State Sen. Bill Cunningham’s measure to specifically set aside funding for the city of Chicago to purchase and repair emergency service vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances was signed into law.

“Dedicating funding to emergency vehicles will help keep our community safe during emergencies,” said Cunningham. “Money collected from ambulance rides will now go directly toward upgrading emergency vehicles.”

Cunningham’s law sets aside 10 percent of funds collected from ambulance rides and places the money in a dedicated fund for upgrades to emergency service vehicles in the city of Chicago. The city collects around $200 million every year from private insurance companies for ambulance transportation. These collected funds are placed into the city’s general revenue fund where they are being used for purposes unrelated to emergencies.

“Making sure our community is safe has always been a top priority for me,” Cunningham said.

“This will make sure that we can continue to upgrade lifesaving equipment our emergency responders depend on.”

House Bill 2977 takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.

Cunningham’s measure to ensure protected leave for employees whose newborns require intensive care after birth was also signed into law.

“Parents shouldn’t have to choose between going to work and sitting in the NICU with their newborn,” said Cunningham.

“This legislation gives parents the flexibility they need during a serious medical emergency.”

Under Cunningham’s law, employees of mid-sized companies with 16-50 employees are eligible for up to 10 days of unpaid leave while their child is in the NICU, while those working for larger companies with 51 or more employees are eligible for up to 20 days. This leave is in addition to protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act and ensures continued health insurance coverage and job protection throughout the leave period.

Cunningham’s nephew was born prematurely and was placed in the NICU for months. Through this experience, he saw firsthand the tremendous burden on family members facing similar situations.

“No parent should be fired for putting their kid’s health before their job,” said Cunningham. “This new law will ensure parents can focus on what matters most: the health and safety of their child.”

House Bill 2978 takes effect Jan. 1, 2026.