SPRINGFIELD – Several state senators joined the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association and the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council Thursday to unveil a package of proposals to support, fund and provide law enforcement officers with resources to serve and protect communities.

“Our brave members of law enforcement bear the brunt of the state’s criminal justice system,” said State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon). “By working in collaboration with the Illinois Sheriff’s Association and the Fraternal Order of Police, we have identified key areas for improvement to support our officers and look forward to discussing the measures.”

ROMEOVILLE – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is inviting Romeoville residents to attend her February Coffee and Conversation event on Monday, Feb. 28.

“These casual events provide the perfect opportunity for constituents to meet with their elected officials,” Loughran Cappel said. “This is a great way to hear from community members first-hand and learn what is important to them.”

The event will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Romeoville Branch of the White Oak Library located at 201 Normantown Rd. in Romeoville.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) to establish a plan for renewable recycling in Illinois advanced out of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee on Thursday.

“When talking about renewable energy, we sometimes overlook that while the energy itself may be renewable, too often the technology used to harness it isn’t,” Koehler said. “Expanding opportunities to recycle and reuse the raw materials used to build solar panels won’t just save taxpayer dollars, it will help protect our environment and keep sustainable energy truly sustainable.”

Senate Bill 3790 creates a Renewable Energy Component Recycling Task Force, which is responsible for investigating options for recycling and other end of life methods for renewable generation components and energy storage devices. The Task Force must report its findings to the General Assembly by March 1, 2023.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) is spearheading two measures to give high school students more options for careers following graduation. Both measures passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday.

“Students have big life decisions to make after high school, whether they choose to further their education or enter a career field,” Pacione-Zayas said. “It’s important that they know what opportunities are available to them as early as possible to give them a plan of action before the school year ends.”

Senate Bill 3990 will require school counseling services to include Career and Technical Education to help students determine any secondary education plans following high school. Counseling students on CTE will better allow some students to find educational and career opportunities that better fit their goals and skills. This is more important than ever as provisions regarding workforce development of the Clean and Equitable Jobs Act begin to go into effect and the state begins to move toward a clean energy economy.

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).

“The state needs to 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.

SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois heads toward a greener future, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is advancing a measure to incentivize the use of electric motorcycles, which have a smaller carbon footprint than traditional ones.

“From the landmark climate legislation we passed last year, to a recent law incentivizing electric vehicle companies to take up shop here, Illinois has done a lot to ensure a clean energy future,” Cullerton said. “We want to make sure no one is left out of the transition to electric vehicles.”

The landmark Clean and Equitable Jobs Act included a provision to offer people who purchase electric cars in Illinois a rebate to help incentivize the transition to cleaner cars. Cullerton’s measure, Senate Bill 2940, would extend a rebate to those who purchase electric motorcycles.   

SPRINGFIELD – A measure by State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) to allow Illinoisans to operate motor vehicles if in possession of a digitized mobile driver’s license, or “mDL,” was heard in the Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

“Easier identification for residents is beneficial to the motorist, police officers, and for the public,” Connor said. “Our Secretary of State here in Illinois is working with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators to prepare for this, as are other states and tech giants such as Apple and Google. “

Senate Bill 3096 as filed would allow Illinoisans to utilize driver’s licenses in digital form to operate motor vehicles and in connection with traffic stops or checkpoints.

SPRINGFIELD – A 2019 Dove study found that African American women face the highest rates of hair discrimination and are more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) introduced legislation to end that practice in Illinois.

“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.

The Dove study also uncovered that 80% of African American women felt they needed to switch their hairstyle to align with more conservative standards in order to fit in at work.