SPRINGFIELD - Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) moved to ensure that the recent changes to Illinois tax structure under its construction funding program that are hitting customers with multiple taxes are repealed with new legislation on Wednesday.

The current tax structure enacted to fund Illinois’ first construction program in a decade removed a previous tax exemption and put in place a tax on any vehicle trade-in above $10,000, meaning consumers to pay a tax when purchasing a vehicle and again when trading in the same vehicle.

“This effort ensures that the cost of purchasing a vehicle in Illinois doesn’t skyrocket and protects consumers from the possibility of paying taxes on their vehicle twice,” Muñoz said.

MCKINLEY PARK – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) participated in National Women’s Health and Fitness Day with a community event centered on helping women stay healthy.

The event was hosted at the National Latino Education Institute and included a number of valuable services to the local community.

“Women are a driving force in our communities and it’s important that they have access to resources they need to care for their health,” Muñoz said. “I’m glad we were able to bring together a wide array of vendors and workshops to support women’s health.”

SPRINGFIELD – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) led legislation that was signed into law on Friday in response to an oversight by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency that left McKinley Park residents blindsided by the construction of an asphalt plant in their neighborhood.

“The public has every right to know when a facility that may affect their health is moving into their community,” Muñoz said. “There is no reason why McKinley Park residents weren’t given ample notice regarding the asphalt plant, and we don’t want to see another community put in the same situation.”

Last year, McKinley Park residents received only a two week notice before construction on an asphalt plant began. Muñoz held a town hall in July to discuss the issue with the community resulting in the new law.

Senate Bill 1847 requires the IEPA to provide notice when a permit is required to construct a new facility to the state senator and state representative of the district where the construction is to occur and post the information on its website, searchable by ZIP code.

SPRINGFIELD – Spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty are now eligible for grants and scholarships from the Police Memorial Committee under a law by Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) that was signed today.

“Spouses of fallen officers often need to restructure their lives after their loved one is gone,” said Muñoz, a former Chicago police officer. “These scholarships provide support for spouses figuring out how to move forward after such a tragic loss.”

Currently, the Police Memorial Committee offers scholarships to children of police officers killed in the line of duty. Senate Bill 1183 extends the pool of recipients to include spouses.

MCKINLEY PARK – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) hosted a health fair at Arturo Velasquez Institute on Saturday to help families prepare for the upcoming school year.

Over 100 families participated in the event that offered vision exams, physicals, vaccinations, dental exams, free school supplies and more.

“It can be difficult for single parents or parents who have more than one job to get all of the services their children need before the school year begins,” Muñoz said. “That’s why we wanted to bring all these resources together to create a one-stop-shop for families.”

Two-hundred students received book bags and school supplies with help from Illinois Vehicle Auto Insurance. The Chicago Public Library was able to help 25 students get new library cards. Tropical Optical provided 160 patients with eye exams. Sonrisa Family Dental performed 40 dental examinations, and Alivio Medical Center provided 33 physicals and 90 vaccinations.

SPRINGFIELD – Children of fallen police officers or firefighters are now eligible to receive specialty license plates under a new law sponsored by Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago).

“I’m proud to give the children of these brave men and women the opportunity to commemorate their loved one,” Muñoz said. “I hope this small gesture helps their families as they search for peace after such a devastating loss.”

Currently, only the surviving spouse and parents of a fallen police officer or firefighter are eligible for the license plates.

Senate Bill 1894 allows children and step-children of police officers or firefighters who have died in the line of duty to be issued deceased police officer or firefighter license plates. The measure was signed into law on Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – To help with locating missing persons, Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) sponsored a proposal that strengthens the relationship between local law enforcement and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems.

“Finding a missing person requires law enforcement to move fast and cover as much ground as possible and this tool helps them do just that,” Muñoz said. “By utilizing the national system we will have a better chance of finding missing persons sooner.”

House Bill 2708 adds NamUS to the list of laboratories law enforcement agencies can coordinate with under the Missing Persons Identification Act. NamUS is a national information clearing house and resource center for missing, unidentified and unclaimed person cases across the country.

Missing people’s information would need to be submitted to NamUS within 45 days. In high-risk missing person cases, law enforcement would be required to submit a packet of all relevant DNA samples to NamUS within 30 days.

ROCKFORD – To prevent more tragic losses of emergency responders and highway workers, Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz’s (D-Chicago) legislation that strengthens Scott’s Law and finds a way to end senseless roadway fatalities was signed into law today.

“There is no reason why officers and first responders can’t be safe while addressing an incident on the side of the road,” Muñoz said. “It needs to be second nature for drivers to slow down and move over whenever any vehicle is stalled on the side of the road.”

This year, Troopers Christopher Lambert, Brooke Jones-Story and Gerald Ellis were killed in the line of duty when hit by vehicles while their patrol vehicles were stalled on the side of the road. The law was initially passed in memory of Lieutenant Scott Gillen.