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  • COVID-19

At-home food operations will see expanded sales opportunities thanks to Koehler’s new law

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Monday, August 30, 2021 11:29 AM
  • Koehler
  • Cottage Food Operations
  • Farmers Markets
  • SB2007

pies 083021SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) was signed into law Friday expanding the venues where home-cooked food operations may sell their products.

“Especially in light of hardships faced across the state due to the pandemic, we need to be expanding opportunities for Illinoisans to create extra income, not limiting them,” Koehler said. “If even one family is more able to make ends meet as a result of this legislation, it will have served its purpose.

Read more: At-home food operations will see expanded sales opportunities thanks to Koehler’s new law

Koehler’s legislation issuing free trapping licenses to disabled veterans and others becomes law

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Monday, August 23, 2021 12:15 PM
  • Koehler
  • Veterans
  • SB1533

Senator KoehlerSPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that would waive trapping license requirements for disabled veterans, returning service members and those who are terminally ill was signed into law Friday.

“Our servicemen and women have sacrificed so much for all of us, and it is our duty to do anything we can to show them that we remember and appreciate that sacrifice,” Koehler said. “This is one small way we can make their lives easier.”

Read more: Koehler’s legislation issuing free trapping licenses to disabled veterans and others becomes law

Koehler’s new law designates bacteria discovered in Peoria as state microbe

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Tuesday, August 17, 2021 02:52 PM
  • Koehler
  • Peoria
  • Penicillium Rubens
  • Penicillin
  • State Microbe

koehler 081721SPRINGFIELD – Penicillium rubens, a strain of penicillium discovered in Peoria, will officially be Illinois’ state microbe thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), signed into law Tuesday.

“The discovery of penicillium rubens in Peoria saved countless lives during World War II, and has saved many since,” Koehler said. “By making it our official microbe, we ensure that the story of P. rubens will be intertwined in our state history for generations to come.”

Read more: Koehler’s new law designates bacteria discovered in Peoria as state microbe

Koehler's measure to modernize FOID card system signed into law

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Monday, August 02, 2021 02:07 PM
  • Koehler
  • FOID
  • HB562

foid signing 080221AURORA – A longtime advocate of giving responsible gun owners a more modernized approach to obtaining firearm identification, State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) championed a law to streamline the FOID card process while keeping guns away from people who pose a threat to themselves or the community. 

"Responsible gun owners across the state have been fighting a backlog of FOID card applications for years," Koehler said. "When the Illinois State Police has to spend time and resources on addressing the backlog, they aren't able to appropriately prioritize keeping our communities safe from gun violence."

Under the new law, the FOID card renewal process will be expedited for safe and responsible gun owners in an effort to reduce hassle and prevent future backlogs. Lawful gun owners will additionally find it easier to keep their FOID cards and concealed carry licenses on them at all times through a new electronic option that will be made available for both documents.

"The law signed today streamlines the FOID card process for lawful and responsible gun owners in Illinois while closing loopholes that allow firearms to fall into dangerous hands," Koehler said. "Today is the first step toward having a safe and effective FOID system here in Illinois.”

House Bill 562 was signed into law Monday and will take effect Jan. 1, 2022.

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Koehler’s Vegetable Garden Protection Act signed into law

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Friday, July 30, 2021 03:28 PM
  • Koehler
  • Vegetable Gardens

HB 633 KoehlerSPRINGFIELD – Illinois residents will have their right to grow vegetable gardens protected thanks to legislation presented by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that was signed into law Friday.

“Every Illinoisan should have the option to grow their own food and increase their self-sufficiency without unnecessary oversight or regulations,” Koehler said. “I’m glad to see this legislation signed into law as I know it will expand options for people across the state when it comes to providing for themselves and their families.”

Read more: Koehler’s Vegetable Garden Protection Act signed into law

Koehler announces local organizations selected to aid small businesses in post-COVID economic recovery

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Thursday, July 15, 2021 02:11 PM
  • Koehler
  • Grants
  • DCEO
  • Small Business
  • Economic Recovery

koehler 071521PEORIA – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) announced an expanded state program will help connect Peoria-area small businesses to financial assistance to help them recover from COVID-19.

“Our community is built on small businesses,” Koehler said. “They were hit hardest by the pandemic, and we need to make sure that they have the resources they need to recover and move forward.”

The community navigator outreach program, which helps connect small businesses to economic recovery grant programs, is expanding to include an additional 13 support organizations across the state, which were selected through a competitive process.

Navigator organizations will perform extensive outreach to small and hard-to-reach businesses to ensure that they are aware of the relief available to them, and will provide one-on-one assistance on relief grant applications.

“I would like to thank the Economic Development Council for the Peoria Area and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation for stepping up and being a resource to small businesses in the Peoria area,” Koehler said. “I want to see as many local entrepreneurs as possible get back on their feet.”

Small businesses can visit the DCEO website or call (800) 252-2923 to learn more about recovery programs available to them.

Koehler’s FOID card modernization passes General Assembly

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Thursday, June 17, 2021 12:46 PM
  • Koehler
  • HB562
  • FOID Backlog

Koehler 4 22SPRINGFIELD – An initiative sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) to address the backlog of FOID card applications, which negatively affects responsible gun owners, passed out of the House on Wednesday.

“The backlog of FOID applications creates unnecessary hassles for responsible gun owners—a concern which has been raised to me by many people,” Koehler said. “It also creates extra work for the Illinois State Police, whose first priority should be keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and others.”

Read more: Koehler’s FOID card modernization passes General Assembly

Measure increasing flexibility for school polling places passes Senate

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Friday, June 04, 2021 03:57 PM
  • Koehler
  • E-learning
  • Schools
  • HB 4

Senator Koehler

 

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation co-sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that would allow school districts to conduct district wide e-learning days when schools are used as polling places passed the Senate Monday.

“This legislation empowers both our schools and our democracy,” Koehler said. “Students will not have to sacrifice education when school buildings must be closed for use as polling places, and our polling places will, in turn be more accessible.”

The legislation allows for school districts to conduct district wide e-learning days when schools are used as polling places. If a school district elects to use e-learning days, all contractors who provide education support services to the district would receive regular rate of pay or billings.

Read more: Measure increasing flexibility for school polling places passes Senate

More Articles …

  1. Koehler’s measure to lower trailer fees passes the Senate
  2. Koehler’s initiative to modernize the FOID card system passes the Senate
  3. Koehler’s measure to protect vegetable gardens passes the Senate
  4. Measure by Koehler to support special education students advances out of the Senate
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