SPRINGFIELD – Following through on her commitment to provide greater accessibility for all Illinois voters, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) championed a newly signed law to allow people with certain disabilities to electronically mark their ballots using their own assistive technology.

“While we have expanded vote by mail in many ways, we have yet to provide the same opportunities to voters who cannot read print because of a visual, physical, perceptual, developmental, cognitive or learning disability,” Morrison said. “Equal access at the voting box is a keystone to our democracy. The inclusion of this process into state law will provide safe, private and equal voting opportunities for voters.”

The law will allow voters with a print disability to receive and mark their ballot electronically on an assistive device. It will be printed, sealed and signed before being returned through the mail. The voting procedure will be in place for the November 2022 General Election, and all subsequent elections.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison’s (D-Lake Forest) newly signed law will provide police officers with additional tools and training opportunities to help keep communities safe. 

“One message that I frequently hear across the district is that public safety and a rise in crime continue to be a major concern,” Morrison said. “Yet staffing shortages are hindering police from best protecting their communities.

Morrison championed House Bill 3863, which creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to support departments through the hiring and training processes and help with retention strategies.

The measure will provide grants to law enforcement agencies for hiring and retention of officers. Funds could also be used for mental health care for officers, safety equipment and training, or improvements in jails. Mental health services for inmates could also be funded through this grant.

“This law will help keep our communities safer,” Morrison said. “These efforts support the valuable work that law enforcement does in our communities and in our state every day and every hour.”

Morrison’s House Bill 3863 was signed into law Tuesday and takes effect immediately. 

CHICAGO – Nearly 100 businesses in the district State Senator Julie Morrison represents were awarded nearly $4.3 million in funding from the Back to Business program thanks to her advocacy and support.

“Small business owners in Lake and Cook County and throughout the state experienced unforeseen financial difficulties that will be challenging to bounce back from without help,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest).

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) passed a measure to provide law enforcement officers with additional tools and training opportunities to help keep communities safe.

“One message that I frequently hear across the district is that public safety and a rise in crime continue to be a major concern,” Morrison said. “Yet staffing shortages are hindering police from best protecting their communities.

Morrison is the Senate sponsor of House Bill 3863, which would create the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to support departments through the hiring and training processes and help with retention strategies.

SPRINGFIELD – Drivers with autism or other disabilities that impede effective communication would have the peace of mind that an officer would recognize their condition during a traffic stop, thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest).

“A routine traffic stop sparks anxiety for anyone – now imagine you are a driver who has autism or another medical condition that makes processing social cues and responding to commands difficult,” Morrison said. “That can quickly lead to a stressful situation for both the driver and the police officer.”

SPRINGFIELD – As children in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services transition both in and out of care, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) wants to ensure they have the tools to succeed.

House Bill 5418, sponsored by Morrison in the Senate, would give children access to intervention and counseling services within the first 24 hours after removal from a home and require the DCFS division of child protection to assess a child’s wellbeing each month.

“Being removed from your home at a young age is an anguishing time,” Morrison said. “We must provide these children with the support they need.”

SPRINGFIELD – To put the state on a path toward increased sustainability, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) championed a measure to cut back on single-use plastic being sent to landfills.

“It’s simple: We need to protect our animals and our health from hazardous materials placed in landfills,” Morrison said. “Eliminating plastic use at our parks is a small step we can take to make a big difference.”

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) advanced a bill to include community service as a possible punishment if a person speeds in a school zone or illegally passes a stopped school bus with its stop arm extended.

“Children taking the bus to school should be worried about their schoolwork, not worried about reckless drivers,” Morrison said. “This measure will further deter folks from speeding or passing school buses and really reflect on how their actions could harm members of their community.”

Morrison is a longtime advocate of transportation safety. She previously added community service as a possible punishment for violations of Scott’s Law, which requires that drivers reduce speeds and change lanes for emergency vehicles. She hopes that her latest measure will emphasize the importance of driving safely around school buses to keep children and bus drivers out of harm’s way.