SPRINGFIELD – Recognizing former Secretary of State Jesse White's exceptional public service and enduring contributions to Illinois and its residents, State Senator Willie Preston announced the designation of the state office building located at 115 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago as the “Jesse White State of Illinois Building.”

“Jesse White's legacy is defined by his commitment to public service, his dedication to the community and his remarkable achievements as secretary of state,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “Naming this building in his honor is a testament to his tireless efforts and the positive impact he has had on Illinois."

Jesse White, who served as Illinois Secretary of State from 1999-2023, is the longest-serving and first African American to hold the office. He is renowned for his transformative leadership, including the implementation of major advancements in technology and customer service, enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of the Secretary of State's services.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation aimed at strengthening local journalism and supporting aspiring reporters is headed to the governor’s desk.

“Local journalism is vital for our communities, providing necessary information and holding those in power accountable,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This bill ensures that local news organizations remain transparent during critical transitions and supports the next generation of journalists.”

The measure would establish the Journalism Student Scholarship Program to help support students who are pursuing careers in Illinois journalism through financial assistance. The legislation would also require local news organizations to notify the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and employees 120 days before a sale occurs. The goal is to give other businesses, newspapers and nonprofits the chance to step in and keep the publication local, rather than furthering the decline in local journalism by selling to a private equity firm.

“Requiring advance notice for sales protects employees and ensures communities are aware of changes that might affect their local news sources,” said Stadelman.

The Senate concurred to Senate Bill 3592 Friday. It now heads to the governor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Robert Peters released the following statement in response to passage of his Senate Bill 3463 in the House, which will make record expungement a smoother process for youth involved with the juvenile court systems:

“We are changing how court systems see young people, helping them get back on track and be a part of the community again.

“Youth involved in the criminal justice system lack consistent legal representation, struggle to navigate legal procedures, and often miss notifications regarding potential expungement opportunities. This initiative prioritizes their rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society.

“Streamlining the expungement process by coordinating it with initial court decisions eliminates unnecessary appearances, enabling more young people to erase their past mistakes and concentrate on building a brighter future.

"I am immensely proud to witness both chambers advance this legislation with bipartisan support, and I look forward to the governor's support by signing Senate Bill 3463 into law.”

SPRINGFIELD - In an effort to recognize and support diverse businesses across Illinois, State Senator Ram Villivalam passed a resolution to call for continuing minority and women owned diversity business enterprise programs.

“It is important that we continue fighting for more economic opportunities within our communities,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Small and diverse businesses are the essential backbone of our neighborhoods, and provide vital opportunities for all.”

After the U.S. Supreme Court deemed affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional, the court will potentially take up cases regarding diversity business enterprise programs and its constitutionality. This will potentially create challenges for DBE programs across the country – including in Illinois. Villivalam’s resolution recognizes the importance, need and utilization of M/W/DBE programs within the state, while urging Congress to take action to support these programs.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison passed a resolution to encourage election authorities to sign eligible students up to serve as deputy registrars.

“Increasing civic engagement and creating more informed young citizens will have a positive impact on them and on Illinois,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It’s important for young people to have a say on things that will affect their future.”

Senate Resolution 532 urges election authorities to conduct outreach and training to qualified high school students to serve as deputy registrars. Deputy registrars are appointed by a county clerk to register eligible individuals to vote. Individuals who are at least 17 years old can serve as deputy registrars.

“Increasing the rate at which young people participate in civic activities has been a goal of mine for years,” said Morrison. “It is my hope that starting young people’s participation in the electoral process early will result in a more involved community going forward.”

Senate Resolution 532 was adopted by the Senate Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD – Tons of trash and debris are dumped annually into Illinois rivers, negatively impacting wildlife and damaging both the aesthetic and biological qualities of the rivers. State Senator Julie Morrison passed a resolution to name September 2024 as River Clean Up Month to encourage Illinoisans to promote clean-up efforts across the state. 

“Illinois contains more miles of rivers than any other state east of the Mississippi River,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It is imperative that we keep our rivers clean not only for the ecosystem, but also so we can continue to enjoy the many activities the rivers provide.”

This resolution calls on chambers of commerce, area group and associations, local schools and colleges to organize and coordinate local clean-up activities along portions of rivers and waterways in their area.

“Rivers and water ways are extremely important in Illinois,” said Morrison. “With this resolution, we are honoring that importance and focusing on keeping our environment clean.”

Senate Resolution 702 was adopted by the Senate Saturday.

SPRINGFIELD – To promote race amity and showcase the importance of interracial friendships, State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a resolution to declare June 9, 2024 as Race Amity Day in Illinois.

“Race Amity day is dedicated toward encouraging people to come together and celebrate the diversity within our communities,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “It has been a longstanding principle of mine that our communities should reflect our values. We value each and every Illinoisan and the important friendships and partnerships that we have fostered in spaces across the state.”

Senate Resolution 770 will declare Race Amity Day in Illinois, which is observed annually on the second Sunday in June and is an opportunity to celebrate interracial friendship and showcase the power of interracial partnerships to foster lasting and powerful social change.

Race Amity Day was established to promote understanding, respect, and cooperation among people of different races and cultures and encourages people to come together and celebrate the diversity within our communities.

SPRINGFIELD – A longtime advocate for extending state procurement opportunities to minorities, women, veterans and people with disabilities, State Senator Cristina Castro is leading a measure to improve diversity, clear up bureaucratic issues and modernize the state’s contracting process.

“Companies with roots in our communities should not face challenges to doing business with the state – especially as we undertake historic infrastructure projects across Illinois,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “These changes will help build capacity and facilitate a streamlined commerce process in our state.”

To eliminate long-standing obstacles and increase diversity in state contracting, the package includes provisions to modernize the procurement process, improve transparency, encourage responsible competition and safeguard taxpayer dollars in infrastructure projects.