SPRINGFIELD – The City of Rockford can raise license fees on video gaming machines thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) that was signed into law on Friday.

“Rockford should be allowed to raise a small fee to a modest one,” Stadelman said. “The extra revenue will help the city balance the budget and hold the line on property taxes.”

Senate Bill 1558 was brought to Senator Stadelman by Rockford Mayor Thomas McNamara due to Rockford’s status as a non-home rule municipality, meaning the city needs state approval to raise the fees, unlike similar sized cities like Peoria, Aurora or Springfield.

Currently, non-home rule cities cannot charge more than $25 annually for a video gaming machine license. SB 1558 would raise that limit to $250 in Rockford only.

"I'm pleased the governor has signed this bill of Senator Stadelman's, making this a reality," Mayor McNamra said. "This brings our fees in line with other municipalities and will provide the city with much needed revenue."

The legislation take effect immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – To help with locating missing persons, Assistant Majority Leader Tony Muñoz (D-Chicago) sponsored a proposal that strengthens the relationship between local law enforcement and the National Missing and Unidentified Persons Systems.

“Finding a missing person requires law enforcement to move fast and cover as much ground as possible and this tool helps them do just that,” Muñoz said. “By utilizing the national system we will have a better chance of finding missing persons sooner.”

House Bill 2708 adds NamUS to the list of laboratories law enforcement agencies can coordinate with under the Missing Persons Identification Act. NamUS is a national information clearing house and resource center for missing, unidentified and unclaimed person cases across the country.

Missing people’s information would need to be submitted to NamUS within 45 days. In high-risk missing person cases, law enforcement would be required to submit a packet of all relevant DNA samples to NamUS within 30 days.

SPRINGFIELD – Residents living in state-operated assisted living facilities would be allowed to install cameras in their rooms to monitor and deter possible abuse under a new law sponsored by State Senator Scott Bennett.

Bennett (D-Champaign) partnered with his uncle, State Rep. Tom Bennett (R-Gibson City), to make Community Integrated Living Arrangement (CILA) facilities safer for residents and to reassure their loved ones.

“The core of this bill is to protect some of the most vulnerable residents in our state,” Bennett said. “This new law provides residents in care facilities control by allowing them to monitor their personal space and gives family members comfort knowing that they or their loved are safe and protected.”

Under House Bill 344, a resident living in a CILA facility, a supervised home environment in which eight or fewer people with mental illness or developmental disabilities live together, would be allowed to electronically monitor their own room provided that their consent and notice has been given to the facility on prescribed forms.

SPRINGFIELD – Children taken into protective custody under suspicion of abuse could soon take part in a forensic interview without parental consent as a result of legislation by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood).

House Bill 909, signed by the governor today, addresses issues in cases where an abused minor’s parents do not wish for the child to participate in a criminal investigation that may implicate a family member or close friend.

“No one should feel obligated to protect their abuser when participating in a criminal investigation,” Lightford said. “Unfortunately, our children are often put in a position where they do not feel empowered to report their abuser and we’re hoping to bring that to an end.”

A forensic interview is an interview between a trained forensic interviewer and a child in which the interviewer obtains information in an unbiased and fact-finding manner, with the goal of supporting accurate and fair decision-making by caseworkers in the criminal justice and child protection systems.

The measure goes into effect on January 1, 2020.

SPRINGFIELD – Pharmacists will be able to administer long-term mental health treatment to patients thanks to a new law introduced by State Senator Michael E. Hastings.

“We had to take action to ensure mental health treatments are available in a safe and efficient manner,” Hastings (D-Tinley Park) said. “Because there are sometimes cases that happen to be a bit more urgent, this law allows pharmacists to administer the treatment rather making those who need treatment wait around for an appointment with their primary care provider.”

SB 1715 ensures that pharmacists, in addition to physicians, would be able to administer long-term mental health treatments via injection efficiently and safely, as long as a prescription from a physician is present.

SB 1715 is effective immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – More Illinois veterans will have access to education thanks to a measure from State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) that was signed into law.

“It’s important that we honor our promises to those who have sacrificed their lives for ours,” Van Pelt said. “Providing access to education to our veterans is a top priority, and I’m pleased that Gov. Pritzker agrees.”

Senate Bill 1467 expands eligibility for the Illinois Veterans Grant and the MIA/POW Scholarship to veterans who have been residents of Illinois for 15 consecutive years.

“When a constituent came to me and told me about the loophole in state law that excluded them from the scholarship, I decided to take action,” Van Pelt said. “By expanding the time frame for eligibility, we’re signaling to veterans that we appreciate and value both their past service and their future endeavors.”

SPRINGFIELD – Non-traditional students pursuing vocational training could be eligible for a new scholarship program under a new law from State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that was signed into law on Friady.

“Education is economic development,” Ellman said. “This new scholarship program will help alleviate the financial burden of education and provide additional opportunities to non-traditional students.”

Senate Bill 1167 establishes the Adult Vocational Community College Scholarship Program, run by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. To be eligible, a student must be over the age of 30 and unemployed but actively searching for work.

The scholarship would be enough to cover the cost of tuition and fees to attend the community college without exceeding $2,000 per recipient per academic year. The program is subject to appropriation.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Ram Villivalam to advance equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) older adults was signed into law on Friday.

“Older members of the LGBTQ community face difficulty and discrimination,” Villivalam (D-Chicago) said. “It is crucial that we protect LGBTQ elders’ right to age with dignity, and to access resources without fear. I am proud to say that SB 1319 does just that.”

“LGBTQ older adults face many challenges as they age, including fears about neglect, abuse, and harassment because of their identities,” said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. “Sometimes, LGBTQ older adults are forced by circumstances to go back into the closet as they age because of the absence of inclusive programming by service providers and a lack of affirming care in long-term care facilities. As they age, we must ensure laws and programming support and affirm them. Thank you, Sen. Villivalam, for leading the charge on SB 1319 in the State Senate.”