SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to create the Real Estate Valuation Task Force to combat discrimination in the housing industry passed an important hurdle Wednesday.

“Discrimination in the housing industry goes back decades, and it has yet to be rectified today,” Hunter said. “Black and Brown people won’t have a fair chance at renting and home ownership until discrimination is addressed on a systemic level.”

The Real Estate Valuation Task Force is a response to an unresolved history of federal housing agencies, including the Federal Home Owners' Loan Corporation and the Federal Housing Administration discriminating against Black and Brown people when underwriting real estate loans.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans across the state are struggling to make ends meet, including university students. To help students find assistance programs, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) is sponsoring a measure to require universities to designate a Benefits Navigator.

“There are so many assistance programs available that are underutilized,” Pacione-Zayas said. “Ensuring students are aware of their options to get support is important, especially for individuals struggling to make ends meet while in college.”

House Bill 4201 requires the each public university and community college in Illinois to designate a Benefits Navigator to assist students in identifying and applying for benefit programs and campus-wide and community assistance programs.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) supported legislation that would direct state money to cover several outstanding debts in order to improve the Illinois’s credit.

“The state has been on a trajectory toward better credit ratings, and I believe this initiative will only continue that trajectory,” Hunter said. “This initiative lessens the state’s debt and upholds our commitment to families and state employees.”

In total, Senate Bill 2803 allocates $2.7 billion to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, with $898 million to pay off old group health insurance bills, $230 million to pay off the College Illinois program, and $300 million in extra pension payments.

MARYVILLE – With strong support from State Senator Rachelle Aug Crowe (D-Glen Carbon), Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville is slated to receive funding for the Certified Recovery Support Specialist Success program to create behavioral and mental health education opportunities for students.

“Our state’s behavioral health industry relies on skilled, dependable workers,” Crowe said. “By creating education opportunities for mental health professionals at SIUE and throughout the state, Illinois is working to provide better quality care for individuals in recovery, give students hands-on experience and strengthen the workforce.”

SPRINGFIELD – Building on a new era of fiscal responsibility, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus advanced legislation Thursday to make major investments for workers, businesses and local economies with funding available through the American Rescue Plan.

“We are continuing our responsible use of federal dollars by providing $2.7 billion in tax relief to businesses and benefit protections for workers,” said Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat. “At the same time, our investments in college savings, health insurance and the retirement security of teachers, prison guards, state troopers and university workers will again demonstrate strength through stability for the hard working people of our great state.”

With efforts to solve both pandemic-related issues and long-standing fiscal problems, the proposal invests $2.7 billion in the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and an additional $300 million to shore up retirement security funds.

SPRINGFIELD – To support Illinois homecare workers who endured a great burden during the pandemic, Senate democrats are proposing a measure to deliver a $1 per hour raise to bolster the homecare workforce.

“It is our duty as lawmakers to ensure that our seniors are taken care of and our responsibility to provide for the workers who care for them,” Simmons said. “A stable, consistent homecare workforce is vital for this entire state.”

As of 2022, Illinois currently has approximately 100,000 seniors that require homecare assistance from a professional. According to SEIU, the state’s leading service employee labor group, the population of people over the age of 65 will grow by one third by 2025.

CHICAGO – Due to support from State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago), Malcolm X College was awarded a grant for a Certified Recovery Support Specialist Success program to prepare students for work as behavioral and mental health professionals.

“As people are still processing the pandemic and other worldly tragedies, mental health services are more important now than ever,” Van Pelt said. “It is crucial that we are training and preparing behavioral health personnel so they are equipped to serve the masses.”

Malcolm X College was one of 11 colleges and universities throughout the state who were awarded a total of $4 million in grants through the Illinois Department of Human Services.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) advanced a measure on Thursday to potentially save the Illinois Commerce Commission thousands of dollars, on a cost typically passed on to ratepayers.

“This is common sense legislation that will save money,” said Joyce. “I will continue to find ways to reduce government spending.” 

Under current law, the Illinois Commerce Commission is required to notify landowners via registered mail when a utility has applied for a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct a high voltage electric service line across the landowner's property. Registered mail costs start at $13.75.