SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that would help stop parents who do not have primary custody of their child from skipping on child support payments.

"This is an important initiative to ensure that parents who refuse to pay their child support can be tracked and held accountable," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "This is a step in the right direction to ensure that children receive the support they need and deserve."

House Bill 3301 would include independent contractors in the definition of "employee" so that anyone who reports income on 1099 forms as an independent contractor would be reported to the National Directory of New Hires registry. The registry was established in 1996 to help track parents who are delinquent on child support payments across state lines.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that limits the cost of Epinephrine Auto-Injectors, commonly known by the brand name EpiPens, to a maximum of $60 per twin-pack.

"No family should have to choose between paying for life-saving medication and putting food on the table," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "This legislation is a major step towards making EpiPens more affordable and accessible to all Illinoisans who need them."

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin advanced legislation that aims to increase access to higher education by modernizing and removing barriers to student directory information. 

“By expanding access to student directory information, we can ensure that students are presented options and can make informed decisions about their future,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “We want to keep Illinois students in Illinois for higher education, and this information will help.”

One of the key components of the legislation is expanding access to student directory information to public higher education institutions in Illinois. By Jan. 1, 2024, student directory information must be made available electronically through a secure centralized data system for official recruiting representatives of the armed forces of Illinois and the United States and to public higher education institutions in Illinois. This will allow colleges and universities to reach high school students more effectively, at a lower cost, and inform them of educational and career opportunities for their school.

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Mike Halpin passed a measure through the Senate aimed at creating incentives to recruit much-needed emergency medical technicians in Illinois fire departments.

“Now that we’ve gotten this passed, we need to ensure the money is appropriated in this year’s budget,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “I look forward to working with Senator Anderson to get it done.”

Senate Bill 1750 would require the board of trustees of a fire protection district to reimburse the mandatory training expenses of EMTs, EMT-Is, A-EMTs or paramedics who are employed by or under contract with the district. The mandatory training expenses would be covered by a state-funded program.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin’s legislation creating the Rock Island Regional Port District passed the Senate on Thursday.

"There’s nothing more rewarding than passing legislation that helps our local community," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "This legislation is another tool for economic growth in the City of Rock Island."

The establishment of the Rock Island Regional Port District aligns with the goal of encouraging the use of waterways to efficiently transport goods and provide for economies of scale. The Port District will also boost recreation and tourism activities along the river. The Rock Island Regional Port District will be the twentieth public port district in Illinois, joining the likes of the Waukegan Port District and the Illinois International Port District.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin passed a measure through committee with bipartisan support that creates the Rock Island Regional Port District Act. The Rock Island Regional Port District will be established within the limits of the City of Rock Island, with the Rock Island City Council serving as the governing and administrative body of the district.

"There are 19 other Regional Port Districts in Illinois, and I believe that it makes sense economically to create one here in Rock Island," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "The Rock Island Regional Port District has the potential to bring economic development and job creation to the area, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this district will have on our community."

The establishment of the Rock Island Regional Port District aligns with the goal of encouraging the use of waterways to efficiently transport goods, and to provide for economies of scale. The Port District will also boost recreation and tourism activities along the river. The Rock Island Regional Port District will be the twentieth public port district in Illinois, joining the likes of the Waukegan Port District and the Illinois International Port District.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin and State Senator Neil Anderson announced the advancement of Senate Bill 1750, aimed at creating incentives to recruit much-needed emergency medical technicians in Illinois fire departments.

"EMTs are critical to the safety and wellbeing of our communities," said Halpin (D-Rock Island). "We hope to create incentives for individuals to pursue a career in emergency medical services and to help alleviate the shortage of EMTs in our fire departments. By reimbursing the mandatory training expenses for EMTs, we can make this career path more accessible and affordable for aspiring candidates and ensure that our fire departments have the necessary personnel to respond to emergencies."

The bill would require the board of trustees of a fire protection district to reimburse the mandatory training expenses of EMTs, EMT-Is, A-EMTs, or paramedics who are employed by or under contract with the district. The mandatory training expenses would be covered by a state funded program.

MOLINE – State Senator Mike Halpin join Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati’s press conference on Monday regarding the Quad Cities Passenger Rail project that has been in talks for years.

“This money was there when I first took office in January 2017 and Governor Pritzker announced its renewal with our 2019 budget during his first year in office,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Too much time has passed to simply rely on Iowa Interstate Railroad to do the right thing.”

The rail project has had the support of multiple presidential administrations, governors, state representatives, state senators, mayors and city councils. Despite agreement on the need for the project, Iowa Interstate Railroad, a private company that controls the 50 miles of track that would connect Chicago and the Quad Cities, has been a barrier to getting the project finalized.