SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) is one step closer to ensuring human services professionals are provided student loan repayment assistance to encourage more people to enter this essential field through SB 3925.

“Employees in human services are required to have specialized college degrees to best serve vulnerable communities, and while this requirement is necessary, it comes with large financial sacrifices for workers,” Senator Fine said. “It is essential to break down barriers for qualified people to enter this field.”

Employees in the human services industry include welfare caseworkers, youth service providers, social workers, and many other positions specializing in working with marginalized communities. However, the industry is experiencing a shortage in employees due to a number of financial barriers. Many of these professions require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in education. Because salaries in this field tend to be less generous than in the private sector,  paying off student loans can be challenging and discourage people from entering the field.

DANVILLE – To prevent fatalities on the farm during the busy harvest season, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is joining officials in reminding farmers and farm workers to be cautious when working in and around grain bins.

“Grain handling can expose workers to serious and life threatening hazards,” said Bennett, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Grain Bin Safety Week is a great time to remind our agriculture workers to be cautious, follow procedures and stay up to date on the latest guidelines.”

While essential to Illinois’ harvests, grain handling equipment and storage containers can quickly become dangerous. In 2020, Illinois fire departments responded to a nation-leading 12 rescue incidents at Illinois grain bins and elevators.

SPRINGFIELD – A bill championed by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) and State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) to incentivize Illinoisans to purchase vehicles manufactured in-state advanced out of the Senate Wednesday.

“We make it undeniably clear that purchasing Illinois-made is the best decision for both workers and consumers by incentivizing residents to choose from the many high-quality vehicles we manufacture in-state,” Koehler said. “By supporting locally made products, we can spur economic growth within our communities.”

Senate Bill 3609 offers Illinoisans the opportunity to apply for a $25 rebate on the title fee for cars and passenger trucks manufactured in-state. Consumers would have one year from the month the vehicle was manufactured to apply for the rebate.

SPRINGFIELD – To encourage employers to hire people in recovery for mental health or substance abuse disorders, State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview) introduced a bill offering eligible employers tax credits for hiring and retaining employees with these conditions.

“Far too often, hard-working, experienced employees are turned away because of a mental health or substance use disorder,” Senator Fine said. “This bill will incentivize employers to give qualified candidates in a state of recovery and wellness an opportunity to succeed.”

Stigma around mental health and substance use disorders can be a deterrent for employers to hire candidates who disclose their mental health conditions. This disproportionately impacts people of color and women who suffer mental health disorders. This may prevent people with mental health conditions from holding secure employment, impacting their financial stability and their ability to receive necessary treatment.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) advanced legislation out of the Senate to create a Children’s Mental Health Council in Illinois.

The council would provide recommendations to the governor and General Assembly each year regarding children with mental health conditions and behavioral disabilities.

“As a former special education teacher in Joliet, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of addressing our children’s mental health,” Loughran Cappel said. “I am proud to be the Senate sponsor of this legislation to address this issue and help our students and their families better cope with their mental health conditions.”

SPRINGFIELD – Ponds of coal ash created by the Waukegan Power Generating Station have polluted the Lake Michigan shore for decades, and State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) advanced a measure to offer restoration and protection.

“Coal-burning plants have caused irreparable damage to our communities and ecosystems,” Johnson said. “We must make strong efforts for coal ash clean-up around Lake Michigan and protect our region’s largest water source from lingering toxins.”

With requirements outlined under the Environmental Protection Act, Johnson’s initiative requires the removal of coal combustion residual, or coal ash, stored in ponds on Lake Michigan’s shore at the Waukegan Generating Station. The plant’s owner must also conduct a site investigation sufficient to identify and characterize the scope and extent of all coal ash placed, stored or disposed.

SPRINGFIELD – To draw awareness to the importance of soil health protection, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) is leading an effort to create a week-long celebration of soil health.

Senate Joint Resolution 44 would create a Soil Health Day and Week celebration to take place March 7 – 11, with Soil Health Day falling on March 9.

“Illinois should be actively raising awareness of the importance of soil health and promoting its stewardship to safeguard this resource for future generations,” said Bennett, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “With this joint resolution, my hope is that we can come together to find ways to educate people on the importance of healthy soil.”

SPRINGFIELD – As school districts around the state continue struggling to fill teaching positions, Senate Democrats hosted a press conference in Springfield on Thursday announcing a number of legislative measures that would help address the void.

“Illinois is facing an overall teaching shortage and an immediate staffing shortage in schools,” State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) said. “Over the past two years, we’ve seen school districts take an all-hands-on-deck approach and our schools can no longer operate under that system. We need to take steps toward alleviating the teacher shortage through legislative action.”

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, there are more than 4,000 unfilled positions in schools. In an attempt to address the vacancies and increase the substitute teacher pool, Loughran Cappel introduced a plan – Senate Bill 3915 – that would waive the application fee for short-term substitute teaching licensees when the governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency.