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.

SPRINGFIELD – To provide students in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections a chance to continue to earn an education while serving their time, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) is leading a measure to allow students to attend classes remotely.

“I want the youth of our state, regardless of their situation, to be able to access a quality education,” Simmons said. “Allowing students in custody to continue their education will give them a better chance at having a positive outcome when re-entering society.”

SPRINGFIELD –   A plan will be presented this fall to replace dismantled vehicle emissions inspection stations in Chicago after a measure spearheaded by State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) passed the House Wednesday.  

“This legislation will help restore a much-needed service to the residents of Chicago and the near suburbs,” Martwick said. “People shouldn’t have to drive for miles and wait in long lines to test their vehicles.”

SPRINGFIELD –State Senators Laura Fine and Ram Villivalam were joined by their colleagues and representatives from the Simon Wiesenthal Center at a press conference to denounce the rise of hate speech on social media in the past year, and to call on social media companies to actively address and take down posts inciting hate and violence.

“This hateful rhetoric can lead to irrational hatred and discrimination toward groups of people and incite violence against those targeted,” Senator Fine said. “I implore mainstream social media platforms to consider the safety of marginalized people in our communities when they allow hate speech to go unchecked.”

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a human rights organization committed to fighting anti-Semitism and hate around the world. Each year, the group publishes a digital terrorism and hate report to evaluate social media platforms’ policies on online hate speech. While some platforms introduced efforts to curb misinformation and hate speech, the report found that posts including hate speech were on the rise on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and Google, giving the Center and the Senators cause for concern.