State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) saw two measures geared towards breast cancer prevention and awareness approved by Governor Pat Quinn.

"Early detection gives people with breast cancer a much higher survival rate," said Hunter, chairwoman of the Human Services Committee. "Breast cancer is a life-threatening disease that can be overcome but only with routine check-ups and proper education."

An outspoken proponent of eliminating gun violence in her community, State Senator Mattie Hunter supported a measure aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of criminals and gives law enforcement another tool to stop gun smugglers. The new law requires anyone who sells or transfers a firearm to verify that the recipient has a valid FOID Card; it also establishes that gun owners must report lost or stolen weapons within 72 hours of discovering the loss.

“If your gun is stolen and someone commits a crime with it, then the original owner is the suspected criminal,” Hunter said. “A firearm that is reported lost or stolen has a better chance of being returned to its owner.”

A new law designating November as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease month in Illinois was signed by the governor Friday. State Senator Mattie Hunter sponsored the legislation in the Senate.

“This extremely important health issue deserves more public attention," Hunter said. "Education and improved public awareness is the first step to improving treatment and saving lives.”

COPD refers to a group of lung diseases that cause lung tissue to break down and make breathing difficult. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are the two most common conditions that make up COPD, and according to the American Lung Association, COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States.

"COPD is a grave condition with grave consequences," Hunter said.

In her continued efforts to reduce youth violence in Chicago, State Senator Mattie Hunter’s legislation to create the Youth Violence Prevention Task Force was signed into law. House Bill 2879 authorizes the task force to increase awareness by providing job opportunities, social and education initiatives, safe havens and other opportunities for violence prevention for at-risk youth.

“Youth violence has devastated our nation as homicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 15 to 29, and the epidemic is particularly rampant in Chicago,” State Senator Mattie Hunter said. “We must act now because more adolescents are killed in Chicago than any other U.S. city is simply unacceptable. We owe it to our children to do our best to protect them.”