DES PLAINES – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is encouraging incoming college students to take advantage of a new one-stop shop to apply for Illinois colleges and universities.

“Applying to multiple colleges can take hours of entering the same information into numerous websites and end up costing hundreds of dollars,” Murphy said. “With Common App, applying to college just got easier.”

Incoming students applying to college will now be able to submit applications to any of Illinois’ 12 public universities and dozens of private institutions using just one form on commonapp.org. Once a student makes a Common App account, they will be asked to confirm which schools they’d like to apply to and review the admission requirements for those schools. They’ll then submit their application on the website, where they’ll be able to track its status.

Low-income students and their families can apply for a waiver to help cover the application cost. Over the last two years, more than 470,000 students using Common App across the country were granted a fee waiver.

“Common App will make the process of applying to college less tedious and stressful,” Murphy said. “It breaks down barriers to higher education for low-income students, giving them a better chance at success.”

The expansion of Common App comes thanks to $1 million set aside in partnership with the governor’s office, Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois General Assembly.

PLAINFIELD – To increase college accessibility and affordability, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is excited to announce that college-bound students can apply to all Illinois public universities through Common App.

The governor’s office and Illinois Board of Higher Education worked with the Illinois General Assembly to utilize $1 million in funding to add all public schools and a dozen private universities to the Common App system.

“Streamlining the college application process will help us keep Illinois’ best and brightest in state,” Loughran Cappel said. “Expanding opportunities for our students will help encourage them to choose Illinois’ higher education facilities as the next step in their academic journey.”

EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) encourages people to help lift up veterans across the state by asking service organizations, volunteers, and others to write friendly letters to veterans’ home residents ahead of Veterans Day.

“The district I represent is home to a large population of veterans, each of them being valued members of the community,” Belt said. “Some have lost their lives, and some continue to endure the impacts of their service, and we must honor, recognize, and show appreciation to all of them.”

PLAINFIELD –  State Senator Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is urging area residents, organizations and students to work together to write letters to veterans’ homes residents ahead of Veterans Day this year.

“Our heroes and their loved ones have sacrificed so much to protect our democratic values and freedoms,” Loughran Cappel said. “I urge folks to take a few minutes out of their day to drop a quick note in the mail to show appreciation to our veterans.”

MARYVILLE – With Veterans Day approaching, State Senator Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) is asking residents to write friendly, encouraging letters in an effort to thank our heroes in veterans’ homes across the state.

“Veterans Day is a time to pay our respects and stand united for all who have served,” Crowe said. “Writing letters to our state’s heroes is a simple way to honor, recognize, and show appreciation to them.”

Senators in the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus support Governor JB Pritzker’s declaration of gun violence as a public health crisis and announcement of a $250 million investment over a three year period to implement the Reimagine Public Safety Plan, a data driven and community-based violence prevention initiative.

“This is a bipartisan investment in our communities to stem the surge in violence,” said Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “I’m proud of the work my colleagues did to put this vital initiative together so that we can make a difference.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) held a press conference Tuesday morning to celebrate the passage of a measure to extend the Enos Park Tax Increment Financing District for another 12 years.

“The Enos Park TIF has been instrumental in revitalizing a Springfield neighborhood and has been a great tool in the expansion of the Mid-Illinois Medical District,” Turner said “Neighborhoods that were once an eyesore and full of blight and despair are now home to young families and home rehabilitation success stories.”

Stadelman: Illinois must invest in electric vehicle industry

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) led his colleagues in passing the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, a historic measure to preserve and create jobs in Illinois and incentivize electric vehicle manufacturers to create more jobs in the state.

“This is a massive field that has so much room to grow, and we want to encourage these companies to set up shop in Illinois,” Stadelman said. “Many regions will see this as an economic opportunity that could bring jobs to residents and make a lasting impact on their community.”

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Belt measure to give school personnel paid sick days for COVID-19 passes

SPRINGFIELD – School district, community college and public university employees who are required to isolate or quarantine due to contracting or being exposed to COVID-19 may be given as many administrative leave days as necessary thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) that passed the Senate last week.

“Teachers have faced so many challenges since the pandemic began,” Belt said. “From remote learning to hybrid learning, teachers continue to make sacrifices for their students. They shouldn’t have to worry about using their personal time when they need to take time off due to COVID-19.”

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Villivalam recognizes Diwali as official holiday in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed a resolution in the Illinois Senate that declares Nov. 4, 2021 as Diwali Day in Illinois.

“I am honored to celebrate Diwali as an official holiday this year,” Villivalam said. “Our communities that observe Diwali are grateful to live in a welcoming state that values the religious and cultural diversity of its residents.”

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Senate approves Peters' expansion of Reimagining Public Safety Act

SPRINGFIELD – More communities would be able to address the problem of gun violence under State Senator Robert Peters’ (D-Chicago) measure to expand the number of communities that are eligible for gun violence prevention grant money and to make it easier to receive technical and training services under the Reimagine Public Safety Act.

“We should address the problem of gun violence in Illinois by supporting affected communities directly, not punish them,” Peters said. “True public safety belongs to the people, and it demands that we address the underlying causes of violence at the grassroots level.”

Read more.

We are hiring

The communications department of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus is hiring. We are looking for motivated communications professionals to assist in developing and implementing strong public relations strategies on behalf of the office through the communications specialist position. To apply, click here.

The communications department is also seeking an experienced editor with excellent public policy research skills and an ability to get up to speed quickly on new topics. To apply, click here.

Further, we are searching for a district outreach specialist to assist in developing and implementing strong public relations strategies in member’s districts to help assist with constituent outreach. To apply, click here.

Lastly, we are looking for a Chicago-based administrative assistant to take on constituent casework, writing and research projects, and outreach efforts, as well as office administration. To apply, click here.

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