BUNKER HILL – Central Illinois communities will see more than $509 million in funding for road and bridge projects over the next six years as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s latest Multi-Year Plan under Rebuild Illinois, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) announced Tuesday.

“Transportation infrastructure is indispensable to a strong economic future, and the unprecedented health crisis we’re facing makes the timing of the Rebuild Illinois plan all the more significant,” Manar said. “The plan will help our economy rebound by creating thousands of jobs for families set back by COVID-19, while supporting the work and safety of professional truck drivers who are the unsung heroes of our fight against COVID-19.”

Over $509 million in funding will support 172 projects between 2021 and 2026. Of the 172 projects, 37 will begin within the next year. Manar worked in collaboration with county and municipal leaders in his district to identify locations where infrastructure improvements were most needed.

The Multi-Year Plan will invest $21.3 billion statewide over the next six years to improve 3,356 miles of road and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck.

Passed in 2019, Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic and bipartisan Rebuild Illinois plan is the largest capital program in state history. In its first year, the program improved 1,706 miles of roadway, and repaired or reconstructed 128 bridges across Illinois.

Manar led negotiation efforts on the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois plan on behalf of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus.

Projects included in the program were selected based on objective criteria, such as pavement conditions, traffic volumes and crash history.

Notable projects taking place in Manar’s district in the next 12 months are listed by county below:

Macon

• 5.94 miles of road rehabilitation on Old Route 36 from Interstate 72 to 0.2 miles west of Harristown Boulevard, and on U.S. 51 from I-72 to 0.3 miles south of Cantrell Road
• 2.7 miles of pavement rehabilitation on U.S. 51 from I-72 to Illinois 121 in Decatur
• 0.74 miles of pavement rehabilitation on Illinois 121 and 22^nd Street in Decatur from 0.1 mile south of Kile Street to the Garfield Avenue underpass in Decatur
• 5.95 miles of pavement reconstruction on I-72 from 4.4 miles west to .3 miles west of the Piatt County line

Christian County

• 5.5 miles of pavement improvements on U.S. Route 51 from the Shelby County line to one mile north of Assumption

Madison

• 6.77 miles of pavement rehabilitation on Illinois 159 from the Macoupin County line to 0.3 miles north of Illinois 140

Montgomery

• 13.11 miles of pavement preservation on the Nokomis Blacktop from Illinois 127 to 0.2 miles east of E. 20^th Road

Sangamon

• Development of the Springfield-Sangamon County Transportation Center

Macoupin

• 1.24 miles of road reconstruction along County Highway 14 and Brighton Bunker Hill Road from Fosterburg Road to Shipman Cutoff Road

“If our two movements unite their social pioneering initiatives, thirty years from now people will look back on this day and honor those who had the vision to see the full possibilities of modern society and the courage to fight for their realization,” said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., referring to the Civil Rights and Labor Movements, in a 1965 address at the Illinois State AFL-CIO’s 8^th annual convention.

SPRINGFIELD – Nearly 55 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his renowned speech at the Illinois State AFL-CIO’s 8^th annual convention, in which he predicted that future generations would look back and honor those who sought to unite the Civil Rights and Labor Movements, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker) is leading an effort to make Dr. King’s words a reality.

BUNKER HILL - State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) is encouraging small Central Illinois nonprofits that specialize in food and housing assistance to apply for grants under the state’s Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund, a biannual program administered by the Illinois State Treasurer’s office intended to support nonprofits across the state with annual budgets of $1 million or less.

The Treasurer’s office recently announced that it will double the number of recipients for the fall 2020 grant cycle in response to challenges related to COVID-19.

“The Charitable Trust grant opportunity comes at a critical time for the nonprofit sector in my district, which is largely made up of small, community-based groups that consistently make a profound impact on already modest budgets,” Manar said. “However, the pandemic has caused unforeseen financial shortfalls, while simultaneously deepening the need for food and housing support.”

The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund will offer a total of $375,000 to be split between 30 nonprofits. The maximum award amount is $12,500 for each organization.

Applications will be accepted from July 1 through Sept. 30 in two categories: Food Programs and Housing Programs.

“Any eligible Central Illinois nonprofit that needs assistance with the application process should reach out to my office directly,” Manar said. “My staff and I stand ready to help as best we can.”

Applicants will need to complete the online application in full, including all requested documents and forms, at ilcharitabletrust.com. Applicants without access to a computer or the internet should contact the Treasurer’s office at (217) 836-4590.

Manar urges skilled tutors to volunteer

SPRINGFIELD – With $307,645 in grant funding from the Illinois Secretary of State headed to local organizations to promote adult literacy, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) is urging skilled tutors to volunteer to work with students to develop reading, math, writing and English-language skills.

