At-home food operations will see expanded sales opportunities thanks to Koehler’s new law

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) was signed into law Friday expanding the venues where home-cooked food operations may sell their products.

“Especially in light of hardships faced across the state due to the pandemic, we need to be expanding opportunities for Illinoisans to create extra income, not limiting them,” Koehler said. “If even one family is more able to make ends meet as a result of this legislation, it will have served its purpose.

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Sexual assault survivors will now have more privacy

SPRINGFIELD – Survivors of sexual assault will now have more privacy from the public because of a new law sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood).

“Sexual assault survivors deserve to withhold the details of their traumatic experience, Lightford said. “Now they will have the right to share their stories when they are ready, and no one else will be able to tell them first.”

Senate Bill 2339 clarifies that anyone seeking to inspect or copy court records relating to a child survivor of sexual crimes must get a court order, with reasonable exceptions for people who play a legitimate role in the judicial process. The law, which is supported by the circuit court of Cook County, closes a loophole that prevents them from excluding identities when releasing certain court records.

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New Crowe law requires public notice for power plant demolition

SPRINGFIELD – Citing safety concerns from the Wood River community following an unexpected power plant demolition, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) created a new law requiring any property owner planning to demolish a power plant to notify surrounding communities. 

“Communities need to be aware of any environmental or safety concerns happening in close proximity,” Crowe said. “By requiring companies to notify residents of power plant demolitions, we can help families prepare themselves.”

Earlier this year, Wood River and East Alton residents were alarmed when they heard explosions from the decommissioned Wood River Power Station without warning.

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Bush: We are one step closer to cleaner, safer drinking water

SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois has more lead lines that bring drinking water into homes than any other state, but under Senator Melinda Bush’s Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act, which became law Friday, that will change.

“Lead service lines are a health threat that poisons our children, undermines our residents’ confidence in our municipal government and costs billions of dollars,” Bush said. “This is a feasible and equitable path forward that would require all cities in Illinois to tackle a problem that we know harms Black and Latinx communities the most.”

The Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act establishes timelines and requirements for the removal and replacement of all lead service lines in Illinois and creates a low-income water assistance program to help fund financial assistance and water projects that include lead pipe replacement.

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