SPRINGFIELD – To promote standardization on food labels and reduce food waste across the state, State Senator Rachel Ventura sponsored House Bill 3849 which was signed into law today.

“By providing more guidance on food labels, we can reduce the amount of food ending up in the garbage and help feed more community members struggling to get by,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “As inflation continues to impact the rising cost of grocery bills, some families might extend the shelf life of their food purchases.”

According to ReFED, a national nonprofit working in conjunction with Harvard Law School's Food Law and Policy Clinic, a national food labeling standard could divert 582,000 tons of food waste per year and provide $2.41 billion in annual economic value. Illinois does not currently have any food labeling laws; however, if labeled, eggs cannot be sold past the label date.

House Bill 3849 defines "quality date," "safety date" and "sell by date" and requires the Illinois Departments of Agriculture and Public Health to publish information to encourage food manufacturers, processors and retailers to voluntarily use uniform terms on food product labels to communicate quality and safety dates.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Corrections will be required to digitize all master record files thanks to State Senator Rachel Ventura’s measure that was signed into law today.

“We cannot rely on the old paper filing system that is still in place. Papers can go missing, making the outdated release process unnecessarily long,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “In the long run, having digital access to these records will not only save the state money, but also ensure that those who have been waiting to be released and go back into their communities are not idly waiting for months on end simply because Illinois didn’t have an updated records system.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a measure through the Senate that mandates all vehicles owned by the state, a state agency, a unit of local government or any other political subdivision either be a manufactured zero-emission vehicle or converted into a zero-emission vehicle.

“By complying with The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to have one million electric cars by 2030, we can begin to position Illinois to save money in the long run and protect the environment,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Our state set forth bold carbon-reduction goals in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and by passing this measure we can work towards achieving those goals.”

Ventura’s measure aims to lower the state’s overall emissions by addressing the pollutants released into the air by vehicle emissions, which have a direct impact on the environment. Illinois is poised to become a national hub for electric vehicle and battery production. Electric school buses have already started rolling off the line at Lion Electric's Joliet factory. State and local governments would be supporting this emerging industry by transitioning vehicles to electric or zero-emissions under Senate Bill 1769.

Highway vehicles release about 1.4 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year — mostly in the form of carbon dioxide — which contribute to the global climate crisis. Roughly five to nine tons of greenhouse gases are burned each year for a typical vehicle according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“We cannot afford to waste time on pressing issues like emissions,” said Ventura. “We want government to do their part and meet these goals, and this would begin to fulfill them.”

Senate Bill 1769 passed through the Senate on Thursday and heads to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced a new measure that would create a grant for local governments to help mitigate the impact of climate change.

“We need to encourage local governments to plant native trees and grasses, which are proven to help mitigate climate change through carbon capture,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “With the climate crisis that is happening across the world, it is evident that legislation through every level of government needs to focus on important issues like this to ensure our children have a healthier planet.”

Senate Bill 2357 creates the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act which requires the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to establish a grant program for local governments for the purpose of restoring degraded forests and prairies to help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to mitigate the impact of climate change.

SPRINGFIELD– State Senator Rachel Ventura is spearheading a new measure to expand greater access to broadband at all public schools and libraries in the state.

“The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated the crucial need for all Illinoisans to have access to broadband,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “High-speed internet is at the forefront of all parts of life – from work to school, and everything in between.”

Senate Bill 851 would require the Broadband Advisory Council to conduct a feasibility study to determine best practices for expanding connection to all public schools, public libraries and state-owned correctional facilities, as well as how to connect to all remaining anchor institutions to the Illinois Century Network. The study will be due Jan. 1, 2024, with a goal of implementing the findings by 2030 and would increase speeds up to 1 gig.  

The Illinois Century Network is a state-owned and operated broadband network that provides Internet connectivity for thousands of sites statewide, ensuring high availability for cloud-based content, disaster recovery services, data, video and audio communications.

“We must mend the digital divide facing far too many communities in Illinois,” said Ventura. “Our goal is to move the state forward toward greater inclusivity and accessibility.”

Senate Bill 851 passed through the Senate on Thursday and moves to House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a measure through the Senate that would protect vulnerable individuals from deceitful tactics in legal proceedings.

“There needs to be a serious conversation on police tactics needing an overhaul across the country,” said Ventura (D-Joliet).  “We need to build trust with our police and move toward safe and practical measures that don’t prey on vulnerable members of society and penalize them for not understanding interrogation tactics.”

Currently, a confession by a minor that was made as a result of a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention is presumed to be inadmissible in a criminal proceeding or a juvenile court proceeding as evidence against the minor if, during the custodial interrogation, a law enforcement officer or juvenile officer knowingly engages in deception.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a measure through the Senate Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety on Wednesday that would protect highly vulnerable individuals from deceitful tactics in legal proceedings.

“We need protections in place to protect those who may fall victim to these harmful practices, especially those with intellectual or developmental disabilities,” said Ventura (D-Joliet).

Currently, a confession by a minor that was made as a result of a custodial interrogation conducted at a police station or other place of detention is presumed to be inadmissible in a criminal proceeding or a juvenile court proceeding as evidence against the minor if, during the custodial interrogation, a law enforcement officer or juvenile officer knowingly engages in deception.

ROMEOVILLE – State Senator Rachel Ventura commended the $358,390 grant awarded to Lewis University to expand the state’s pool of early childhood providers and increase faculty diversity in the field.

“Early childhood education is crucial to preparing kids for a bright future,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Having a more diverse faculty in place ensures that all the children of Illinois can relate and feel comfortable by those looking over and teaching them.”

The Illinois Board of Higher Education awarded $3.37 million in Early Childhood Faculty Preparation grants to four universities — including $358,390 to Lewis University — to implement programs of study for working adults from diverse backgrounds and those who work with diverse populations interested in becoming early childhood faculty.

The grants will fund scholarships and other academic and holistic supports for 78 students to earn master’s degrees.

“This grant expands the state’s goal of having high quality education across the board,” said Ventura. “I congratulate Lewis University on working toward a more well-rounded and diverse group of educators.”

The Early Childhood Faculty Preparation Grants are a part of the Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity initiative, a key strategy in A Thriving Illinois, the state’s strategic plan for higher education. Those who enroll in the programs are expected to graduate by the summer of 2024.