SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) allowing students to choose whether or not to submit their ACT and SAT scores when applying to Illinois colleges and universities passed the General Assembly on Tuesday.

“Test anxieties are real. We know standardized tests are not reliable indicators of graduation rates,” Belt said. “Taking a snapshot of a student’s high school years and reducing it down to a single test isn't fair.”

The measure creates the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act, which would prohibit Illinois’ public universities from relying solely on a student’s ACT or SAT score to make an admissions decision.

SWANSEA – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) announced Friday that the Metro East area he represents will receive nearly $50 million to improve roads and bridges over the next year.

“I’m pleased to see funds spent on the roads we travel on every day, including some that are in desperate need of repair,” Belt said. “Maintaining and improving our roads needs to be a priority for Illinois to ensure we can safely get places.”

This funding comes from the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, which promotes economic growth by investing in the state’s transportation system. Through the multi-year plan, $20.7 billion will be used to improve over 2,700 miles of roads and nearly 8 million square feet of bridges throughout Illinois over the next six years.

“The Rebuild Illinois program invests and supports our communities by creating more jobs and promoting economic growth,” Belt said. “This plan will provide hundreds of jobs for those who were left unemployed from the pandemic, helping us put it behind us and get our state back on track.”

Over the next year, 25 projects are scheduled, totaling $47.9 million.

Notable projects taking place in Fiscal Year 2022 are listed below:

• I-70 bridge repair over the Mississippi River in St. Clair County
• 3 miles of reconstruction on IL 3 at 20^th Street in Granite City
• 51 miles of pavement improvements on Old Collinsville Road from Ashland Avenue in Fairview Heights to Lebanon Avenue in Swansea
• 39 miles of pavement improvements on East and West Highway 50 from Anne Avenue to IL 158 in St. Clair County
• 62 miles of reconstruction on 1^st Street from C Street to E Street in Granite City

For a full list of projects in the 57^th District, visit IDOT's website.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that would allow water and sewer utilities to provide an additional financial assistance program passed committee on Thursday.

“Water and sewer services are essential services. You need them to live. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that low-income customers cannot afford their monthly bills,” Belt said. “This measure would help lessen that financial burden for these customers.” 

Utility providers can choose to opt-in to the program, managed by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to ensure low-income citizens’ water and sewer services are available and affordable.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) that seeks to remove barriers to getting hired by the state of Illinois for minorities and marginalized people passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

“Everybody deserves the same opportunity, no matter the color of their skin,” Belt said. “We need to continue the fight to end systemic racism, and this legislation gives equal opportunity to all candidates who hope to work for the state.”

The measure would require the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to identify policies that make it harder for minorities and marginalized people to get hired by the state of Illinois and to seek legislation to address systemic racism in the state’s hiring practices. Each state agency would also increase diversity on interview panels in order to better employment opportunities for women and minorities. In addition, the legislation encourages CMS and other state agencies to review current personnel policies to remove any and all language that is discriminatory from their books.

“This fight is far from over, but each step we take in the right direction leads us closer to ending systemic racism,” Belt said. “This measure is essential to removing the barriers minorities and marginalized people face during the hiring process to become a state employee.”

House Bill 3914 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with a vote of 7-0 and now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) is highlighting a funding opportunity for area airports for improvement projects through the Rebuild Illinois statewide construction program.

“I’m glad to see the state making these kinds of investments, and I’m encouraging our local airport to apply,” Belt said. “This funding would help pay for maintenance and repairs that keep passengers safe, while boosting our local economy at the same time.”

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the Rebuild Illinois program will provide $94 million in funding to improve public airports throughout the state. Through a competitive grant process, airports may submit project proposals for updates, improvements, and extensions of their facilities.

Airports must be for public use and included in the Illinois Aviation System Plan to be eligible for the funding. Applications are due June 14 to be eligible for grants of up to $25 million.

Local area airports eligible for this funding are MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, located in Belleville and St. Louis Downtown Airport, located in Cahokia Heights.  

Application information is available by visiting IDOT’s Airport Improvement Program page. Awards are anticipated to be announced later this year.

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.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt that would require homeless shelters to prioritize the purchase of feminine hygiene products for all who need them passed committee on Tuesday.

“There is no excuse for depriving any individual the right to basic hygiene,” Belt said. “Not providing for such an essential need to some of our most vulnerable citizens is shameful and should no longer happen in Illinois.”

The measure would prioritize providing feminine hygiene products at no cost at all homeless shelters to people who need them.

SPRINGFIELD – Students could choose whether or not to submit their ACT and SAT scores when applying to Illinois colleges under a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville), which passed committee on Tuesday.

“It’s simple: Students are more than a test score. We know standardized tests are not always the most reliable scope of a student’s academic capabilities,” Belt said. “This measure ensures our universities take more than one score into account when considering applicants.”

The measure creates the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act, which prohibits Illinois’ public universities from relying solely on a student’s ACT or SAT score to make an admissions decision.