SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) is spearheading a measure that would further increase student safety by ensuring their local school board’s threat assessment procedures are filed with the local law enforcement agencies that passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday.

“Student safety is a top priority,” Belt said. “With an increase in school shootings, it’s vital that our schools are up to date on procedures and understand what to do in an emergency.”

Currently, each public school district is required to implement a threat assessment procedure that includes the creation of a threat assessment team. The team must consist of an administrator, teacher, school counselor, psychologist, school social worker and at least one law enforcement official.

BELLEVILLE – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) joined local community leaders to highlight a measure that would help recruit more volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel by providing an income tax credit at a press conference Friday.

“People rely on first responders when they are in a crisis,” Belt said. “Providing an incentive for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel to encourage them to stay longer ensures that the fire departments have sufficient resources and residents know that emergency responders can act quickly in an emergency.” 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) is supporting measures to ensure that Direct Support Personnel are fairly compensated for the assistance they provide to individuals with developmental disabilities.

“Support workers are essential workers,” Belt said. “These individuals care for residents who rely on them to do basic day-to-day tasks that many of us do without thinking. It’s vital that these workers are taken care of and paid a fair wage.”

DSPs are vital in community residential settings, where they help residents with daily personal care like eating and hygiene as well as teaching life skills and attending to complex medical needs. While funding for these services has increased over recent years, starting wages remain barely above minimum wage, and vacancies remain high. This disparity is because the state does not always require community agencies to pass wage increases through to the workers.

BELLEVILLE – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) accepted an award for his sustained support and meritorious service to Illinois fire services from the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System Foundation on Wednesday.

“Firefighters risk their lives every day,” Belt said. “I’m honored to receive this award and I will continue to support measures that benefit all Illinois firefighters.”

The award comes in response to Belt’s support of legislation that would assist fire protection agencies and statewide associations, like Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, in pursuing donations designed to build a stronger and more sustainable fire, EMS and special team statewide intergovernmental cooperative system serving all municipalities during crisis and disaster level events. 

SPRINGFIELD – As school districts around the state continue struggling to fill teaching positions, Senate Democrats hosted a press conference in Springfield on Thursday announcing a number of legislative measures that would help address the void.

“Illinois is facing an overall teaching shortage and an immediate staffing shortage in schools,” State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) said. “Over the past two years, we’ve seen school districts take an all-hands-on-deck approach and our schools can no longer operate under that system. We need to take steps toward alleviating the teacher shortage through legislative action.”

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, there are more than 4,000 unfilled positions in schools. In an attempt to address the vacancies and increase the substitute teacher pool, Loughran Cappel introduced a plan – Senate Bill 3915 – that would waive the application fee for short-term substitute teaching licensees when the governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure spearheaded by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that would help recruit more volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel by providing an income tax credit passed the Senate Wednesday.

“Many communities rely on volunteer fire departments when they are in a crisis,” Belt said. “These fire departments across Illinois are struggling with a shortage of firefighters and EMS personnel volunteers.”

Senate Bill 3027 would provide a $500 income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel who are a member or work for a fire department or fire protection district for at least nine months and do not receive more than $10,000 for their volunteer services during the taxable year. Current law does not provide a tax credit. Other states that offer a similar credit include New York, Iowa and Maryland.

SPRINGFIELD – To recruit more volunteer firefighters, a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that would provide an income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel passed the Senate Revenue Committee Wednesday.

“After hearing from local fire departments, it is clear we need to find a way to get more people to sign up to join our volunteer fire departments,” Belt said. “It is my hope that providing a tax credit for volunteers who serve at least nine months will encourage more long-term volunteers.”

Senate Bill 3027 would provide a $500 income tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel who are a member or work for a fire department or fire protection district for at least nine months and do not receive more than $10,000 for their volunteer services during the taxable year. Current law does not provide a tax credit. Other states that offer a similar credit include New York, Iowa and Maryland.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) released the following statement regarding the governor’s budget address Wednesday afternoon:

“I support Governor Pritzker’s increase in education funding for K-12 students, as well as increasing tuition assistance for higher education, which will allow more students to receive financial aid. As chair of the Senate Education Committee and a former school board member, I have seen how essential it is that we continue to put money into our education system. During my time in the General Assembly, we have seen education funding double allowing all students to flourish.