SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman is leading a measure to bolster local journalism by ensuring fair compensation from big tech platforms.

“Local journalism is a cornerstone of our democracy, providing essential information that keeps our communities informed and engaged,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This legislation ensures that news publishers are fairly compensated for their work, which is increasingly being utilized by large tech platforms for profit.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman recently held a subject matter hearing in the Senate Revenue Committee on a measure designed to uplift local journalism.

“Local journalism is the backbone of our communities, providing essential news and information that keeps residents informed and engaged,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “We must do what we can to preserve local journalism and, in turn, preserve democracy.”

Senate Bill 3953 would create the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, which aims to provide critical financial support to local news organizations and small businesses through targeted tax credits.

The bill contains two tax credits: one is withholding credits to help companies and their local newsrooms maintain and expands staff. Over the past 15-20 years, Illinois has lost a third of its local newspapers and newsrooms in the state, and has reduced jobs by 85%. The other tax credit is for local small businesses which advertise with local newsrooms.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect residents from losing access to their electric or gas services, State Senator Steve Stadelman led legislation through the Senate to prevent the disconnection of services for customers actively seeking energy payment assistance.

“This is a significant step in ensuring that all Illinois residents have access to the energy they need, especially during difficult times,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “No family should have to choose between keeping the lights on and putting food on the table.”

The legislation would require utility companies with more than 500,000 customers to enact procedures to prevent the disconnection of services for customers who are actively seeking energy payment assistance. Customers who apply for assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or the Percentage of Income Payment Plan would be protected from disconnection for 30 days after the utility receives notice of the customer’s application. If assistance is received, the customer is protected for an additional 45 days.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation to lower the age of consent for blood typing services to 17 passed the Senate Wednesday.

“This bill is a step forward in empowering young people to take control of their health,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “Lowering the age for blood typing consent to 17 ensures that more individuals have the ability to make informed decisions about their medical care, which can be crucial in emergency situations and for future health planning.”

ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman is pleased to announce that two businesses within the 34^th District have been awarded grants through the Made in Illinois Grant Program.

“The Made in Illinois Grant Program is a crucial tool in our commitment to enhancing the industrial base of Illinois,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “Providing local manufacturers with the resources they need to thrive in a competitive global market will ensure a boost to the local economy.”

The program, which provides up to $50,000 in matching grant funding, is dedicated to fostering innovation and strategic advancements within the Illinois manufacturing sector. Forty recipients across the state were awarded a combined total of $1.7 million.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman has introduced a measure that aims to allow seventeen year olds to receive blood typing services without the need for parental consent.

“Knowing your blood type is not only critical in emergency situations, but it also encourages a deeper understanding and responsibility toward one’s health,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This bill supports our young adults in making proactive health choices independently, and educating themselves on their own health.”

The legislation would enable young adults to gain greater autonomy over their health information and medical preparedness. By lowering the age threshold for blood typing without parental consent to 17, the bill recognizes the maturity of these individuals to make informed decisions about their own health care needs.

“This is about trusting our young people and giving them the tools they need to take charge of their health,” said Stadelman. “It’s a small but significant step in ensuring our health care system is responsive and accessible to everyone.”

House Bill 4271 passed the Senate Public Health Committee on Tuesday and heads to the full Senate for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to protect vulnerable utility customers, State Senator Steve Stadelman has introduced legislation that would establish a Disconnection Protection Program.

“Ensuring that our residents have continuous access to basic utilities like electricity and gas is not just a matter of comfort, but of public health and safety,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This measure would prevent families from having to choose between paying for utilities and other essential needs like food and medicine, especially during times of financial difficulty.”

Low-income households that seek energy payment assistance do not currently have any protections from being disconnected by electric and gas utilities.

SPRINGFIELD – As newsrooms across the state and nation continue to shrink, State Senator Steve Stadelman’s measures to encourage local ownership of newsrooms and recruit more students to the journalism profession have passed the Senate.

“Investing in journalism education is investing in the future of our democracy,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford).

One part of the measure involves the sale of local news organizations to other companies. The issue is private equity firms are buying newspapers and consolidating them until they provide very little local news with few to no local journalists, eventually shutting them down. The legislation would require a local news organization to notify the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and employees 120 days before a sale occurs. The goal is other local newspapers, companies or non-profits will have the opportunity to step in to keep the publication local.