Hastings unveils plan to expand sick leave for airline employees
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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) partnered with Southwest Airlines employees to hold a press conference advocating for the expansion of sick leave for airline employees Wednesday.
“The fact that hardworking individuals are unable to use their earned sick time to care for their loved ones is unacceptable,” Hastings said. “Since this is an issue with federal law, we’re doing what we can at the state level to demonstrate that in Illinois, we put workers and their families first.”
Hastings was joined by Corliss King, a flight attendant for Southwest, who was affected by this in 2017 after her husband was diagnosed with end-stage renal disease. He was hospitalized several times and received various surgeries that left him in need of care at home. Corliss was able to use her own accrued sick time to help care for her husband and children until 2017, when a law was passed that removed coverage for airline employees.
Read more: Hastings unveils plan to expand sick leave for airline employees
Glowiak Hilton passes plan to curb food waste
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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced a bill from the Senate Judiciary Committee that would allow state agencies that purchase food through a contract to donate leftovers.
“Millions of Americans struggle with hunger while billions of pounds of food are wasted,” Glowiak Hilton said. “The state needs to lead by example and do all it can to curb food waste and ensure that the most vulnerable of us are fed.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 30-40 percent of the total food supply is wasted each year. Most food waste occurs at the retail and consumer levels.
Murphy, Bertino-Tarrant propose grant programs to offset tuition
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SPRINGFIELD – Rising tuition costs have made higher education inaccessible to many Illinois students, but State Senators Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) and Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood) hope to put college back within their reach by expanding grant programs for students in need.
“As high school students begin to explore options for higher education, many are turned off by the rising cost and lack of need-based assistance,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “It is imperative students who want to get an associate’s degree or certificate have the opportunity to do so without going into debt.”
Murphy and Bertino-Tarrant are sponsoring separate measures that would expand grant programs to students entering college.
Read more: Murphy, Bertino-Tarrant propose grant programs to offset tuition
Tom Cullerton: Accessible suicide hotlines could save lives
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SPRINGFIELD – To battle increasing suicide rates, State Senator Tom Cullerton advanced a measure to ensure suicide prevention information is readily available to college students.
Cullerton (D-Villa Park) advanced Senate Bill 2495, which requires state public universities and community colleges to publish numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and the Crisis Text Line on the back of each student identification card.
“Improving access to mental health resources is a simple step state universities and community colleges can take to save lives,” Cullerton said. “Students are constantly required to use their student ID card to access sporting events, dorm rooms or utilize their meal plan. Ensuring these lifesaving helplines are easily accessible can be the difference between life and death.”
Read more: Tom Cullerton: Accessible suicide hotlines could save lives
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