SPRINGFIELD – A plan sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) aimed at mitigating the threat of the state’s pension crisis was signed into law Wednesday.

“The number one budget issue legislators have been dealing with for decades is the pension crisis,” Castro said. “We got a victory today with this consolidation plan, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

SPRINGFIELD – Just days after passing a resolution through the Senate creating it, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) was named to the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform by Senate President John J. Cullerton.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Castro said. “It’s time to get started.”

The commission was established by House Joint Resolution 93, which Castro sponsored during the second week of veto session. The commission will consist of members appointed by the four legislative leaders, the governor, the attorney general and the secretary of state, and will review various state ethics laws and make recommendations to the General Assembly.

SPRINGFIELD – A 16-member ethics commission will be formed after a resolution sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) passed the Senate this week.

“Legislators and lobbyists absolutely must be held to high standards,” Castro said. “No one should be able to profit from their public service.”

House Joint Resolution 93 creates the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying. The commission will be comprised of 16 members appointed by the Senate president, the Senate minority leader, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the House minority leader, the governor, the secretary of state and the attorney general.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to lessen the threat of the ongoing pension crisis, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) and the Senate passed a measure today that will consolidate certain local pensions.

“The number one budget issue legislators have been dealing with for decades is the pension crisis,” Castro said. “We got a small victory today. Consolidating local pension funds eases some of the burden of the looming crisis while still allowing our state’s brave first responders to receive the pensions they’ve earned.”

The bill is an omnibus package for Fiscal Year 2020 that will enact many changes to pension statute, chief among them the ability to consolidate. Under the bill, the roughly 650 separate pension funds for downstate police officers and firefighters will be consolidated into two individual and separate funds. The consolidation will happen over a 30-month transition period beginning upon the legislation becoming law and is estimated to save $160 million annually while not affecting individual pension amounts.

SCHAUMBURG – The Illinois Council of Code Administrators, a statewide organization comprised of municipal and county building department officials, named State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) the 2019 Legislator of the Year.

“Building safety isn’t something we often think about, but it’s an extremely important aspect of all construction jobs,” Castro said. “I’m honored to have been named Legislator of the Year, and I vow to continue passing legislation that helps keep contractors, construction workers, and folks who use the building safe.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is thrilled that the Illinois law she authored to prohibit employers from asking about applicants’ salary history is now in full effect.

“This law is a significant step in eliminating the pay gap for women and other groups that face wage discrimination,” Castro said. “It means that lower pay can no longer follow people from job to job.”

The new law prohibits employers from asking about salary histories when interviewing job applicants or making job offers.

“From now on, initial salary offers will have to reflect how much a company values a potential worker,” Castro added. “If your previous employer was racist, or sexist, or paid you less because you got your first job at the height of the Great Recession, it won’t matter. The only thing that will matter are the skills and experience that you bring to the table.”

SPRINGFIELD – Mothers needing donated breast milk for their sick infants will benefit under a new law championed by State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon).

The initiative requires certain insurance plans to cover costs of pasteurized donated human breast milk for mothers with infants deemed medically necessary in Illinois.

“As a mother, I am humbled to carry this initiative through the Senate that takes a burden off of women with sick newborns and no other options to get breast milk,” Crowe said. “Breast milk contains all the nutrients an infant needs for proper growth and development and we have to make sure those who need it have access.”

Under the measure for coverage, the milk must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional and come from a milk bank licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health or a source that meets guidelines set by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. The mother must be unable to produce milk to meet the infant’s needs, and the infant must also be critically ill.

ELGIN – After Amita Health announced plans earlier this week to close behavioral health units at two hospitals, including St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement:

“I am extremely disappointed by Amita’s decision to close the behavior health unit at St. Joseph’s without any community input. Amita made an investment in the community, and many residents of the community rely on that investment. By pulling out, they are damaging lives.

“There is a substantial population of homeless people who use the services provided by the behavioral health unit to receive the treatment they need. That unit is also important for the well-being of minorities throughout the community. Since there are no other mental health wards nearby, closing this unit leaves these people with no options for treatment. This is shameful.