SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D- Chicago) offered a statement following the Senate passage of a comprehensive clean energy measure that places Illinois at the forefront of the clean energy economy:

“The evidence and science is clear on how vital it is to aggressively address the intensifying climate crisis, especially for the communities that have always been disproportionately affected by the harmful practices of fossil fuel companies.

CHICAGO – The Northwest Home Equity Program will have the ability to provide low- or no-interest home assistance loans to homeowners struggling to make their property tax payments under a new law signed today, the result of legislation by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago).

“We need to use every tool at our disposal to help homeowners who are at risk of default, especially in light of a historically difficult year that has affected everyone’s finances,” Pacione-Zayas said. “With this legislation, homeowners on the Northwest side will get the additional assistance they need to help pay their property taxes.”

CHICAGO – A plan introduced by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) to allow for the designation of cultural districts in Illinois was signed into law today in an effort to help affirm the identity of communities in Illinois and preserve their distinct legacies.

“These designations are a way for our communities to proudly reflect the identity, contributions and history of the people who have helped build them,” Pacione-Zayas said. “I thank the governor for signing this into law and giving Illinois communities the chance to pursue community-driven economic opportunity initiatives that ensure our neighborhoods preserve their unique cultures and continue to build legacies.”

CHICAGO – To help clarify the Department of Children and Family Services’ role in assessing the living situations of children placed with parents out of state, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) spearheaded a law signed Friday that lays out clear guidelines for when DCFS can assess these living arrangements. 

“We have a clear duty to children who are or have been in state care, and it can’t be hindered by confusion over geographical lines,” Pacione-Zayas said. “This legislation will help fill in the gaps in current policy and make it easier for DCFS to do its job to protect our state’s children.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D- Chicago) along with State Rep. Will Guzzardi, the Kelvyn Park Advisory Council and other community partners hosted a Back-to-School Fair Saturday, featuring free school supplies, COVID-19 and flu vaccinations, dental exams and more.

“It was a beautiful day, and I was so excited to see all the families come out to participate in our Back-to-School fair,” Pacione-Zayas said. “The event was a testament to the importance of coming together as a community to make sure our kids have the resources they need to start the school year off strong.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) participated in a “walk a day” event to highlight the child care crisis affecting the workforce, parents and children exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the event, Pacione-Zayas shadowed day care provider Lucia Rubio to learn about the scope of work performed daily by child care providers.

“This event has affirmed my concerns about the struggles our child care providers go through on a day-to-day basis, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pacione-Zayas, a longtime advocate for early childhood policy. “This year, the legislature took up measures to help our early childhood workforce, but we also need to turn our focus toward the federal government to help our state and the nation provide the vital resources needed to help the early childhood workforce, parents, and most importantly, children recover and thrive.”

CHICAGO – A wide-ranging new plan to bolster the early childhood education workforce in Illinois by creating a new Early Childhood Education Consortium was signed into law Wednesday, the result of legislation championed by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago).

“To truly provide Illinois children with the best possible education, we know that we need to invest in early childhood education, and that means investing in the educators who work so hard to help them learn and grow,” Pacione-Zayas said. “This is a step toward properly valuing those who do this incredibly important work, and it’s the beginning of a new chapter in our approach to raising our kids.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) wants residents of the 20^th District to know that they could be eligible for the federal Child Tax Credit even if they did not file taxes in 2019 or 2020.

“The American Rescue Plan’s Child Tax Credit will provide an unprecedented amount of relief to families, and they should take full advantage of it,” Pacione-Zayas said. “Even if you did not file taxes in 2019 or 2020, you can still get this relief by filling out the non-filer application on the IRS website.”

According to data provided by the White House, there are hundreds of residents in the 20^th District who did not file taxes in 2019 and 2020 who are eligible to sign up as non-filers to receive the Child Tax Credit. People with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers or Social Security Numbers are eligible to apply. More information and the application are available on the White House website.

The Child Tax Credit will provide families with children under 6 years old $2,000 to $3,600 per child, and families with children from ages 6 to 17 $2,000 to $3,000 per child. To get money into people’s bank accounts quicker, the IRS will be sending families half of their 2021 Child Tax Credit as a monthly payment of $250 to $300 per child through the end of the year. Those who filed taxes in 2019 and 2020 should receive those payments automatically.

“Although payments started on July 15, families who sign up as non-filers can still get the full amount of this credit no matter when they sign up,” Pacione-Zayas said. “I urge everyone to check their eligibility and sign up to receive this relief if they are eligible.”

Families can check their eligibility on the IRS website and sign up as non-filers at any time.