I believe strongly in centering the voices of stakeholders in crafting policy and often use the phrase “nothing for us without us” to reflect my belief that the best policies are crafted by those most directly impacted. My areas of legislative focus include criminal justice, reproductive justice and health care protections, and ensuring our laws secure equality for those too often neglected and ignored by our government.
~Representative Kelly Cassidy
"Nothing about us without us."
Legislation
104th General Assembly
2026
Professional Misconduct
This bill creates procedures and accountability measures for medical professionals and facilities that abuse patients. This bill is pending in the Senate from the 2025 session and is still being negotiated.
Civil Procedure - Name Change
This bill cleans up the process for objections to a previously enacted law (HB2542 passed in the 102nd General assembly), creating a process for people with certain criminal convictions to access name change proceedings. The bill passed by a vote of 65-35 and now heads to the Senate.
Criminal CD - Traveling Animal Acts
This bill builds on our state’s humane policy of prohibiting the use of elephants in traveling exhibitions and adds similarly vulnerable animals such as non-human primates, bears, and big cats to the law. The bill passed by a vote of 76-33 and now heads to the Senate.
HB4255
HB4428
HB4834
Controlled Sub - Testosterone
This bill will purge records of testosterone prescriptions from the Prescription Monitoring Program and will prohibit inclusion of medications used in abortion or gender affirming care if the federal government adds them to the list of scheduled drugs. The bill passed by a vote of 68-37 and now heads to the Senate.
HB4839
No Fetal Death Certificate
This bill allows the Department of Public Health to create a new form that will allow funeral homes to provide services to families who experience a spontaneous pregnancy loss prior to 20 weeks gestation and for any termination of pregnancy. Current law only allows for a fetal death certificate to be issued in the event of a spontaneous loss after 20 weeks of gestation. The bill passed by a vote of 68-31 and now heads to the Senate.
Rabies Vaccines in Shelters
This bill allows Certified Veterinary Technicians in the state to provide rabies vaccinations under the direct supervision of a Veterinarian. The bill passed by a vote of 102-0 and now heads to the Senate.
Epstein Files - Release
This resolution calls for the release of the entirety of the Epstein files with redactions being limited to protecting the identities of the victims. Furthermore, this resolution calls for a special prosecutor, independent of the Trump Administration, to investigate the Trump Administration's handling of the files–specifically whether or not the Trump Administration illegally redacted the Epstein files in an attempt to shield political allies. This resolution was adopted with a vote of 69-0.
2025
HB3352
Crime Victims Rights
This bill provides that crime victims have the right to be treated with fairness and respect during the investigatory process, including the right to be free from deception and free from the knowing communication of false facts about evidence during interviews and conversations with law enforcement.
HB3710
Crim Pro-Assessment Fees
This bill makes permanent the very successful program in the Cook County Court system that allows judges the discretion to waive assessments or fees against criminal defendants. This bill recognizes that fees and fines against indigent defendants can represent an impossible to overcome barrier to completing a sentence and successful reentry.
SB108
SB1602
Sexual Assault Treatment
This bill provides a comprehensive package of improvements on guidance to health care providers to ensure policies center the needs of survivors in all decisions, including guidance for so-called transfer hospitals that comply with the law by partnering with a treatment hospital with the resources to handle the complex cases. This stems from a case where a survivor was told to travel 70 miles one way to receive care when there were indeed closer options.
SB2500
Mobile Mental Health Providers
This bill follows up on discussions on implementation of the Community Emergency Services and Supports Act (CESSA), making adjustments to allow for practical implementation of mental health first response protocols in areas with diverse needs and resources across the state.