Morrison-led Alicia’s Law strengthens protections against online child exploitation
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SPRINGFIELD — With the rise in digital communication among children, threats from online predators have become more frequent and sophisticated. To help law enforcement respond faster and more effectively, State Senator Julie Morrison’s new law expands the authority of Illinois State Police (ISP) to investigate and stop online child exploitation.
“Law enforcement should have every tool available to track down those who try to harm children,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This new law ensures Illinois State Police can work seamlessly with other agencies to pursue online predators, no matter where they’re located.”
The new law grants ISP’s Division of Criminal Investigation broader jurisdiction to pursue online child exploitation cases and work alongside local task forces across the state. It will usher in improved response times, close jurisdictional gaps and strengthen coordination between agencies working to protect children from digital threats. The measure is modeled off of Alicia’s Law, a national initiative that empowers specialized law enforcement units to track and prosecute predators who target children online.
Read more: Morrison-led Alicia’s Law strengthens protections against online child exploitation
Governor signs Feigenholtz initiative to remove hurdles for new teachers
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SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Sara Feigenholtz championed a newly signed law strengthening Illinois’ efforts to address the teacher shortage by removing unnecessary hurdles that drive people away from becoming an educator.
“For years, parents and teachers in my district have been feeling the crunch of the teacher shortage,” Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) said. “As we continue to equip our teachers with resources and support, we need to make sure they don’t face setbacks because of family or medical obligations.”
The law, originally Senate Bill 1584, comes in response to a local resident who took family and medical leave during her pregnancy when she was licensed under short-term approval. For many educators, including Feigenholtz’s constituent, short-term approval in a new subject area is a path to becoming a more versatile teacher who can teach more classes — but it typically only lasts three years.
Read more: Governor signs Feigenholtz initiative to remove hurdles for new teachers
Villivalam law to provide school districts with cultural and religious calendar dates
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SPRINGFIELD — To assist schools when scheduling major school or athletic events, State Senator Ram Villivalam championed a law that will provide schools with calendar dates indicating when a portion of students may be absent due to cultural or religious reasons.
“The 8th District is a diverse community where portions of the student body may be absent due to cultural or religious holidays throughout the school year,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “It is imperative that we continue to support our students and their ability to participate in events outside of the school calendar. This law ensures schools and athletic associations are provided with the information needed when scheduling events.”
The new law requires the Illinois State Board of Education to include on its website and distribute to all schools a list of days during the school year that a portion of the student body may be absent due to cultural or religious reasons. This law would not allow for closures or excused absences due to cultural reasons but would assist school districts with planning events.
Read more: Villivalam law to provide school districts with cultural and religious calendar dates
Simmons Passes Law to Remove Barriers to Housing
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SPRINGFIELD – To remove barriers to unhoused residents, State Senator Mike Simmons passed into law the removal of notary fees to obtain a state ID.
“With no form of legal identification, unhoused individuals cannot access housing, jobs, or transit and this law will help,” said Simmons. “This bill makes it one step easier to obtain state identification, which in turn means folks will have quicker access to jobs, transportation, and housing.”
Prior to this law, application fees for standard Illinois state IDs are waived for unhoused individuals, but their application must be accompanied by a notarized affirmation. This is a difficult task for individuals with little financial resources, as notary fees can cost up to $25.
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