SPRINGFIELD – To promote race amity and showcase the importance of interracial friendships, State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a resolution to declare June 9, 2024 as Race Amity Day in Illinois.

“Race Amity day is dedicated toward encouraging people to come together and celebrate the diversity within our communities,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “It has been a longstanding principle of mine that our communities should reflect our values. We value each and every Illinoisan and the important friendships and partnerships that we have fostered in spaces across the state.”

Senate Resolution 770 will declare Race Amity Day in Illinois, which is observed annually on the second Sunday in June and is an opportunity to celebrate interracial friendship and showcase the power of interracial partnerships to foster lasting and powerful social change.

Race Amity Day was established to promote understanding, respect, and cooperation among people of different races and cultures and encourages people to come together and celebrate the diversity within our communities.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced an initiative through the House and Senate that would allow local government to apply for loans through the Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank in an effort to expand clean energy infrastructure across Illinois while saving tax payers money on interest rates.

“We need every level of government to do their part when it comes to mitigating the effects of climate change,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Through the IFA bank, these low-rate loans to local government will not only save taxpayers money in the long run, but also address and tackle the effects of climate change.”

Senate Bill 3597 would allow units of local government to apply and obtain a loan from the Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank to build, purchase, remodel or improve clean energy infrastructure.

Currently, units of local government borrow from the bond market, but by borrowing from the Climate Bank, they will receive a lower interest rate, saving all taxpayers money.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced an initiative through the House that would allow local government to apply for loans through the Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank in an effort to expand clean energy infrastructure across Illinois.

“By offering low-rate loans to local government, the state will not only save taxpayers money in the long run, but also address and tackle the effects of climate change head on,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “We need every level of government to do their part and make drastic improvements to mitigate the effects of climate change.”

Senate Bill 3597 would allow units of local government to apply and obtain a loan from the Illinois Finance Authority Climate Bank to build, purchase, remodel or improve clean energy infrastructure.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura announced that Senate Bill 3695 has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee and has bipartisan support.

Senate Bill 3695, also known as the CURE Act – or the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act – aims to tackle treatment-resistant conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Additionally, it would facilitate research into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin through medical, psychological, and scientific studies. New Chief Co-Sponsor Senator Craig Wilcox has researched and considered filing a similar psilocybin bill focused on mental health and medicinal use for more than two years.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect renters from additional payment transaction fees, State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced legislation through the Senate that would require landlords to be more flexible with payment options.

“By requiring landlords to also accept cash or check, we help save Illinoisans from unnecessary transaction fees on their rental payments,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Some leases require 2-3% of rent to cover processing fees which adds a lot to an already high rent, so it is vital we ensure that we save residents money in any capacity we can.”

House Bill 4206 would require landlords to allow tenants to make rental payments by delivering a paper check or cash to the landlord or their business office if the landlord uses a third-party payment portal to collect rent and has a transactional fee or other charge imposed through the portal on the rental payments.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura led a resolution through the Senate to declare a day in Illinois to recognize child care providers.

“As a mother, I see the selfless dedication of child care providers and all they do to keep our children safe,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “It truly does take a village to help raise children, and for single parents, they can be a much needed lifeline.”

Senate Resolution 896 recognizes May 10, 2024 as Child Care Provider Appreciation Day.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura presented an initiative to assist local governments with the transition to zero emission vehicles by creating a grant program to the Senate Appropriations committee on Wednesday.

“As we continue to work on the goals set forth for the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, we need to provide financial avenues to assist local governments with the transition toward zero emission vehicles,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “If enacted, this legislation will help local governments not only be environmentally friendly, but also cost-effective and save taxpayers money in the long run.”

Under a law Ventura led last year, Senate Bill 1769, state owned passenger vehicles, except for law enforcement vehicles, must be either a manufactured zero-emission vehicle or a converted zero-emission vehicle by Jan. 1, 2030.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura led a new measure through the Senate Judiciary committee that would allow county boards to make county-owned property available for public use.

“Expanding the definition of public use to save future buildings can help protect historic, scenic, or architectural sites for the public,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). "The state should be assisting local governments with repurposing these sites to better serve the community in a new capacity."

Senate Bill 2651 would allow a county to maintain, restore or reuse places of architectural, historic or scenic significance and allows them to lease or license county-held property to public or private entities for up to 99 years including for athletic purposes or for a museum.