Lightford wants to provide an equitable education for all students

SPRINGFIELD - Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford’s (D-Maywood) effort to create a commission to evaluate whether public universities and community colleges receive fair funding to serve members of disadvantaged communities was signed by the governor on Monday.  

“Universities and colleges that serve members of disadvantaged communities need fair funding in order to serve their students and reverse the damage caused by historic and systemic racism,” Lightford said.

The new law follows up on the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Education and Workforce Development Pillar law that passed earlier this year. 

BROOKFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) hosted her Uplift Our Future 12th Annual free Back to School Event serving over 800 community residents with a fun-filled free day at the Brookfield Zoo with no admission fee, no parking fee, no cost for lunch, and no charge for backpacks filled with school supplies for students from PreK to college.

“As we continue to fight this pandemic, our families still need fun experiences, especially if they help our students get prepared for the upcoming school year,” Lightford said. “The Uplift Our Future 12th Annual free Back to School Event turned out amazing, and I am thankful for all the sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and families who came out and supported our kids this year.”

Since 2009, Lightford has hosted a free Back to School Event for youth and families in the 4th Senate District at the Brookfield Zoo.

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois has created new marijuana dispensary licenses for social equity applicants because of a new law sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) that was signed Thursday. 

“The signing of HB1443 moves us closer to making the promise of equity in cannabis a reality in a state where the entire existing industry is White. I was proud to partner with State Representative LaShawn Ford in passing HB1443 which is the result of dozens of meetings with stakeholders and applicants who demanded that their voices be heard,” Lightford said. “This industry has the potential to change lives but only if we keep the principles of equity at the center of every decision we make. The signing of this legislation brings us one step closer to making these promises a reality.”

SPRINGFIELD – To continue her efforts to dismantle the systemic racism in Illinois, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) passed legislation that would remove derogatory words from Illinois law that describe Black people as “Negro” or “Haitian.” 

“In this era of racial reckoning and righting the wrongs of our predecessors, it’s imperative that we cleanse Illinois law of old, offensive racial terms,” Lightford said. “We are working to undo years of oppression and currently fighting racial injustice.” 

House Bill 3217 reconstructs several state laws by deleting the use of the words “Haitian” or “Negro,” replacing them with “Black” or “African American.” 

HB 3217 passed the Senate floor and now heads to the governor for final approval.

SPRINGFIELD - With many Black and Brown Illinois residents trying to enter the cannabis industry but finding themselves shut out, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) has revisited cannabis licensing laws to ensure that these residents have a fair shot at obtaining a dispensary license.

"People from disadvantaged communities were disproportionately targeted during the war on drugs," Lightford said. "We have enough hurdles just being Black, and our communities deserve to reap the benefits of this new industry."

House Bill 1443 fixes Illinois’ recreational cannabis law to ensure that licenses for minority applicants that have been delayed since May 1, 2020 are actually awarded, as well as expanding the total number of licenses available. Currently, there are still no dispensaries controlled by someone who is Black, Brown, or a woman.

The legislation would create two additional lotteries of 110 adult use license dispensaries for people who are social equity applicants – i.e. from a Black or Brown community. The second lottery will consist of 55 licenses and is open to all applicants with a score of 85% of a total of 250 points and is a social equity applicant.

SPRINGFIELD - Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) continued her years-long effort to create a more equitable education system in Illinois by passing legislation that would form a commission to assess whether public institutions of higher education serving disadvantaged communities need a different funding model and are receiving their fair share of state funding.

“If we want our Black, Latino, and low-income students to have the same opportunity as their white peers, our universities that serve them must have fair funding,” Lightford said. “We have to close the funding gaps between our schools that serve a large number of historically disadvantage students and the universities that don’t.”

Senate Bill 815 follows up on the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Education and Workforce Development Pillar law that passed earlier this year.

SPRINGFIELD – In effort to support new employees of Illinois’ educational system, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) is working to create a New Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program and a New Principal Mentoring Program. 

“Ensuring all new educators receive support while developing essential knowledge, skills, and experience will result in a high-quality education for all students,” Lightford said. “A mentoring program would be a great way to build our new educators’ confidence and teaching strategies, helping create a great learning environment and experience for Illinois’ diverse learners.”

Senate Bill 814 would enable the state to invest in high-quality mentoring and induction programs for new teachers and leaders, which can increase retention, accelerate novice teachers’ and leaders’ professional learning, and improve student achievement.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) continued her work to keep Black history alive in Illinois by creating a state holiday for Juneteenth National Freedom Day on June 19, as her legislation establishing the holiday passed the Senate Thursday.

“Juneteenth should be a state holiday – it’s the oldest national celebration of the freedom of all slaves in this country,” Lightford said. “It should be celebrated by all Illinois residents in order to highlight how far our society has come.”