Bomke legislation transfers burden of inmate medical expenses

[May 01, 2010]  SPRINGFIELD -- State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, sponsored a measure that has passed out of the Senate and is intended to make sure that county governments are not charged for the medical expenses of inmates receiving medical attention for self-inflicted wounds.

"A few years ago, we passed legislation that put the expenses of self-inflicted wounds on the inmate instead of on the county, but that provision got inadvertently removed from the law," Bomke said. "We are correcting the error and making sure that county governments are not required to pay for self-inflicted injuries."

The bill, House Bill 6178, passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to the governor's desk for approval.

"Hopefully, Gov. Quinn will quickly sign this legislation and we will be able to restore the law to the way it was originally intended," Bomke said. "In these difficult fiscal times, it is important that we help local governments save money in every way possible."

[Text from file sent on behalf of Sen. Larry Bomke by Illinois Senate Republican staff]