SPRINGFIELD – Parents across the state continue to receive the call no one wants to receive: the call that their child has consumed delta-8 THC and is being transported to the hospital. Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is spearheading a measure to regulate these pervasive, unlicensed products.

“We are working diligently to protect consumers of all ages, help our cannabis industry flourish, keep the promise to our social equity communities, and not stifle reputable hemp business establishments,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “Effective regulation is about safeguarding public health and fostering a sustainable, trustworthy market.”

A recent study by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that more than 11% of high school seniors report using delta-8. In response, Lightford is sponsoring Senate Bill 776 to regulate hemp derived THC, including delta-8 products.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is championing a proposal to require high school students to learn financial literacy.

“When young people leave high school, they are given the freedom to spend and manage their money how they see fit with little or no guidance beyond what they’ve witnessed at home,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “By requiring financial literacy instruction, we are equipping our young people with the ability to do things like manage a household budget, save for a home or be aware of financial fraud schemes. These are important life skills that every person can utilize.”

Under Lightford’s measure, high school students would learn about financial literacy as part of their consumer education requirement. The instruction would focus on basic economics, the principles of supply and demand, how to budget income responsibly, loan repayment, and the cost of high-interest short-term “payday” loans.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightfordis working to keep families together by preventing children from being wrongfully removed from their homes due to an unfounded allegation of abuse or mistreatment.

“While we need to take child abuse and mistreatment seriously, we must also remember that kids will be kids and accidents happen,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “Cases of abuse and mistreatment must be thoroughly, accurately and transparently investigated before making a decision to remove a child from their home.”

Families across the state have faced wrongful allegations of child abuse or neglect due to medical conditions, birth injuries and normal childhood accidents that result in findings that are misinterpreted as signs of abuse.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford led the charge through the Senate to create a new state agency – the Department of Early Childhood – to streamline the administration of early childhood education care programs and services.

“The foundation of a child’s success and well-being is built starting the moment they are born,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “As a state, it is our duty to provide the necessary support and resources to build such stability. The creation of this unique agency will break ground on our transition to a whole, trauma-informed approach to meeting children’s diverse needs.”

The Department of Early Childhood – which would be created through Senate Bill 1 – would focus on administering early childhood education programs. The new agency would be dedicated to making access to such state programs easier for parents and providers to navigate.

SPRINGFIELD – The rise of co-branded alcoholic beverages – like Hard Mountain Dew and Spiked Sunny-D – has piqued the interest of children. Whether the marketing is intentional or not, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is working to put a stop to the issue by restricting the location certain alcohol items can be displayed and sold.

"We are taking steps to underscore our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our youth," said Lightford (D-Maywood). "By limiting the proximity of co-branded alcoholic beverages to items targeting children, we aim to diminish the potential influence of alcohol-related marketing on impressionable minds."

Co-branded alcoholic beverages contain the same or similar brand name, logo or packaging as a non-alcoholic beverage. Senate Bill 2625 would prohibit stores over 2,500 square feet – which primarily is anything bigger than a convenience store – from displaying co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled water, candy, or snack foods portraying cartoons or child-oriented images.

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford passed a measure Wednesday to create a new state agency – the Department of Early Childhood – to streamline the administration of early childhood education care programs and services.

“The foundation of a child’s success and well-being is built starting the moment they are born,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “As a state, it is our duty to provide the necessary support and resources to build such stability. The creation of this unique agency will break ground on our transition to a whole, trauma-informed approach to meeting children’s diverse needs.”

The Department of Early Childhood – which would be created through Senate Bill 1 – would focus on administering early childhood education programs. The new agency would be dedicated to making access to such state programs easier for parents and providers to navigate.

SPRINGFIELD – Standing alongside advocates, university professionals and students, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford outlined the data-driven findings of the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding at a press conference Wednesday.

“Equitable funding promotes diversity and inclusion within higher education. It enables institutions to implement programs and initiatives aimed at recruiting and supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “This not only enriches the educational experience for all students but also prepares them to thrive in an increasingly diverse and globalized world. By investing in diversity, we are creating a more equitable society and fostering innovation and creativity.”

The report follows Lightford’s passage of a 2021 measure to create the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding. Over the last two years, the 30-person commission studied if public institutions of higher education are in dire need of a new funding model when serving underrepresented and historically underserved student groups, including Black and Brown students, as well as students from low-income families.

SPRINGFIELD — Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus joined Governor JB Pritzker at the Carole Robertson Center for Learning on Tuesday to announce a proposal to create a new state agency to house early childhood programs and funding.

“The foundation of a child’s success and well-being is built starting the moment they are born,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood). “As a state, it is our duty to provide the necessary support and resources to build such stability. The creation of this unique agency will break ground on our transition to a whole, trauma-informed approach to meeting children’s diverse needs.”

The new agency – which would be created legislatively – would focus on administering early childhood education programs to provide a more equitable, integrated and holistic system of services for young children and families in Illinois. The proposal would make access to such state programs easier for parents and providers to navigate.

Combining streamlined oversight to state-funded early childhood programs within the State Board of Education, Department of Human Services and Department of Children and Family Services, the new agency would house the responsibility of the Early Childhood Block Grant, among other items.