CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) championed a newly-signed law that will ensure the provisions in the Equal Pay Act are fully implemented.

“On average, white women make 82 cents for every dollar men make, and women of color make even less than that. This has always been unacceptable – and continues to be,” Hunter said. “In order to create true equity across state structures, we must guarantee that everyone is paid the same rates for the same work.”

During January session, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 1480, part of the Black Caucus’ Economic Access, Equity and Opportunity Pillar. This bill created an Equal Pay Registration Certificate requirement for businesses with more than 100 employees in Illinois.

The Equal Pay Act was signed into law by the governor in March. 

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Student Assistance Commission will always include a student member under a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that was signed into law Friday.

“The Student Assistance Commission can’t truly perform its mission without the student perspective,” Ellman said. “This law ensures there is always student representation on the Commission.”

ISAC’s mission is to provide Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable. The new law allows the student member of the commission to retain their seat beyond the expiration of their term until a new and qualified student member is appointed.

SPRINGFIELD – School districts can move forward from the pandemic without worrying about funding cuts due to temporary low enrollment under a new law sponsored by State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove).

“Our schools did an exceptional job helping our students learn through the COVID-19 pandemic,” Johnson said. “Now, as they prepare for a full return to the classroom, it’s critical they have all the resources they need to recover.”

Currently, the school funding formula uses average student enrollment over the previous three school years to determine the amount of money districts receive. To lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools’ budgets, Johnson’s law allows school districts to calculate their average student enrollment based on pre-COVID levels.

SPRINGFIELD – As the state begins to recover from the pandemic, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D- Western Springs) urges Gov. JB Pritzker to sign legislation to help small businesses bounce back from the stresses of the last year.

“Our small businesses need our help easing the financial burdens the last year has put on them,” said Glowiak Hilton, who sponsored the bill in the Senate. “Local governments should be able to make the decision to waive certain fees to allow these businesses to get back to a place of economic security.”

If signed, House Bill 2454 would create an option for local counties and municipalities to waive licensing, permitting, or registration fees for local businesses and services for businesses who demonstrate financial need due to the pandemic.

ELGIN – State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) released the following statement on the sentencing of Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murdering George Floyd:

“I hope today’s sentencing brings a sense of peace to George Floyd’s family. While nothing will ever fix the loss of a loved one, I hope that knowing that the perpetrator is behind bars will bring some comfort to those who knew him.

“As we begin to move forward, I stand with many in calling for reform at the national level to ensure that tragedies like this are prevented.”

BUFFALO GROVE – State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) released the following statement in response to the sentencing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

"As we work toward restoring the soul of our nation, we must reconcile the two justice systems in this country: The system that exists for white Americans, and the system that exists for people of color.

"Derek Chauvin's sentencing represents a critical moment in the centuries-long quest toward equality – it shows that everyone, no matter who they are, must be held accountable for their actions.

"May George Floyd's family, friends and community find peace and healing in today's decision."

East St. Louis – State Senators Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) and Rachelle Aud Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) are urging local fire departments impacted by the pandemic to apply for relief grants.

“The brave men and women on the first line of defense risk their lives every day and continued to do so during the pandemic,” Belt said. “I’m pleased to see funds being spent on our firefighters who protect our communities.”

A total of $1 million will be available to assist approximately 80 impacted fire departments that operate in diverse communities throughout the state. Under this one-time grant opportunity, eligible Illinois fire departments could receive up to $15,000 in order to make up for lost donation revenues stemming from their inability to host local fundraising events during 2020. These fundraising events pay for necessities like fuel for fire trucks, utilities and insurance.

PARK FOREST – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is reminding people to look out for text and email scams asking for personal information from someone claiming to be from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“We have seen an increase in scams throughout the pandemic, and most recently scammers are posing as representatives of IDOT seeking people’s personal information,” Joyce said. “If you’ve received a suspicious text message or email asking for personal information, don’t respond – delete it.”

While the messages might look official, IDOT will not request personal information, such as Social Security numbers or bank information, via text or email.