“The adult literacy grants will help put thousands of adult learners on a path toward building a brighter future for themselves and their families,” Manar said. “I encourage tutors in Decatur and Springfield to consider donating their time and abilities to help equip students with skills they will use for a lifetime.”

Statewide, more than 13,500 students will be served by adult literacy programs. Nearly 6,000 volunteer tutors provide skills training for students. Adult literacy projects help Illinois adults who read below the ninth-grade level or speak English at a beginning level to improve their reading, writing, math or English as a second language skills.

The following organizations in Manar’s district will receive grants:

“Fishes & Loaves and Baby TALK uplift and empower young adults in a way that few other organizations can,” Manar said. “I was pleased to learn that the state will help advance their missions.”

The Adult Literacy Program is administered by the Secretary of State’s Illinois State Library Literacy Office and awards grants in three categories:

• Adult Volunteer Literacy Grants provide training for volunteers who tutor those ages 17 and older in basic reading, math, writing or language skills. Participating literacy providers include libraries, volunteer tutoring organizations, community-based organizations, community colleges, regional offices of education, schools (individual and public), preschool programs, school districts, domestic violence shelters and correctional facilities.

• Penny Severns Family Literacy Grants provide educational services to parents and children to enhance basic reading, math, writing or language skills. Programs must partner with an adult literacy provider, a child-at-risk agency and a public library.

• The Workplace Skills Enhancement Project Grants provide onsite instructional services to employees of participating Illinois businesses, enabling them to enhance their basic reading, writing or language skills and to improve their chances for promotion. Eligible employees must read at or below the ninth-grade level. Grantees must match the grant award and provide instructional services to prospective employees. The fiscal agent and submitting agency may be either the educational partner or the business partner.

People interested in becoming volunteer tutors are encouraged to contact the Illinois Adult Learning Hotline at 800-321-9511.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Medicaid recipients are now eligible for life-saving clinical trials to treat cancer and other serious diseases.

This afternoon, Governor Pritzker enacted Senate Bill 1864, a health care package that includes a proposal by Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) requiring the state’s Medicaid program to cover routine care costs incurred for an approved clinical trial involving the prevention, detection, or treatment of cancer or any other life-threatening disease, as long as Medicaid would normally cover those same routine care costs for a non-clinical procedure.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that this law will save lives. For too long, some people were granted access to the most advanced and potentially life-saving cancer treatment, and others weren’t, simply depending on which insurance plan they had. That injustice ended today,” Manar said. “I appreciate Governor Pritzker’s demonstrated commitment to advancing equity in health care.”

Initially introduced and carried through the Senate by Manar, the initiative was included in a broader health care package passed by the General Assembly during the abbreviated special session in May.

More than 20% of Illinoisans are covered by Medicaid, making it the second largest type of insurance behind Medicare.

Medicare and private insurance carriers are already required to provide coverage for routine care costs in clinical trial participation. Medicaid is not. This legislation would align Medicaid coverage for clinical trials with coverage under those insurance plans.

Because routine costs would be paid for by Medicaid if the patient were not on a clinical trial, there is minimal cost difference for Medicaid to cover these costs within a clinical trial.

Manar worked closely with the American Cancer Society to draft the proposal.

“The state has taken an important step to ensure the viability of new cancer research in our state and to allow an additional 20% of Illinois residents to have access to the latest treatments and therapies,” said Shana Crews, Government Relations Director at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “We look forward to working with state leaders to further reduce Illinois’ cancer burden.”

STAUNTON - Approximately 9,283 businesses, farms, households, and other institutions in Macoupin and Madison Counties will gain or see improved access to high-speed internet with the help of a $4.2 million broadband expansion grant to Staunton-based Madison Communications, Inc. announced today by Governor JB Pritzker and State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill).

These funds are being released as part of Connect Illinois, the governor’s plan to bring basic access to every community in the state by 2024. This plan aims to improve access through an unprecedented capital investment and with the nation’s largest grant matching program.

"High speed internet is an absolute necessity for economic growth and our ability to deliver high-quality education and health care. For rural families and businesses, the effects of the digital divide have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic," Manar said. "Bold investments in broadband expansion under the Connect Illinois plan are the most impactful steps we can take to strengthen economic viability and secure a promising future for rural communities like those in Macoupin and northern Madison Counties. I appreciate the Pritzker administration’s commitment to closing this disparity in all corners of our state."

