Belt measure to help with teacher shortage passes committee

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure through the Senate Education Committee Tuesday that would help address the ongoing teacher shortage in Illinois.

“Illinois is facing a crisis when it comes to recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, particularly in underserved communities,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We need to address this issue so our children have access to quality education.”

House Bill 3801 would provide retention bonuses of $4,000 per year, for two consecutive years to teachers who are National Board Certified who are employed in hard-to-staff schools. A hard-to-staff school is a public school that no less than 30% of the student enrollment is considered low-income. Becoming a National Board Certified teacher is a career continuum for those that starts in pre-service teacher preparation, leading aspiring teachers to pursue and achieve National Board Certification.

Read more: Belt measure to help with teacher shortage passes committee

Right to read protected under Murphy measure

SPRINGFIELD – In order to protect the freedom of allowing people to read, State Senator Laura Murphy championed legislation to prevent the banning of books.

“The First Amendment protects more than just our right to speak, it includes the right to access resources from libraries that are free from censorship driven by partisan or doctrinal disapproval,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “These coordinated campaigns to censor books stand as a direct affront to the principles our country was founded upon.”

Under this measure, a library or library system must adopt the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights or develop a written statement prohibiting the practice of banning books or materials in order to be eligible for state grants.

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Senator Sims stands up for survivors of violence

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. joined the Alliance for Safety and Justice Team to push for commonsense solutions to public safety at a rally Thursday.

“I see so many times across my community the pain – the extraordinary pain – that individuals feel because they are suffering from loss,” Sims told nearly 250 advocates at the Capitol. “Enough is enough. We are far too tired of being sick and tired.”

The Chicago Democrat and hundreds of local crime victims joined forces to speak for the need to make communities safer. Aside from the rally in the rotunda, many advocates met with a number of Senators and Representatives to outline their ideas for public safety solutions that stop the cycle of crime.

Read more: Senator Sims stands up for survivors of violence

Aquino: Illinoisans need access to healthcare, not to be targeted as political puns

SPRINGFIELD. Senate Majority Caucus Chair Omar Aquino released the following statement following House Republican lawmakers' press conference in which they criticized the Medicaid expansions Illinois has achieved so far under the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults Program:

"Over the last few years, I have been the proud chief sponsor of legislation that expands Medicaid-like services for non-citizens, which positions Illinois as the nation's leader in healthcare equity. That is a fact. Thanks to the hard work of a broad coalition, we achieved that over 15,000 underserved Illinoisans now have access to healthcare.

Read more: Aquino: Illinoisans need access to healthcare, not to be targeted as political puns