan to reallocate 2 cents from existing cell phone fees to the cash-strapped center that answers questions about potential poisoning from the general public and medical professionals. This money comes from an underused fund intended to help cell phone providers improve 9-1-1 service. However, some 9-1-1 systems objected and Harmon has been negotiating ever since.

“The Illinois Poison Center is vitally important,” Harmon said. “A call to the poison center can provide panicking parents with piece of mind and prevent costly, unnecessary trips to the emergency room. Even other medical experts call the Poison Center for advice. We can’t let the Poison Center close.”

Harmon’s new plan still draws from existing fees, so taxpayers won’t see any new charges on their bills. Phased in between 2014 and 2018, it gradually reduces the amount of money that goes into the underused fund and redirects that money to the Illinois Poison Center and 9-1-1 systems.

In 2018, 2 cents will go to the Illinois Poison Center and almost all of the remainder will go directly to 9-1-1 systems.