SPRINGFIELD — Over 20 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes and Chicago-area waterways annually, the majority being single-use plastics with an average use of just a few short minutes. Once in the water, plastic breaks down into smaller pieces known as microplastics — toxic particles that make their way into drinking water, harm animal life and contribute to environmental degradation.

To tackle excessive plastic pollution and safeguard Illinois’ natural resources, State Senator Cristina Castro is working with consumers, businesses and environmental experts to pass legislation to cut down on single-use plastic bags.

“Illinois can’t be a true, nationwide climate leader if we leave our natural resources behind without addressing the hazards posed by plastic pollution,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “We as legislators have a responsibility to strive toward sustainability and protect our fragile ecosystems for future generations.”

Illinois students’ learning, engagement and test scores could be on track to improve significantly under a proposal from State Senator Cristina Castro seeking to limit students’ use of cellphones during classroom instruction.

“Every student in Illinois deserves a quality education,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “The growing mental health crisis among children has been shown to be directly related to constant access to these devices, which poses a serious concern for their education.”

 Almost three-quarters of high school teachers recently polled by Pew Research said cellphone distraction is a major problem in their classes. At least 10 states currently have laws, executive orders, or state education department policies restricting student use of cellphones during class.

SPRINGFIELD — Joined by realtors and advocates at a press conference Thursday, State Senator Cristina Castro outlined legislation she’s sponsoring to incentivize saving for a first home.

“I keep hearing from young people who are starting their professional careers, and a lot of them don’t feel like homeownership is attainable,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This bill will help them prepare for that, and it will help make owning a home attainable.”

Years of low housing inventory have created an inflationary effect on the housing market in Illinois, driving home prices up by nearly 40% in the last five years. Ballooning prices mean that new homebuyers have to put down more of their savings for down payments, further driving up the burden of buying a home. To address this imbalance, Castro is leading a proposal to help consumers save responsibly and create a pathway to homeownership.

SPRINGFIELD — Firefighting is an inherently dangerous, vitally important profession. Nearly every firefighter knows someone who has died or been seriously injured in the line of duty, yet the state does not currently track Illinois firefighter deaths, leading State Senator Cristina Castro to introduce a plan to change that.

“These brave men and women risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “As we learn more about the unique risks firefighters face, such as an elevated threat of lung cancer and the potential dangers associated with firefighting foam, it is imperative we seek answers.”

Over the past 20 years, nearly 2,000 firefighters have died in the line of duty, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In addition to injuries and deaths that occur in the line of duty, firefighters are at a higher risk of cancer and other illnesses – highlighting the need for state-level data to guide interventions that protect their health and safety.

SPRINGFIELD — During the early January legislative session, State Senator Cristina Castro continued her work standing up on behalf of workers and passing a measure to prohibit retaliation against employees who exercise their rights in the workplace.

“No one deserves to have their livelihood taken away because they attempted to exercise their rights in the workplace,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “These changes will enhance enforcement of our labor laws, safeguarding workers’ rights to break and rest periods in a reasonable working environment.”

PALATINE – State Senator Cristina Castro recently celebrated Harper College as they officially broke ground on the new Canning Student Center, which will provide a wide array of essential services for students.

“Harper College is an integral institution on the pathway to success for undergraduate and continuing education students in this region of Illinois. I have long been advocating for the construction of a student center here, and I’m truly thankful that we’ve reached this important date,” said Castro (D – Elgin). “Investments like this not only enhance the educational environment, but also serve as an important recruitment tool to grow the student body.”

SPRINGFIELD — A landmark plan spearheaded by State Senator Cristina Castro and State Representative Theresa Mah to begin phasing out the federal subminimum wage for Illinoisans with disabilities is one step closer to becoming law.

“I’ve heard from friends, family and constituents about the pain they have to live with knowing their son or daughter is doing manual labor in a shop for eight hours a day only to come home with pennies on the dollar in their paycheck,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This legislation is personal to me and a critical step in upholding the rights and dignity of all workers in our state.”

SPRINGFIELD — To uplift the vital economic contributions the arts industry provides to Illinois and the Northwest Suburbs, State Senator Cristina Castro helped lead an initiative through the Senate to support this industry and others.

“Illinois’ creative and performing arts industries employ nearly 200,000 Illinoisans,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “With more flexible rules in place, well-paying job opportunities and a diverse pool of talent, we can expect to see continuing success in the growth of the arts across our state.”

The Illinois Live Theater Production Tax Credit Program provides theaters with a transferable tax credit, offering an incentive to hire locally by covering a percentage of Illinois labor and in-state talent costs.