CHICAGO – Students of public universities and colleges will soon have access to an on-campus point-person to help them find and apply for assistance programs thanks to a law sponsored in the Senate by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago).

“There are countless numbers of assistance programs offered by campuses, communities and the state for students to take advantage of,” Pacione-Zayas said. “Now, an on-campus benefits navigator can help students find and apply for programs for food or housing assistance, scholarships, and more.”

WAUKEGAN – To provide input and improve the commerce relationship of Illinois agencies with minority-owned and women-owned businesses, State Senator Adriane Johnson was appointed to serve on the State Procurement Task Force.

“In the past, equity has not been prioritized in the state procurement process,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “By assigning a task force to help strengthen the relationship of agencies with minority-owned and women-owned businesses, Illinois can work to create an inclusive commerce process throughout the state.”

MARYVILLE – A new law in Illinois will assist law enforcement with investigating violent roadway crimes by expanding expressway camera technology to Madison and St. Clair counties. The new law passed with advocacy from State Senator Rachelle Crowe.

“To improve public safety in the Metro East, this law gives new tools to law enforcement to investigate reported roadway crimes such as gun violence or carjackings,” said Crowe (D-Glen Carbon). “Illinois is also offering additional protections to motorists with the expressway camera expansion.”

CHICAGO – A law to help identify families in need of additional financial assistance for college savings accounts was signed Tuesday, thanks to the hard work of State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas.

“A big part of helping families afford college is making sure they know what financial assistance resources are available,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “This law will not only allow for additional deposits in a Children’s Savings Account for students from financially unstable households, it will also help us understand who is taking advantage of the program and allow us to target outreach to families who might not be aware of it.”

CHICAGO — A new state-of-the-art health wellness center is coming to the West Side of Chicago thanks to the Illinois Senate Democrat-backed Rebuild Illinois plan.

“Health equity is — and always has been — one of my top priorities,” said State Senator Omar Aquino (D-Chicago). “Access to quality health care should be a right — not a privilege. By bringing this facility to the West Side, we are signaling to local residents we notice the inequity and inequality and our system and we are committed to doing something about it.”

NAPERVILLE – Signed into law Monday, legislation by State Senator Laura Ellman and State Representative Janet Yang Rohr on behalf of local students designates Dolostone as Illinois’ official state rock.

“Students played a large part in the designation of our state tree and flower over a century ago, and once again they will play a large part in our state’s history through their work in designating Dolostone as the state rock,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “These exceptional young people went above and beyond to take advantage of this great learning opportunity, and all the students and teachers involved have been true gems.”

Prenatal services to be more accessible under new Van Pelt law

SPRINGFIELD – Building upon efforts to address maternal and infant mortality in the state of Illinois, the governor signed into law a measure led by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt to expand access to prenatal services.

“Maternal mortality is a serious matter both in our state, and across the country, especially for Black women,” said Van Pelt (D-Chicago). “Making prenatal and perinatal services more accessible can set those expecting up for a healthy delivery.”

Read more.

Pacione-Zayas supports new laws to prohibit withholding transcripts for unpaid fees

CHICAGO – During the spring legislative session, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas was proud to support two pieces of legislation to help high school and college students access their transcripts without having to worry about unpaid debts.

“When a student works hard to make their grades, they deserve access to those records to assist them in applying for further education or jobs,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “High schoolers especially might struggle with paying fees if they come from a financially insecure household, but that shouldn’t prevent them from accessing their transcripts.”

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Organ donor registry expands under new Belt law

CHICAGO – People will have an additional opportunity to become an organ donor thanks to a measure championed by State Senator Christopher Belt that was recently signed into law.

“Organ donors save countless lives every year,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “After living on dialysis for a year, I received a kidney transplant in January 2010. I know the importance of giving people more opportunities to become organ donors.”

Read more.

Hastings' law to expand access to utility bill relief goes into effect

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings’ law to expand access to utility bill assistance programs took effect last week.

“This law will give those struggling a chance to get back on their feet,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “As we prepare for extreme summer weather, helping residents stay safe in their homes has never been more important.”

Read more.

Sound of the State: Solving missing and murdered women cases in Chicago

On this week's Sound of the State, State Senator Mattie Hunter talks about legislative efforts to solve a number of missing and murdered women cases, some of them decades old. Listen here.

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CHICAGO– State Senator Jacqueline Collins sponsored a new law addressing the collateral consequences of cannabis use criminalization.

“People looking to correct their criminal record should not be stopped from meaningfully participating in society because of a positive drug test for cannabis,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “We have to stop treating its use as grounds for dismissal with respect to jobs and petition-filing.”

Individuals seeking to expunge or seal a felony conviction were previously required to take and pass a drug test to show the absence of illegal substance, including cannabis. House Bill 4392 will now allow petitioners to continue the filing process despite a positive test for cannabis. The new law was signed Friday.

Expungement and sealing are ways of allowing individuals to hide or clear their record, expanding their access to job opportunities and certain spaces. Before the signing of Collins’ law, despite cannabis’ legality in Illinois, a positive test would affect petitioners’ filing outcome prior to case consideration.

“People deserve second chances, and it is important that we afford this opportunity to those whose circumstances may have led them to crime,” Collins said. “This legislation is especially meaningful for our communities of color, who face disproportionate disparities in the criminal justice system.”

The new law takes effect Jan. 1, 2023.