SPRINGFIELD – Older residents will have more convenient access to information on important state programs and resources under a law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“To ensure essential information reaches all our older neighbors, we need to distribute news in a range of forms,” Johnson said. “This law will allow aging Illinoisans to keep resources close at hand—including those who may not have a computer or smartphone, or who simply aren’t comfortable navigating the internet.”

CHICAGO. – State Senator Omar Aquino’s (D-Chicago) legislation that protects higher education students from debt relief scams was signed into law today. The law prevents scams from hurting student borrowers who are already struggling to make their student loans payments.

“Unregistered student loan debt relief providers target these students, charging them excessive fees for services that can be accessed for free throughout the U.S. Dept. of Education. We must protect borrowers from these scams,” Aquino said.

CHICAGO – This weekend, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) hosted her 17^th annual family health and fitness fair, which featured health screenings, giveaways, and live entertainment, among many other activities.

“I am glad that we had such a good turnout, and that attendees and vendors followed COVID-19 safety protocols,” Hunter said. “We had a good time while staying safe and healthy.”

In 2003, Hunter hosted her first health fair. After several successful years, she partnered with the Illinois Institute of Technology, and they’ve teamed up to offer free services like health screenings, school supplies, and food for more than a decade. This year, Hunter and IIT added COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, as well as back-to-school haircuts and braiding, to the list of important services offered to area residents.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – To provide residents with a secure option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) is hosting an event in Elmhurst offering free, safe discarding services.

Shredding trucks will be available at York Commons, located at 665 S. York Rd., from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or until the trucks are full on Saturday, Aug. 21. A limit of two boxes of documents per car will be encouraged.

“Securely discarding vulnerable documents is a strong effort to protect yourself and your family from identity fraud,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Many of us have piles of old, unnecessary documents cluttering our homes, and I encourage families to take advantage of this free community event to safely dispose unwanted papers containing personal information.”

Examples of documents with personally identifiable information that should be safely discarded include bank statements, outdated medical records, tax returns, utility bills, junk mail, credit card applications and receipts.

For more information, call Glowiak Hilton’s office at 630-785-3177.

SPRINGFIELD – Major Illinois airports will directly receive and spend federal funding thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that was signed into law Friday.

The new law allows Illinois airports that have 10,000 or more patrons per year to directly receive and spend federal funding. Under the current law, federal funding goes to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s aeronautics division to distribute to airports across the state, with the exception of O’Hare and Midway International Airports in Chicago.

WILL COUNTY, Ill. – State Senator John Connor (D-Lockport) announced that nearly $47,000 will be distributed in Will County for historic preservation projects through the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund.

“Our community has a rich history that we should preserve for generations to come,” Connor said. “As we continue to identify and protect our historical properties and the educational opportunities they offer, I hope residents will learn more about the past.”

The Historic Preservation Fund will distribute more than $131,400 in funding to local governments throughout Illinois for nine historic preservation projects.

In the 43^rd District, the city of Joliet was awarded $17,520 to update the architectural and historical information for all 130 of Joliet’s designated local historical properties. Will County was awarded $29,200 for a comprehensive update to the county’s Historic Preservation Plan, which was originally completed in 1976.

The program is open to all 83 certified local governments throughout Illinois, and another round of grants is anticipated in the fall of 2021. For information on the grants and how to apply, visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website.

Last weekend, multiple Chicago-area senators helped their communities prepare for the end of summer with various events providing their residents with resources and services.

State Senators Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Laura Fine (D-Glenview) hosted a Shred Day event in Skokie on Saturday. The event allowed residents to shred personal documents like old medical records, tax documents, receipts and more to prevent potential identity theft and fraud.

“I was happy to partner with my colleagues in state and local governments to bring shredding services to our community,” Villivalam said. “Safely disposing of sensitive documents is essential to protecting our neighbors from scammers and identity thieves.”

The event was a success, with many residents coming out to shred documents and help protect their identities.

"Many residents in our communities were looking for a safe and secure way to shred and dispose of documents they no longer needed," said Fine. "It was wonderful to partner with Senator Villivalam, a couple of my colleagues in the House of Representatives, and local leaders to provide access to this service."

Villa, Belt champion laws to strengthen access to feminine hygiene products

SPRINGFIELD — State Senators Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) and Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) sponsored laws signed last week to ensure no woman has to go without necessary feminine hygiene products

House Bill 641, championed by Villa, requires public colleges and universities to make menstrual hygiene products available to students at no cost in campus bathrooms.

“Every student on campus deserves equal access to a proper education, but that access can be severely limited if a student is stuck at home because they can’t afford menstrual hygiene products,” Villa said. “We need to treat period poverty like the public health crisis it is and fight for change across our state to increase access to necessary menstrual hygiene products.”

House Bill 155 requires the Department of Human Services to apply for a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service permitting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children benefit recipients to use their benefits to purchase diapers and menstrual hygiene products.

Belt led House Bill 310 through the Senate, which prioritizes providing feminine hygiene products at no cost at all homeless shelters to people who need them.

“I cannot personally imagine the indignity of having to use some other item as a makeshift sanitary product, but I believe people who have already been deprived of so much should not have to suffer that, too,” Belt said. “These are essential products for health, safety, and cleanliness, and we need to treat them as such when we supply our homeless shelters.”

Aquino, Villanueva laws to help and protect immigrants signed

SPRINGFIELD — State Senators Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) and Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) and sponsored laws signed last week to protect immigrants and refugees.

Senate Bill 667, championed by Aquino, creates the Illinois Way Forward Act, which prohibits law enforcement from cooperating with immigration authorities.

“We are providing certainty for immigrant communities across Illinois,” Aquino said. “This law ends the practice of hosting immigration centers in our state, because their very existence opposes who we are: one of the most welcoming states for immigrants in the nation. Also, immigrant families will no longer live in fear of being questioned about their immigration status by local law enforcement officers.”

Villanueva sponsored Senate Bill 2665, which reinstates the Immigrant Impact Task Force to protect the well-being of immigrant communities.

“This task force will help determine where improvements can be made in how the state invests in immigrant communities,” Villanueva said. “We must address systemic disinvestment in our communities across the state and continue building a recovery that works for all Illinoisans, regardless of status.”

Call4Calm here to stay

SPRINGFIELD — The state’s Call4Calm text line to support Illinois residents' mental health needs is now permanent thanks to an initiative led by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago).

“Due to the pandemic, mental health outcomes are more concerning than ever, and this text line is an essential outlet,” Van Pelt said. “Call4Calm can still benefit those who struggle with their mental health even after this pandemic is over, and must remain a mental health resource.”

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