SPRINGFIELD — As many communities in Illinois still grapple with limited access to quality, healthy food, State Senator Mattie Hunter is sponsoring a measure aimed at looking into the effectiveness of efforts to reduce food deserts.

“Access to quality and fresh food is a basic right that each person in our community deserves,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “Although the state has taken steps to address these inequities, it is imperative that we continue to reflect on the initiatives aimed at addressing this issue and learn more about what can be done in the future.”

SPRINGFIELD – To promote race amity and highlight the importance of interracial friendships, State Senator Rachel Ventura sponsored a resolution declaring June 8, 2025 as Race Amity Day in Illinois.

“Race Amity Day encourages people to come together and celebrate the diversity within our communities,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “In times where hate and violence far too often persist, this resolution calls attention to the interracial friendships that make our communities stronger.”

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Appropriations Leader Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget:

“Through our unwavering commitment to fiscal responsibility over recent years, Illinois has engineered a remarkable financial turnaround that marks a defining moment in our state's economic history. However, no state is safe from the chaos and uncertainty coming out of Washington, D.C.

“When we began negotiations for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, we took a serious look at the crisis we are facing with the understanding that fiscal responsibility is about tackling what is in front of us. This budget is simply that: a reflection of our priorities and the uncertainty that is in front of us.

“This budget reflects our shared values and our commitment to making Illinois a better place to live, work and raise a family – investing in the whole person. I am proud to have led a balanced budget that addresses our current needs.”

Fiscal Year 2026 Budget

The Fiscal Year 2026 budget builds upon the responsible spending decisions we have made and balanced budgets we have passed in recent years. It is a balanced budget that is reflective of our state’s priorities, while also taking into account the harsh reality and uncertainty we are facing from the federal administration.

Highlights

Early Childhood Education

• $777 million for the Child Care Assistance Program to assist families across the state in affording child care
• $748 million for the ISBE Early Childhood Block Grant to extend access to support services and high-quality preschool slots for families with children up to age three
• $21.7 million to operate the Department of Early Childhood

K-12 Education

• Continues to fully fund the evidence-based funding model for K-12 education
• $1.3 million increase for career and technical education programs
• $35 million for after school programs
• $5 million for the teaching mentorship program, $30 million to the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program, and $8 million to the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship to tackle the ongoing teacher shortage

Higher Education

• $721 million for Monetary Award Program (MAP) funding
• In Fiscal Year 2026, a projected 151,000 students could benefit from MAP Grants – up from 126,864 in 2019.
• $50 million to the AIM High Grant Program
• $2.5 million for the Common Application Partnership Initiative – or Common App – to make applying for college easier and more streamlined

Violence Prevention and Public Safety

• Funding to hire and train 200 new state troopers – a total of two new cadet classes
• $180 million to the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) program
• $70 million to build up the Reimagine Public Safety grant program
• $495 million to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

Health and Human Services

• $600 million for safety net hospitals
• $100 million for the child tax credit for eligible low-income families with EITC
• $15 million for the Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program
• $268 million for HOME Illinois

Economic Development and Infrastructure

• $5 million to the Illinois Grocery Initiative
• $75 million will go toward enhancing youth employment opportunities
• $7.5 million to the Fast-Track Workforce program to provide employee screening, recruitment and job training development to employers
• $10 million for the Made in Illinois program – a game-changing opportunity for small and mid-sized manufacturers to access up to $50,000 in matching funds to support innovation and strategic technological advancements

SPRINGFIELD – To support victims and witnesses of workplace harassment and discrimination, State Senator Laura Fine championed a measure to clarify unlawful labor practices.

“Bolstering the Illinois workforce and attracting new employees can only happen when workers have a fair work environment,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “In the event of harassment or discrimination against an employee, the victim and potential witnesses deserve to feel safe and taken seriously when reporting the issue.”

SPRINGFIELD — In order to ensure that domestic violence survivors get the assistance they need, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen to advance House Bill 2682 through the Senate on Saturday. In 2023, only an estimated 4% of eligible recipients received the Family Violence Option (FVO) protections under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program.

“I was proud to partner with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and the Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence on this common-sense legislation that helps survivors and streamlines crisis assistance within the TANF application process,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “The proposed waiver and critical assistance funding are crucial tools for survivors. Now more than ever we need to continue to make resources readily known and accessible for our most vulnerable communities.”

Despite TANF applicants needing to be screened for FVO eligibility, very few survivors actually access FVO waivers or Crisis Assistance funding.

SPRINGFIELD – All too often, students of color feel the brunt of being expelled or suspended from school, rather than being provided restorative approaches to help with their emotional and mental health – a phenomenon Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is fighting to change.

“Our education system has failed many children by simply denying them the opportunity to sit in a classroom,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “We’re continuing to move toward a disciplinary system that prioritizes educating students by keeping them in school.”

Expulsion of students in kindergarten through second grade would not be permitted under Lightford’s measure. Additionally, pre-k through second graders would not be able to be suspended without the principal receiving written or verbal consent from the district superintendent.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced a bill through the Senate that gives law enforcement stronger tools to track down the criminals bringing illegal guns into Illinois neighborhoods.

“This is about giving our police the tools they need to track down illegal guns and the people that traffic them into our communities,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “When we can trace more guns and share more data across jurisdictions, we can solve more crimes and keep more dangerous individuals off our streets.”

SPRINGFIELD – To better prepare all educators – including substitute teachers – for emergencies at school, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel advanced a measure out of the Senate that requires training in evacuation and lockdown procedures prior to being in the classroom.

“This measure ensures that anyone teaching students knows exactly what to do in case of a crisis situation,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “You never know when an emergency will happen, so requiring this training is the logical thing to do.”

House Bill 1787 would require school districts in Illinois to provide training to all substitute teachers on school evacuation drills and law enforcement lockdown drills. Additionally, all substitutes would be given the same information as full-time employees that outlines all lockdown and evacuation procedures, and maps would be required to be displayed in every classroom showing all school exit points.