SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) released the following statement in response to the body camera footage being released in the shooting of Sonya Massey:

“Nothing could prepare our community to see such a blatant disregard for human life. Sonya deserved so much more.

“We need to come together to seek justice and do all we can to prevent another Black man or woman from being unjustly killed.

“I stand with the Massey family in their calls for justice and peace.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner passed an important measure through the Senate that designates the soybean as the official state bean of Illinois.

“The 48^th Senate District is home to the soybean capital of the world – Decatur, Illinois,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “When designating state symbols, we have to recognize the impact the soybean has on our economy and the number of jobs it creates.”

House Bill 4439 would designate the soybean as the official state bean of Illinois. According to the Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois is the No. 1 soybean-producing state in the country, with 15% of all U.S. soybeans being produced in Illinois.

"As the largest soybean-producing state, we commend Senator Doris Turner and the General Assembly in passing House Bill 4439 to recognize the importance of soybeans to Illinois agriculture on the 60th Anniversary of the Illinois Soybean Association," said Illinois Soybean Association Chairman Ron Kindred.

House Bill 4439 passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) released the below statement in response to the U.S. Postmaster General’s decision to move the Springfield Post Office’s distribution to St. Louis:

“The decision to convert the Springfield Post Office into a local processing center is extremely disappointing and will have lasting effects on residents across Central Illinois. There is no reason for our mail to be diverted out of state, but sadly this is our new reality.

“I joined hundreds of residents, postal workers and local elected officials at a town hall on March 26 to share our grave concerns about the proposal. USPS did not listen to our community. This will not only slow down mail delivery time, but also create life threatening hardships for those who rely on the mail service for their medication needs, especially our seniors.

“Springfield is home to Illinois’ state government. Why are we delaying delivery of important documents by sending them to Missouri? This is a poor decision that will affect each and every one of us.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner is championing a measure to increase the number of hunting tags landowners can receive without having to go through the lottery process.

“I’ve heard from constituents who can’t hunt on their land because of the current rules and regulations and have been forced to enter into the lottery for a chance to get hunting tags,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Illinois landowners who have met the criteria should be able to hunt on their land.”

Senate Bill 914 would allow for two additional landowner deer, turkey and combination permits if the property is solely owned by family members who do not live at the same property. Currently the Illinois Department of Natural Resources allows only one permanent address of record to receive a free landowner permit. Additional owners of the land who do not live at the address have to enter into the lottery drawings to receive a permit to hunt on their land.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect university and community college employees, State Senator Doris Turner passed a measure that would ensure employees receive their pay and benefits if a campus is closed due to a winter weather emergency.

“Some employees are left without pay when we get hit with a winter storm,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “This initiative protects the workers who play an important role in the normal, day-to-day operations for universities and community colleges.”

Senate Bill 331 would require the Board of Trustees of each public university and community college to pay employees their daily, regular rate of pay and benefits if a campus is closed due to a city, county or state declaration of a winter weather emergency. The measure would not apply if the day is rescheduled and the employee would be paid their daily, regular rate of pay and benefits for the rescheduled day when services are rendered.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner led a measure through the Senate that would increase public safety by suspending EMS professionals who have been charged with a crime while performing their duties.

“EMS professionals who cause harm to the public need to be held accountable,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Public safety has to be at the forefront of our priorities, especially during an emergency.”

Senate Bill 3134 would allow the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, or their designee, to determine if the suspension of an EMS professional should extend statewide. This would apply in situations when an EMS professional has been charged with a crime while performing their official duties and continuing to practice poses the possibility of harm to the public.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner spearheaded a measure through the Senate that would hold funeral homes accountable by reestablishing integrity and trust in the death care industry. Her legislation, Senate Bill 2643, comes in response to a Carlinville funeral home insufficiently handling human remains, giving over 60 families the wrong remains.

“The status quo isn’t working. Dead or alive, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “I’m committed to holding bad actors accountable. No family should receive the dreaded call that they were given the wrong remains.”

Senate Bill 2643 would add identification rules and regulations for the handling and storing of human bodies. When the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation receives a complaint, the agency would be required to inspect the premises within 10 calendar days.

SPRINGFIELD – To increase public safety, State Senator Doris Turner is sponsoring a measure that would suspend EMS professionals who have been charged with a crime while performing their duties.

“We have to ensure people’s safety is our number one priority,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “When there’s an emergency, we need to be able to trust the professionals who respond and take care of us.”

Senate Bill 3134 would allow the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, or their designee, to determine if the suspension of an EMS professional should extend statewide. This would apply in situations when an EMS professional has been charged with a crime while performing their official duties and continuing to practice poses the possibility of harm to the public.