BLOOMINGTON – State Senator Dave Koehler stood alongside school faculty and community leaders at Heartland Community College Tuesday to discuss proposed investments to higher education.

“Increased investments toward our community colleges give Illinoisans the opportunity to pursue their education here, making it possible for residents to receive their degree and find high paying jobs in central Illinois,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “By making college more affordable, Illinois is painting a brighter future for our future workforce.” 

The governor’s introduced budget proposes an additional $100 million investment toward Monetary Award Program grants, as well as an additional $20 million investment toward community colleges throughout the state. Heartland Community College is home to over 13,000 students, with one out of every five receiving a MAP grant. With this increase and the additional availability of Pell Grants and scholarships, virtually all community college students at or below the median income level could go to community college free-of-charge.

Glowiak Hilton protects consumers from automatic renewal fees

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton would require clear notice to be given to consumers before they enter contracts that automatically renew.

“From streaming services to cell phone contracts, contracts are regularly renewed without clear consent from consumers,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “We must ensure consumers are aware of automatic renewal commitments before accepting the terms.”

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Murphy bill seeks to make insulin more affordable

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that Illinoisans in need of insulin have affordable access to the life-saving medicine, State Senator Laura Murphy has introduced a measure to cap its price at $35.

“No Illinois family should have to go into debt or skip meals to afford life-saving medications,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “We have made great strides in Illinois to make insulin more affordable, but we will not stop our work until every person who needs this medication has continuous access to it.”

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Villa pushes for legislation to support grieving families

SPRINGFIELD – To help support families grieving the loss of a child, State Senator Karina Villa advanced legislation from the Senate Labor Committee that will create the Zachary's Parent Protection Act.

“No family should have to endure the loss of a child, and my heart goes out to all of those who have ever grieved over the unthinkable happening,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “This legislation attempts to offer support to families who are grieving by allowing them the proper time to themselves after a loss.”

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Faraci advances measure to honor Senator Bennett's public service

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Paul Faraci advanced a measure through the Senate State Government Committee to rename and expand the ABLE Account Program in honor of the late Senator Scott Bennett.

“Senator Bennett was a tireless advocate for individuals living with disabilities and their families,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “Renaming the ABLE Account Program in his honor is a fitting tribute to his legacy of service and commitment to improving the lives of those around him.”

Read more.

Sound of the State: Get to know Senator Mike Halpin

On this episode of Sound of the State, get to know the new lawmaker for the 36th District, State Senator Mike Halpin.

Listen here.

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Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford joined fellow Senate Democrats in applauding the signing of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act on Monday, making Illinois the third state in the U.S. to guarantee paid leave.

“It’s not uncommon for life to get in the way of work – be it your child unexpectedly gets sick or your car breaks down. You shouldn’t be punished for these everyday obstacles,” said Lightford (D-Maywood), whose decades of work lifting up working families has included championing numerous increases to the state’s minimum wage and expanding worker protections for employees targeted by layoffs. “With the signing of this legislation, we are leading a significant, positive impact on the lives of residents across our state and underscoring our commitment to uplifting working families.”

Under the new law, all employers in Illinois will be required to provide their employees with a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year that can be used for any reason. A worker would begin to earn paid leave on their first day of employment at a rate of one hour of leave for every 40 hours worked. Starting on March 31, 2024, or 90 days following commencement of employment, workers can begin using their earned time off for any reason without the requirement of providing documentation to their employer.

SPRINGFIELD – To make the transition to higher education smoother for students with disabilities, State Senator Laura Fine is sponsoring The Removing Barriers to Higher Education Act. This legislation will make it more convenient for students to provide documentation to the school to demonstrate that they have a disability.

“Under current law, students may have to undergo costly assessments to prove they qualify for disability services in college,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “This initiative will allow students to save time and money by allowing them to submit documentation of accommodations that they received during their K-12 years.”

Senate Bill 99 would establish a process for students with disabilities to receive reasonable accommodations from public universities and colleges.  This measure defines the types of documents that state universities must accept as proof of a disability, including previous diagnostic testing or other recent documents. From this information, colleges and universities could provide reasonable accommodations that they deem to be appropriate for the student requesting the services. This will ensure that students will receive the support they need to thrive in higher education.

SPRINGFIELD – In collaboration with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas introduced new legislation to clarify and expand offerings and funding for community schools in Illinois, ensuring that innovative community education models can reach more geographies.

“As a former community schools director, I can testify to the numerous benefits community schools yield for students, their families, and communities at large. Thriving communities have strong neighborhood schools that extend their walls into the neighborhood,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Community schools complement formal schooling by providing out of school time programming including arts enrichment, homework help, leadership development, sports, and adult education. The positive impact can be transformational for young people and an entire community. This initiative will support greater access to students and families across Illinois.”

Community schools are schools that cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships between the school and other community resources to promote student achievement, positive learning conditions, and the well-being of students through wraparound services. Senate Bill 2391 adds language about a designated program coordinator and articulates types of wrap-around services that could be offered in a community school.

SPRINGFIELD – Advocating for better, safer, and less abusive practices with animals, State Senator Linda Holmes passed two new pieces of legislation that will ensure those who work with animals are using best practices.

“Our animal companions are not to be subject to greed and inhumane care,” said Holmes (D-Aurora) “These actions are a positive step toward ensuring those providing and connecting us with pets are doing so in the most humane way.”

Senate Bill 1230 changes the definitions of “dog dealer” and “animal shelter” to not include a person who sells dogs at retail to the public and defines that as selling animals at brick-and-mortar establishments that were obtained from breeders or brokers for compensation and not bred on its premises. This closes the loophole pet shop operators use to avoid obtaining dogs from animal shelters and instead from breeders.

SPRINGFIELD – To support returning citizens with outstanding fees, State Senator Mike Simmons presented legislation to the Senate Special Committee on Criminal Law and Public Safety on Thursday.

“I am dedicated to serving all 7th District constituents, which includes returning citizens,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Senate Bill 2175 provides a returning citizen with the opportunity and time to establish stability in their life and take care of basic human needs, such as finding gainful employment, housing and healthcare before owing fees from prior criminal proceedings.”

Senate Bill 2175 prohibits courts from ordering the payment of outstanding fees, fines, taxes or any costs arising from criminal proceedings for the first year after a person returns from incarceration. Currently, Illinois does not have a law striking fees for a certain amount of days post-confinement. However, under the Unified Code of Corrections, the court may revoke a fine if good cause is shown.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura spearheaded new legislation that would lift the limits on hydropower plants.

Currently Illinois is ranked 46th in the nation when it comes to hydropower. With Senate Bill 1474 passing the Energy and Public Utility Committee Thursday, Ventura hopes to advance Illinois’ renewable energy sector.

“By having hydropower in our communities, we can increase jobs, lower the price of energy and protect our planet,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Supporting hydropower today will allow Illinoisans to reap economic and environmental rewards for decades to come.”

Under Ventura’s measure, the Illinois Power Agency would be required to procure a percentage of its renewable energy credits from hydropower dams. This would help increase the use of this renewable energy source, while also promoting environmental conservation by using dams that already exist.