Caucus News

SPRINGFIELD – As businesses struggle to recover from pandemic-related financial hardship, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced a measure through the Senate Thursday with bipartisan support to help ease the burden.

“When making plans for economic recovery after the pandemic, local governments are capable of deciding what is best for the community’s financial future,” Glowiak Hilton said. “To provide support where it’s needed most, this measure allows units of local government to determine where waiving fees would be beneficial to a struggling business.”

The proposal creates an option for counties and municipalities to waive licensing, permitting or registration fees for local businesses and services. To qualify, businesses must demonstrate financial need from the pandemic.

SPRINGFIELD – To make sure students know the potentially life-threatening risks of vaping, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced an initiative to teach the dangers of e-cigarettes in school.

“Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., but corporations market e-cigarettes and vaping to children as a safer, trendier alternative to smoking,” Glowiak Hilton said. “In order to keep kids from developing harmful nicotine addictions, it’s critical to educate students on the dangerous side effects of using all forms of tobacco.”

Glowiak Hilton’s proposal expands Illinois’ current tobacco health curricula taught in elementary and secondary schools to include health concerns associated with e-cigarettes and other vapor devices.

SPRINGFIELD – To improve student access to mental health education and resources, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced legislation to allow partnerships between state agencies to more fully and effectively foster students’ well-being.

“Although highlighted by school disruptions over the last year and a half, many students experienced mental health distress long before the pandemic,” Glowiak Hilton said. “To ensure children are receiving the best mental health services in school, this proposal allows state agencies to work together to improve prevention and treatment resources.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure cost is not the deciding factor for residents thinking about getting the COVID-19 vaccine, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) introduced legislation requiring insurance companies to cover the full cost of the vaccination.

“Getting vaccinated is the right thing to do for the safety of your loved ones and neighbors,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Not being able to afford the COVID-19 vaccine should not stop anyone from receiving it.”

Under the proposal, the coverage requirement would apply to individual and group health insurance policies and managed care plans under Medicaid in effect since March 9, 2020. Companies would not be allowed to impose cost-sharing measures on patients.

“Some residents have chosen not to get the vaccine for health or personal reasons, but the cost should not be a deciding factor,” Glowiak Hilton said. “The sooner our state’s population is vaccinated, the sooner we can get our economy moving, build up our damaged industries and regain some sense of normalcy.”

House Bill 2406 awaits action by the Senate Insurance Committee.

SPRINGFIELD – To encourage support of affordable housing projects, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced legislation to renew the state’s tax credit program and steadily increase benefits over time.

“The Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit has been instrumental in the development and preservation of affordable housing across the state over the last two decades,” Glowiak Hilton. “With its renewal, Illinois stays committed to the public and private partnerships needed to provide ongoing economic activity in communities.”

SPRINGFIELD – As businesses struggle to recover from pandemic-related financial hardship, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) has advanced a measure out of the Senate Local Government Committee to help ease the burden.

“When making plans for economic recovery after the pandemic, it doesn’t make sense to take a one-size-fits-all approach,” Glowiak Hilton said. “To provide support where it’s needed most, this measure allows each local government to decide what is best for the community’s financial future.”

SPRINGFIELD – To make tuition more affordable for working families, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) has advanced a measure allowing residents to deposit inheritance into qualified tuition programs.

“Expanding qualified tuition plans supports working families as they explore education goals with their students,” Glowiak Hilton. “By creating a simpler path to afford tuition, our state is actively working to encourage more Illinoisans to enroll in higher education.”

As written, the Probate Act of 1975 allows estates to be deposited if it’s practical and only consists of funds. Glowiak Hilton’s proposal expands current law to allow the estates of deceased family members to be deposited into qualified tuition programs without additional obstacles.

Qualified tuition programs allow contributors to support a beneficiary's higher education expenses. Earnings accumulate tax free while in the account.

“Access to higher education is critical for economic prosperity, but affordability is equally important,” Glowiak Hilton. “By allowing residents to use inheritance for higher education costs without barriers from the state, we hope to encourage more kids to think about attending college.”

House Bill 814 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday and moves for further consideration before the full Senate.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) commends the nearly 900 high school students in the 24th District who were named 2021-22 Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

“This prestigious award is a reflection of hard work, dedication and resilience throughout the pandemic, and I couldn’t be more proud of the students from our community who earned the honor,” Glowiak Hilton said. “With the support of their families, teachers and administrators, these students have shown an unwavering commitment to achievement despite the many challenges they’ve faced over the last year.”

Illinois State Scholar winners rank in approximately the top 10% of the state’s high school seniors from 676 high schools in all 102 counties. Selection is based on a combination of standardized test scores and class rank or unweighted GPA at the end of the student’s junior year. ISAC works in conjunction with the students’ high school guidance counselors to determine the winners.