DUPO — Motorists who need to renew their driver’s licenses and purchase vehicle stickers can attend a free mobile unit event Saturday sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt.

“The mobile unit makes it easier for people to receive necessary services while cutting wait times,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “I encourage residents to stop by if they need to renew their licenses or vehicle registration.”

The free event is on a first come, first serve basis and will be held Saturday, Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dupo Village Hall, located at 107 N. 2^nd St. The unit operates like a DMV office and offers driver’s license renewals, identification cards and license plate stickers.

Belt invites local veterans to utilize this event to add a veteran designation to their driver’s license or state ID. For veteran designation, residents must bring their DD-214 or Form 13038. For more information about veteran ID services, call the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs at 1-800-437-9824.

With questions or for additional information, contact Senator Belt’s office at 618-875-1212.

EAST ST. LOUIS — State Senator Christopher Belt helped secure a $2.4 million grant for the Metro East Auto Task Force — a move that will prevent carjackings, vehicle theft and break-ins throughout the community.

“The uptick in carjackings is a disturbing trend,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Innocent people are being targeted by this senseless crime across Illinois — and particularly in the Metro East.”

With carjackings on the rise, Belt stood alongside Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to announce a $2.4 million grant for the Metro East Auto Task Force. The group is a collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies to investigate and prevent auto thefts, carjacking and other related crimes.

SPRINGFIELD – A new law championed by State Senator Christopher Belt will tackle the increasing number of food deserts in Illinois.
“Everyone should be close to fresh and affordable food,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This new Grocery Initiative Act will provide crucial support to grocery stores in areas where they are needed most.”

Under the new law, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will be required to provide grants and other forms of financial assistance to grocery stores located in or to be located in a food desert. This aims to help mitigate the issue of food deserts across the state. An area is considered a food desert when urban residents have to travel more than a half-mile and rural residents more than 10 miles to get to the nearest grocery store.

“When communities lack grocery stores, it can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of residents,” said Belt. “With this new initiative, we are heading in the right direction to ensure everyone has easy access to healthy food.”

Senate Bill 850 was signed Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that Illinoisans in need of insulin have affordable access to the life-saving medicine, State Senator Christopher Belt supported a new law to cap its price at $35.

“Insulin is essential for individuals with diabetes to properly manage their condition,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Capping the price of insulin ensures that people can afford it without facing financial hardships.”

Under this new law, the price of a 30-day supply of insulin will be capped at $35 for all private individual and group insurance policies.

More than 10% of the U.S. population has diabetes according to the diabetes research institute. One in 12 Illinoisans have insulin-dependent diabetes.  According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the cost of insulin has risen 600% in the last 20 years. Americans pay 10 times than that of citizens of 32 other nations—$98.70 on average compared to $8.81.

“Insulin costs have increased significantly in recent years, despite there being little change to the production process,” said Belt. “This law will help protect patient’s well-being by ensuring that access to this life-saving medication is both consistent and affordable.” 

House Bill 2189 was signed on Friday and goes into effect July 1, 2025.

SPRINGFIELD – A new law led by State Senator Christopher Belt will increase transparency and accountability in the operation of housing authorities in the state.

“Everyone should have access to affordable housing. No one should have to question whether they will have a roof over their heads to protect them and their families,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “With more accurate wait list information, we can streamline the housing application processes and promote fair and equitable access to affordable housing opportunities.”

A housing authority is the local administrative agency for housing assistance programs funded by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. Programs include housing choice voucher programs and public housing. This new law changes the Housing Authorities Act, requiring that every housing authority collect data on the number of vacant rental units within each housing project, as well as information on whether each wait list maintained by the authority is open or closed.

“Over 224,000 people rely on housing assistance in the state, which includes a large number of my constituents in the 57^th District,” said Belt. “It’s only right that these housing authorities start providing this crucial information. This will build a stronger, more transparent housing system that meets the needs of Illinois residents using this assistance.”

Senate Bill 1367 was signed Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2024.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt is making amusement rides and attractions safer for families, thanks to a new law that will require amusement parks to have at least one staff member qualified to administer CPR.

“This law will enhance safety standards and ensure the well-being of visitors at amusement parks statewide,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “It is important that we acknowledge the need for effective emergency response in high-risk environments and that we implement policies that will ensure the safety of our community members and state visitors.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has faced a teacher shortage in recent years, which encouraged State Senator Christopher Belt to champion a new law to address this ongoing issue.

“As an advocate for quality education and the well-being of our students, I am always looking for ways to confront issues that negatively affect our state’s schools,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We should be attracting educators to our schools, not pushing them away. They deserve more from us.”

The new law will provide retention bonuses of $4,000 per year, for two consecutive years to teachers who are National Board Certified and are employed in hard-to-staff schools. A hard-to-staff school is a public school that no less than 30% of the student enrollment is considered low-income. Becoming a National Board Certified teacher is a career continuum for those who start in pre-service teacher preparation, leading aspiring teachers to pursue and achieve National Board Certification.

CAHOKIA HEIGHTS – State Senator Christopher Belt joined Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity on Tuesday in announcing the expansion of Gulfstream’s operations St. Louis Downtown Airport, enabling the company to increase completions and outfitting operations while investing in modernization at its Cahokia Heights location.

“This expansion of Gulfstream adds to the growth the Metro East area is continuing to see,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We are staying on top of the game by meeting the demands of the growing region, while leaving a positive impact for the aviation and aerospace industry and workforce.”