SPRINGFIELD – In a Wednesday press conference, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) joined members of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation to introduce a resolution urging the U.S. Congress to recognize the illegal selling of the Shab-eh-nay reservation in 1849.

“As U.S. inhabitants, it’s important to recognize the indigenous communities who called this land home before us and continue to call it home,” Pacione-Zayas said. “The land of Chief Shab-eh-nay and his band was illegally sold, and recognition of this act of injustice by the federal government will begin to repair the harm and ensure that the land is recognized as reserved for the Potawatomi people in northern Illinois.”

SPRINGFIELD – After a recent organizational shakeup at the Illinois Tollway Authority, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate on Wednesday to clarify the roles of the Executive Director and Chairman of the Board at the agency.

“We are simply putting in statute what has been in practice as it relates to the roles and responsibilities of the Executive Director,” Villivalam said. “My plan clarifies the roles of upper management at the agency and puts the powers of the board chair in line with other agencies, like the Capitol Development Board.”

Senate Bill 3796 removes language from the Toll Highway Act that gives the board chair the authority to exercise general supervision of the agency and makes the agency’s Executive Director an appointment by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to a deepening mental health crisis across the state, Senate Democrats hosted a press conference in Springfield on Thursday highlighting legislative efforts that would prioritize mental health support for individuals in Illinois.

“Staying mentally well should be given the same priority as keeping physically fit,” State Senator Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) said. “To achieve this, we need to enact policies to maintain good mental health on top of treating mental illness.”

Loughran Cappel spearheaded legislation – Senate Bill 3889 – in the Senate to add a council within the Children’s Mental Health Partnership in Illinois.

CHICAGO – Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago has named State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago) as its recipient of the 2022 Gale Cincotta Community Visionary Award for her many years of work improving urban neighborhoods.

NHS selected Collins for the award due to her recent success in reining in predatory lenders in lower-income communities, as well as her efforts to combat racial biases in mortgage lending.

“The unfortunate truth is that housing insecurity is most common in lower-income majority Black and Brown neighborhoods that were disadvantaged by decades of disinvestment and racist housing policies,” Collins said. “I’m proud that I’ve been able to help pass laws and put pressure on city and state leaders to turn these neighborhoods back into true communities that people are proud to call home.”

Chicago - To inform residents on various violence prevention initiatives, State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) hosted a panel discussion with anti-violence advocates on the SAFE-T Act and the importance of community-centered solutions for violence prevention in Illinois Tuesday.

“We need public safety for all and not just the few.  Instead of reversing the progress that we’ve made before parts of this legislation has even had a chance to take effect, we need to think about those who are still left behind by the failing status quo,” said Peters. “I want to uplift the voices of advocates and empower them to help create real solutions to violence in our communities and not surrender to the political theater of the past.”

Before the implementation of the SAFE-T Act, the traditional criminal legal infrastructure put special need areas such as domestic violence, mental health and homelessness in the hands of traditional law enforcement, which has often lacked the training and approach to deal with these issues, particularly in a way that is responsive to the needs of the community. 

SPRINGFIELD – With more than 150 wineries statewide, Illinois is a leader in wine operations. To offer financial relief to struggling makers, State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) advanced legislation to lower licensing fees for first-class manufacturers.

“Wineries are unique small businesses servicing communities throughout the entire state,” Crowe said. “By re-implementing the previous licensing fees, we can offer financial support to wine operators as they work to bounce back following pandemic-related burdens.”

In partnership with the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association, Crowe’s measure lowers the licensing fees for first-class wine manufacturers to $750 if renewed online and $900 for initial or non-online certification. Under a law passed in 2021, the fees were raised to $1,200 if renewed online and $1,500 for initial licenses and non-online.

NAPERVILLE – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) and State Representative Janet Yang Rohr (D-Naperville) are teaming up to host a virtual discussion with retired U. S. Air Force Master Sgt. Ginny Narsete in celebration of Women’s History Month and newly-announced Women Veterans Recognition Month in Illinois. The panel will be held on Wednesday, March 16, at 7 p.m. via Facebook live.

“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than speaking with women from our community who have played a first-hand part in shattering glass ceilings for an entire generation of women and girls,” Ellman said. “We have so much to learn from these trailblazers and their unwavering courage, and I’m honored to be part of the conversation.”

SPRINGFIELD – Members of the General Assembly stood together in solidarity during a press conference Wednesday to condemn the anti-Semitic literature anonymously distributed recently in the district State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) represents, and to provide members of the community actionable ways they can stand up against antisemitism and hate speech.

“This incident is disturbing and intolerable,” Senator Fine said. “As an individual, and as a Jewish woman, I am disgusted by these displays of hate. However, we will not cower from these threatening messages. Instead, I am asking my colleagues and members of my community to stand up against antisemitism to prevent situations like this, or more dangerous incidents, from ever happening again.”

Over the last few weeks, anti-Semitic flyers in plastic bags were left on driveways in Niles, Glenview, and Park Ridge. The flyers included images of prominent Jewish politicians—including Senator Fine—and businesspeople from Illinois and across the country.