SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) is happy to see the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, which passed the Senate Tuesday. The budget fully funds education and local governments, as well as making investments in important programs that will help Illinois’ communities return to normalcy.

“I am pleased to see our local governments will be fully funded, and roads, infrastructure and local parks will receive their full allotment,” Cullerton said. “Our towns, villages, and counties will have to be flexible to continue to meet the unique needs created by the pandemic.”

The budget includes the annual increase for education from the evidence-based formula, which will help school districts move back to on-campus learning and address the challenges the past year has presented.

To help the state get back to normalcy, Illinois will also receive a substantial amount from the federal American Rescue Plan to go toward small business recovery, community support programs, and the health care sector.

Additionally, the budget fully funds the annual pension payment, pays off loans to the federal government, and reduces the state’s bill backlog.

“It’s been a difficult year, but this budget addresses a lot of the problems that arose over the course of this pandemic,” Cullerton said. “From schools to small businesses, this budget will help communities get back on their feet and allow Illinois to move forward into a fiscally responsible future.”

The budget passed the Senate Tuesday.

SPRINGFIELD – To promote health care equity and reduce health care disparities in Illinois, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) is supporting a measure to expand telehealth services that will make it easier for patients to meet with their doctors.

“One thing the COVID-19 pandemic showed us is that there are so many things we can do remotely, including meeting with our doctors,” said Cullerton, who is a co-sponsor of the measure. “Expanding telehealth services will remove many barriers to health care access that many people face, like taking time off work or not being able to find transportation.”

Telehealth services were largely used during the COVID-19 pandemic due to emergency federal and state orders. House Bill 3308 will maintain and expand telehealth services by requiring insurance companies to utilize similar billing processes for both in-person and telehealth services.

SPRINGFIELD – To help combat mental health crises among students, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) is spearheading a measure that would require school districts and universities to provide contact information for mental health resources on the back of student ID cards.

“Young adults were particularly susceptible to mental health issues and high suicide rates even before the pandemic,” Cullerton said. “As students get back on campus, whether they’re in middle school or college, they should have easy access to resources like crisis lines.”

Between 2007 and 2018, suicide rates for people aged 10-24 increased by 57.4%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14. 

SPRINGFIELD – To combat social isolation for residents of long-term care facilities, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) passed a measure to require these facilities to help connect residents to loved ones when a disaster is declared.

“The COVID-19 pandemic put an unprecedented amount of stress on people, especially those in long-term care facilities,” Cullerton said. “A simple phone or video call could do a lot for these residents who are isolated from their loved ones.”

According to a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, more than one-third of adults aged 45 and older report feeling lonely, and nearly one-fourth of adults aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated. COVID-19 has only exacerbated these statistics.

SPRINGFIELD – To undo discrimination the LGBTQ+ community historically faced in the military, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) has passed legislation that would allow veterans who received an “Other than Honorable” discharge for their sexuality or gender identity to begin receiving state veterans benefits.

“As a veteran, I understand how much these benefits from the state can help veterans. From housing to assistance with burial, state benefits play a large role in supporting our veterans,” Cullerton said. “For someone not to receive this assistance solely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is outdated and unfair.”

Although the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy – which barred gay and lesbian military members from openly serving in the military – was repealed in 2011, people with OTH dischargers from years ago are still not able to receive state veterans benefits. According to a report from Harvard Law School, more than 100,000 service members were expelled from the military between World War II and 2011 for their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

VILLA PARK – State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) announced that DuPage County is set to receive nearly $6 million in grant money from the Rebuild Illinois plan.

“As the summer construction season gets underway, I am excited to see that our community will be receiving more funding to improve our roads and bridges,” Cullerton said. “Modernizing our state’s infrastructure is vital to bringing travelers from near and far to Illinois.”

This round of Rebuild Illinois grants is the fourth of six rounds to be distributed to advance municipal, township and county projects across the state. The grants are overseen by the Illinois Department of Transportation and will total $1.5 billion when all rounds of grants are distributed.

“As more funding is secured, the projects in DuPage County will bring in good-paying jobs to the community,” Cullerton said. “Investments in our infrastructure has countless payoffs, from shortening people’s commute to drawing visitors to the area.”

Through these grants, Illinois has already seen the improvement of 3,000 miles of highway, completed over 180 bridges and launched hundreds of other infrastructure projects across the state. It is the fourth installment of funding allocated under the plan.

SPRINGFIELD – In a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Friday, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) led a discussion regarding a recently released report on the November COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home. The veterans’ home is ran by the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.

“My colleagues and I were all horrified to hear about the devastating loss of life at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home this past fall and winter,” said Cullerton, chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee. “I’ve read the full OIG report and it is clear to me that there was a breakdown of communication between staff and management at the facility.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Tom Cullerton (D- Villa Park) is fighting to restore benefits to veterans who were subject to an “other than honorable” discharge from the military for their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Those who valiantly served their country should be honored with benefits no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Cullerton, chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “This measure will be a step toward undoing the discrimination the LGBTQ+ community has historically faced in the military.”

According to a 2020 report from Harvard Law School, more than 100,000 service members were expelled from the military between World War II and the 2011 repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – the policy that barred gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. These discharges were considered OTH, which kept these service members from receiving state and federal benefits.