Marking the first round of Connect Illinois grants, the $50 million in total investments announced today will be matched by $65 million in non-state funds to support 28 projects across Illinois. They are expected to expand internet access to more than 26,000 homes, businesses, farms, and community institutions.

“Connect Illinois is about the right of all our communities to access health care, education, and economic opportunity – because in the 21st century, all those rights are tied to digital connectivity,” Pritzker said. “The unacceptable consequences of disparities in broadband access were clear before the COVID-19 pandemic – and over the last few months, we’ve seen firsthand what it means when a small business that had to close its doors has no online shop, what it means when an elderly couple has no safe way to get medical advice at a distance, what it means when a child has no ability to access homework assignments online. This work has never been more urgent – the disadvantages that persist when our communities are left out of opportunity demand ambitious efforts to bring them to a close.”

The Connect Illinois plan responds to the needs of key industries and business sectors that lack reliable, affordable internet access due to a number of factors, including their location. Farm and agriculture is one of those sectors – with an estimated 40% of farmers in Illinois underserved or completely unserved by reliable internet access.

The state’s largest-ever broadband expansion initiative, Connect Illinois includes a $400 million broadband grant program and a $20 million capital program for the Illinois Century Network, a high-speed broadband network serving K-12 and higher education institutions, among others.

Another round of Connect Illinois grants is expected to be released later this year. More information on these and other grant programs can be found on DCEO’s website.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) has been appointed to the bipartisan Illinois Legislative Budget Oversight Commission, which is charged with monitoring discretionary spending by the governor’s office and local governments related to the new state budget and federal relief funding.

“The unpredictable nature of the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to create unprecedented challenges to our state budget and the way we conduct business, which requires us to find unconventional ways of providing heightened oversight and accountability,” Manar said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to ensure that federal and state funds issued in response to COVID-19 are used in the best interest of public health and the economic recovery of families and small businesses.”

The commission will provide a means of open communication regarding budgetary matters between the legislature and the governor’s office, and examine distribution and expenditure of federal financial relief related to the COVID-19 by state and local governments.

Beginning in August, the governor’s office will be required to issue a monthly written report to the commission detailing any discretionary spending or action that is inconsistent with the fiscal year 2021 budget approved by the General Assembly, including any actions that repurposed more than 2% of any budget line.

A representative of the governor’s office will provide a verbal report on these matters to the commission on a quarterly basis in-person, via telephone or videoconference.

At the request of the commission, units of local governments would be required to report on the status of federal funding distributed under the CARES Act.

The 22-member body is made up of Democratic and Republican legislators from both chambers of the General Assembly. Members of the commission will serve without compensation.

The Illinois Legislative Budget Commission was created by Senate Bill 2135.

SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) announced this week that applications are now available for the new Business Interruption Grant program, which will make $60 million available for 3,500 small businesses affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Working together, Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly made Business Interruption Grants a priority in this year's state budget,” Manar said. “Making sure small business owners in all parts of Illinois have access to much needed financial assistance is imperative as we continue to fight the ongoing impact of COVID-19. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we should do everything we can to support them."

Manar, a lead budgeteer in the Illinois Senate, successfully advocated for BIG funding in the new state budget, which was approved by the General Assembly last month.

The BIG program, administered by DCEO, is part of over $900 million in new programs recently announced by Governor Pritzker, with a focus on restoring communities hit hardest by the pandemic.

“This virus has had devastating effects on the health and livelihoods of our residents, and we must take aggressive action to help our families and communities recover,” said Gov. Pritzker. “As our small businesses reopen their doors, these grant programs will provide critical support to allow them to safely expand their operations. We cannot recover without our small businesses leading the way, particularly in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by this virus, and this administration is committed to using all resources at our disposal to help them thrive.”

Grants will be made available for small businesses in amounts ranging between $10,000-$20,000, depending on business type and other eligibility criteria. Eligible businesses include restaurants and bars, barbershops and salons, and gyms and fitness centers.

Businesses must also have been in operation for at least three months prior to March 2020.

The first wave of BIG funding will prioritize businesses that have experienced extreme hardship, demonstrated by revenue losses exceeding the amount they are applying for and caused by following the state’s public health guidance. Priority will also be given to those located in disproportionately impacted areas. DIAs are low-income areas that have experienced high rates of COVID-19 cases.

BIG funds may be used to help businesses cover the costs of payroll, rent, utilities and other working capital during the time they have experienced interruptions due to COVID.

A full list of criteria, as well as the application, can be found on DCEO’s website. Businesses and community partners can assess their eligibility and gather any documents needed to complete the application before it opens for submission on Friday, June 26 at 9 a.m.

All applications must be submitted by Monday, July 7 at 5 p.m.