SPRINGFIELD – Two measures to assist social workers with earning and paying off their degrees, introduced by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights), passed the Illinois Senate on Wednesday.

“Incentivizing students of social work to start their careers in Illinois will help our local governments recruit the qualified professionals they need, while mitigating the student debt crisis,” Gillespie said.

Senate Bill 3912 expands the Post-Master of Social Work Professional Educator License scholarship to municipal social workers. Recipients would be required to work for an Illinois municipality for at least two of the five years immediately following graduation.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) advanced a measure out of the Senate Wednesday to address the teacher shortage in Chicago Public Schools.

“This teacher shortage is affecting schools nationally as well as in our state,” Hunter said. “We must do everything we can to ensure qualified teachers are in the classrooms so our children can get the education they deserve.”

Senate Bill 4000 would allow retired members of Chicago Teachers Pension Fund to be re-employed as a teacher or administrator for up to 140 days on a temporary non-annual basis without his or her retirement annuity being cancelled. 

SPRINGFIELD – To address the teaching shortage in the State of Illinois, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) is championing a measure to allow school districts to hire substitute teachers with a short-term license for longer periods of time.

“Advancing this bill will mean that schools across the state will have an easier time finding a suitable substitute for their classes,” said Turner “The pandemic has caused many aspects of our society to adapt, so shall our schools.”

The pandemic has caused a great deal of disruptions, especially to the education system in Illinois. The state is currently facing a teacher shortage, and with COVID-19 causing a great deal of teacher absences, the need to fill classrooms with substitutes is vital. The bill will raise the cap on consecutive days a short-term sub can teach from five to 15 days.

SPRINGFIELD – To offer support to mothers who are survivors of sexual abuse while giving birth, State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) advanced an initiative through the Senate Wednesday to allow parents to remove the physician’s name from a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

“When giving birth, women trust their physician to offer support, guidance and encouragement on one of the happiest, most memorable days of her life,” Crowe said. “Unfortunately, there are multiple cases where mothers endure sexual assault and abuse in the process, and this measure aims to remove the disgraced physician’s name from the child’s birth certificate.”

In Illinois, the short form birth certificate does not include the physician’s name. Under Crowe’s proposal, a parent or 18 year old child can request a long form birth certificate with the physician’s name removed. The redacted certified copy of the birth certificate does not replace the original certificate.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to end hair discrimination in the workplace passed the Senate Wednesday.

“No one should have to miss out on a job opportunity or miss a school graduation because of the hair that grows naturally out of their head,” Hunter said. “It’s 2022. As a nation, we should be past this petty discrimination.”

Senate Bill 3616 – also known as the Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act – amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to provide that the term “race” includes traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists.

A recent study from Dove uncovered that 80% of African American women felt they needed to switch their hairstyle to align with more conservative workplace standards in order to fit in.

Springfield- Youth in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services are one step closer to receiving the financial resources they need to be ready for adulthood thanks to a measure championed by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago).

“I’m pleased that we are one step closer to ensuring that the state will be proactive at helping youth in care build a strong future during their final years of care,” Peters said. “We need to do all we can to ensure that they have access to a financial head start before they have to live on their own.”

Senate Bill 3470 would require DCFS to save or invest a minimum percentage of a youth's benefits once they reach the age of 14. This will ensure that when DCFS no longer serves as the financial representative of the youth, they will have some money to help them transition into a successful adult life.

DANVILLE – State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) visited area long-term care facilities in Danville Monday to deliver Valentine’s Day cards written by students and community members across Vermilion County as part of his card collection drive.  

“It’s been such a joy delivering these heartfelt valentines to our long-term care residents this Valentine’s Day,” Bennett said. “This collection drive was a community effort, and its success is a testament to the compassionate hearts of our neighbors who have been so generous with their time and talents to spread love to these folks this year.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) to ensure clean water is accessible to all communities was recently advanced out of committee.

“Safe and unpolluted water should be affordable for all families, especially during the ongoing pandemic,” Connor said. “Prioritizing clean water in our communities is prioritizing the health of our local residents.”

Senate Bill 3905 would create the Municipal Water and Wastewater Funding Study Committee to study and make recommendations regarding any necessary changes to Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or Illinois Pollution Control Board policies as they relate to municipal water and wastewater funding across the state.