CHICAGO – So that students better understand the naturalization process, a measure introduced by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) that would allow schools to offer courses on naturalization and citizenship was signed into law today.

“More than two-thirds of students who take the U.S. Citizenship test in their history courses end up failing,” Villanueva said. “Schools may now offer instruction on citizenship so that students from all backgrounds know the effort it takes to go through the naturalization process.”

CHICAGO – To keep women and children safe, legislation introduced by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) that would establish the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee was signed into law today.

“Families are counting on us to take proactive steps to prevent domestic violence,” Villanueva said. “Our plan creates dedicated teams of advocates and survivors to craft violence prevention policy in every corner of the state. These review teams will save lives and I am grateful to the governor for his commitment to keeping women and children in Illinois safe.”

CHICAGO – To protect the privacy and safety of Illinois’ undocumented residents, a measure introduced by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) that prohibits photographs taken for state IDs and driver’s license from being shared with federal immigration authorities was signed into law today.

“This is about building trust between our state government and undocumented communities,” Villanueva said. “It is impossible to build that trust if we are sending facial recognition data directly to authorities. Our state government doesn’t exist to serve ICE.”

AURORA – To protect the wellbeing of immigrant communities, Illinois will reinstate the Immigrant Impact Task Force thanks to a new law introduced by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago).

“This task force will help determine where improvements can be made in how the state invests in immigrant communities,” Villanueva said. “We must address systemic disinvestment in our communities across the state and continue building a recovery that works for all Illinoisans, regardless of status.”

CHICAGO – Legislation supported by State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) that addresses licensing issues in the state’s adult-use cannabis industry was signed into law on Thursday.

“I’m proud of the work the Black and Latino Caucuses did to ensure social equity within the cannabis industry through the changes in House Bill 1443,” Villanueva said. “I hope this move brings the needed diversity to the industry so that we can begin to correct the decades of harm done to our communities through the war on drugs.”

House Bill 1443 addresses complications with the launch of the Illinois Adult-Use Cannabis Social Equity Program, which failed to award the intended amount of social equity applicants with licenses. Due to delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and a faulty scoring system, only 52 of 75 licenses were issued. None of these licenses were awarded to majority Black, Latino or women-owned businesses.

The law creates a new lottery to issue five outstanding medical cannabis dispensary licenses, and two additional lotteries of 55 recreational dispensary licenses each. It also fixes various technical issues with packaging, employment and medical patient access.

Public Act 102-98 is effective immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – So that students better understand the naturalization process, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would allow schools to offer courses on naturalization and citizenship.

“More than two-thirds of students who take the U.S. Citizenship test in their history courses end up failing,” Villanueva said. “Schools should offer instruction on citizenship so that students from all backgrounds know the effort it takes to go through the naturalization process.”

SPRINGFIELD – To uphold the rights of working people, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) voted in favor of a Constitutional amendment that would ban “Right to Work” legislation in Illinois.

“Right to Work laws serve to dismantle the labor movement and don’t offer working families better wages or conditions,” Villanueva said. “As a former union steward, I proudly support this amendment.”

The amendment would provide that no law passed may prohibit the ability of workers to collectively bargain over wages, hours, terms and conditions of work. The measure would effectively ban “Right to Work” laws in Illinois, which prohibit union security agreements in which an employer and a labor union agree on the extent to which employees are compelled to join the union and pay union dues.

Non-members in a collective bargaining unit still receive the benefits of collective bargaining agreements, including the higher wages and benefits that unions earn through the bargaining process. “Right to Work” laws effectively serve to increase the non-member proportion of the labor force, reducing the bargaining power of the collective.

Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 11 passed the Illinois Senate and awaits consideration in the Illinois House.

Villanueva apoya prohibir las leyes “Right to Work”

SPRINGFIELD – Para proteger los derechos de la clase trabajadora, la Senadora estatal Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) votó a favor de una enmienda constitucional que prohibiría la legislación “Right to Work” (que permite que los trabajadores decidan contar o no con la protección de los sindicatos) en Illinois.

“Las leyes ‘Right to Work’ sirven para desmantelar el movimiento laboral y no ofrecen a las familias de clase trabajadora mejores condiciones salariales,” dijo Villanueva. “Como ex administradora sindical, apoyo con orgullo esta enmienda.”

El cambio constitucional estipularía que ninguna ley pueda prohibir la posibilidad de que los trabajadores negocien colectivamente sobre sus salarios, horas, términos y condiciones laborales. La medida prohibiría de facto las leyes “Right to Work” en Illinois, que prohíben los tratos en que un empleador y un sindicato acuerdan las condiciones en que los empleados puedan enrolarse en un sindicato y pagar las contribuciones correspondientes.

Quienes no son miembros de una unidad de negociación colectiva seguirán recibiendo los beneficios de los acuerdos en acuerdos colectivos, incluyendo ingresos más altos y otros beneficios que los sindicatos obtengan en las negociaciones. Las leyes “Right to Work” sirven para incrementar la fuerza laboral que decide no ser miembro, reduciendo la capacidad de negociación colectiva.

La Resolución de la Enmienda Constitucional 11 del Senado fue aprobada en el Senado de Illinois y espera ser considerada por la Cámara de Representantes.

CHICAGO – State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) released the following statement in support of fast-food workers organizing for a living wage:

“When large corporations like McDonald’s are making billions in profits each year, none of their workers should live in poverty. The success of these companies is built on the labor of their employees, and those employees deserve a living wage and dignity in their work.

“No one should have to work two or three jobs just to make ends meet. It is past time that McDonald’s and other companies in the service industry pay a living wage of at least $15 per hour.”

Villanueva sigue la lucha por $15

CHICAGO – La Senadora estatal Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) dio a conocer la siguiente declaración en apoyo al derecho de organización de los trabajadores de la industria de la comida rápida en favor de ingresos dignos:

“Cuando grandes corporaciones como McDonald’s tienen miles de millones de dólares en ganancias anuales, ninguno de sus trabajadores debería vivir en la pobreza. El éxito de estas compañías se construyó con el trabajo de sus empleados, y esos trabajadores merecen ingresos dignos y suficientes.

“Nadie debería tener dos o tres trabajos para pagar con dificultad sus cuentas. Es tiempo de que McDonald’s y otras compañías en la industria de los servicios paguen un salario digno que sea de al menos $15 la hora.”