Pacione-Zayas legislation to increase awareness of disability resources for school-age children passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – In collaboration with a 20th district constituent, a new initiative led by State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas to connect more children with intellectual or developmental disabilities to essential supports has just passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law.   

“When caregivers find out about the resources available from the PUNS database, they are often frustrated before feeling relieved, as they could have sought access for the necessary supports to improve their child’s quality of life if this program had been better publicized,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Our goal with this legislation is to prevent further miscommunications or frustration and simply connect caregivers to helpful resources as soon as possible.” 

The Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) database is a statewide database maintained by the Illinois Department of Human Services that records information about individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities potentially in need of services. The PUNS database is available to all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have unmet services needs anticipated within the next five years. 

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Turner measure prioritizing school bus riders passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – To further increase student safety, State Senator Doris Turner spearheaded a measure through the Senate that would allow school busses to have two extended stop arms.

“Student safety has to be our top priority,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Allowing school busses to have an extended arm would provide more protections for passengers and hopefully lessen the number of drivers who pass stopped busses.”

Senate Bill 2340 would allow a school bus to be equipped with a maximum of two stop arms that partially obstruct the roadway. The extensions would be required to be on the driver's side of the school bus and contain a system of flashing red lights.

“Too often, the safety of our students at bus drop offs and bus pick-ups are placed in jeopardy by distracted drivers. While we hire great bus drivers and teach children to look both ways, we can’t control the actions of a distracted motorist,” said Tip Reedy, Superintendent of Williamsville School District. “We value and appreciate the efforts of Senator Turner and other lawmakers who are taking steps to prevent the occurrence of unsafe and illegal passing of stopped school buses before a tragedy occurs.”

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Lightford champions legislation that addresses EMT staffing shortage

SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing staff shortages in the EMS workforce, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford advanced legislation in the Senate to attract and retain EMS workers.

“The pandemic further exacerbated how vital the EMS professionals are,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “We need to expand the workforce by prioritizing recruitment and retention of highly-skilled workers.”

Senate Bill 761 works to tackle the emergency medical field workforce shortage head on by allowing more flexibility for EMS directors to use alternative staffing models and creating a task force to bring greater training, recruitment and retention to the field.

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Feigenholtz continues to advance access to information for adopted adults

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz that will alleviate obstacles for adoptees to obtain post-adoption information related to their birth and adoption passed the Senate on Wednesday.

“This measure levels the playing field for all adopted adults who are seeking information about themselves through the confidential intermediary program. Permitting record access for those who were placed through child welfare agencies that have since closed their doors, does exactly that,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). 

Senate Bill 2134 adds clarifying language to the Adoption Act to permit a confidential intermediary to have access to stored records from closed adoption agencies. Currently, records of closed agencies are housed at the central state storage facility.

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