SPRINGFIELD- Joining transit workers, union members and fellow legislators at a press conference Tuesday morning, State Senator Ram Villivalam spoke about Senate Bill 1938 ─ a measure to address issues facing the public transit system amid the quickly approaching $771 million fiscal cliff.

“The Regional Transportation Authority is approaching a $771 million fiscal cliff in 2026, and everyday riders continue to face challenges such as ghost buses, lack of service and safety concerns,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “To address the issues that current riders face, I introduced Senate Bill 1938 in collaboration with transit workers and union members.”

SPRINGFIELDState Senator Ram Villivalam joined nurses, nursing home administrators and a bipartisan group of legislators in calling for an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing homes, continuing his commitment to supporting seniors as the 8^th District has the highest concentration of nursing homes in the state.

“Day in and day out, these homes care for our loved ones with compassion and respect, but they need our help. It's no secret that the cost of everything has gone up,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “From nutritious meals to keeping the lights on, running these facilities is more expensive than ever. Funding that might have gotten the job done in 2017 will not cut it in 2025.”

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Ram Villivalam is spearheading a measure aimed at providing schools with calendar dates indicating when a portion of students may be absent due to cultural or religious reasons ─ further assisting schools when scheduling major school or athletic events.

“Illinois is home to many diverse communities, which means portions of a student body may be absent due to a cultural or religious holiday at various times throughout the year,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “No student should have to worry about missing an important event, and providing our schools with this information is imperative.”

Currently, the Illinois State Board of Education provides a guide for school districts regarding attendance days, holidays, special circumstances and frequently asked questions about school calendars.

SPRINGFIELD — Through a new law championed by State Senator Ram Villivalam and State Representative Kevin Olickal, Illinois becomes the first state in the nation to require schools to offer halal and kosher food meal options, providing all students with equal access to meals served in schools.

“No student should have to watch their classmates eat a school-provided lunch and be left out because there is not an option that meets their needs,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This new law ensures everyone has access to food that respects and dignifies their dietary restrictions.”

Senate Bill 457 requires schools to provide halal and kosher food options, as well as University of Illinois hospitals and state correctional facilities, upon request. In public schools, the law requires the Illinois State Board of Education to enter into one or more statewide master contracts with a vendor and give school districts the access to the contract so they can more efficiently provide additional meal options to students, including halal and kosher.

CHICAGO — Senate Transportation Committee Chair Ram Villivalam held a subject matter hearing Tuesday to hear from advocates and stakeholders about two pieces of legislation that would make changes to governance and address issues riders face.

“Given persistent delays and service gaps that riders face, it is important that we prioritize improvements to our public transit system,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Today, we had the opportunity to hear from advocates and stakeholders about measures that would provide reliable, affordable, safe and coordinated transit to our region.”

SPRINGFIELD — To assist schools in scheduling major school or athletic events, State Senator Ram Villivalam is sponsoring a measure that would require the Illinois State Board of Education to provide calendar dates indicating when a portion of students may be absent due to cultural or religious reasons.

“Our communities are diverse, which means there are numerous days throughout the academic year where different students may be absent for cultural or religious reasons,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Yet students are having to make challenging decisions such as having to miss a sporting event because it was scheduled on a religious or cultural holiday.”

Currently, the Illinois State Board of Education provides a guide for school districts regarding attendance days, holidays, special circumstances and frequently asked questions about school calendars.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Ram Villivalam sponsored a newly signed law to further protect personally identifiable information of those seeking a name change.

“Our residents deserve to be able to change their name in private and without worry for their well-being or safety,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Requiring those seeking a name change to publish such change with a local newspaper relinquishes their privacy and poses a threat to the confidentiality of personally identifiable information.”

As judges retain the discretion to allow someone to change their name, House Bill 5164 removes the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper and lowers the Illinois residency requirement from six months to three months.

SPRINGFIELD - To enhance protections for those seeking to change their name, State Senator Ram Villivalam advanced a measure out of the Senate to eliminate the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper.

“When someone is seeking a name change, whether it is to protect themselves from domestic violence or to affirm one’s identity, everyone deserves the right to do so without the burden of the cumbersome and expensive publication process,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Additionally, by requiring residents to publish their name change, it relinquishes the privacy of such individuals and can be harmful to their safety or well-being.”

House Bill 5164 removes the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper, lowers the Illinois residency requirement to change a name from six months to three months, and establishes a procedure for someone to impound their court file to further protect the confidentiality of personal identifiable information.