Van Pelt Call4Calm Bill passes Human Services Committee

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) to permanently establish the Call4Calm text line to support Illinois residents' mental health needs passed committee Tuesday, falling in line with Mental Health Awareness Month.

“Call4Calm was a great initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can still benefit those who struggle with their mental health even after this pandemic is over,” Van Pelt said. “Mental health outcomes are more concerning than ever before due to the public health crisis, and this text line is an essential outlet.”

Read more: Van Pelt Call4Calm Bill passes Human Services Committee

Belt measure would help build sidewalks along state roads

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) that would require the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide funding to create additional infrastructure in urban areas passed committee on Tuesday.

The measure would require IDOT to fully fund all aspects of construction projects on state roadways, including infrastructure for pedestrians walking and bicycling within one mile of an urban area. Additionally, the measure requires IDOT to complete any of these unfinished infrastructure projects in municipalities with a population of 1,000 or more.

Read more: Belt measure would help build sidewalks along state roads

Stadelman moves Illinois one step closer to a high-speed rail network

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) that would create a commission to make a statewide network of new and existing passenger rail lines a reality passed committee on Tuesday.

“This measure would create a commission to help make a statewide network of high-speed rail services a reality,” Stadelman said. “Creating a high-speed rail network would provide a fast, safe and reliable way to travel across the state.”

The measure would create the High-Speed Railway Commission to assist the state and organizations like the High-Speed Rail Alliance, which produced a plan to create a high-speed rail from Chicago to St. Louis within the next 10 years, coordinate.

Read more: Stadelman moves Illinois one step closer to a high-speed rail network

Connor takes aim at racial bias in hiring processes that use AI

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) to identify and report racial bias in hiring processes that rely on artificial intelligence to determine suitable applicants passed out of Senate committee Tuesday afternoon.

“We work every day to monitor and root out systemic racial bias in our institutions, but we also need to make sure we’re addressing it in our technology,” Connor said. “If companies are using systems that are inadvertently singling out people of color and keeping them from opportunities they deserve, we need to know and we need to put an end to it.”

Read more: Connor takes aim at racial bias in hiring processes that use AI