Bush’s campaign finance for child care measure passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – Running for elected office calls for a lot of long days, late nights and busy weekends. It can be discouraging for people with children – especially single parents – to chase their desire to serve their communities.

To enable more women – and all parents – to seek public office, State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) spearheaded a movement to allow campaign finances to pay for child care.

“The window is narrow for women who have young children to run – and it’s time to change that,” Bush said. “No one should have to choose between serving their community and being a parent.” 

Read more: Bush’s campaign finance for child care measure passes Senate

Feigenholtz moves to extend Holocaust Commission

SPRINGFIELD – With the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission set to expire on Jan. 1, 2022, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), one of two Jewish members of the Illinois Senate, is sponsoring a measure to extend the expiration by ten years.

“The Holocaust is among the most heinous events in human history,” Feigenholtz said. “Nearly a century later, not only are we seeing more and more adults and children articulate the depth of the Holocaust, we have seen increased hate crimes towards Jewish people in our country. It is extremely important that we continue educating our youth and work to find innovative ways to teach tolerance alongside the atrocities of the Holocaust.”

Read more: Feigenholtz moves to extend Holocaust Commission

Bennett plan to make November Native American Heritage Month heads to House

SPRINGFIELD – To honor the legacies of indigenous people across the country, State Senator Scott Bennett’s (D-Champaign) proposal to make the month of November Native American Heritage Month in Illinois cleared the Senate Wednesday.

“I’m thrilled to see this legislation advance so we can pay tribute to those who laid the foundation for our country,” Bennett said. “Native Americans have a rich and diverse culture, and their contributions and influences deserve to be recognized.”

Read more: Bennett plan to make November Native American Heritage Month heads to House

Murphy plan would help schools offer more affordable textbooks

SPRINGFIELD – As college-bound seniors receive their acceptance letters and prepare for the fall semester, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is seeking to create a task force dedicated to making textbooks and other course materials more affordable.

“After a year of remote learning and working, we have all become more familiar with the advantages of digital resources like e-books,” Murphy said. “As we look ahead to recovery, it’s important that we find out how these resources can supplement current initiatives like subscription and rental programs to help reduce the financial burden on college students and their families.”

Read more: Murphy plan would help schools offer more affordable textbooks