CHICAGO – The board of Chicago Public Schools will be fully elected thanks to a new law spearheaded by State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago).

“With today’s historic new law, our great city is now on track to be at the forefront of community-led education,” Martwick said. “Parents have always deserved a say in how their kids’ schools are run, and now, they’ll have it. An elected school board opens up a world of possibilities, and because of it, the future of Chicago’s youth is bright.”

House Bill 2908 creates a fully elected school board for Chicago Public Schools that will be in effect after Nov. 2026. In Nov. 2024, a two-year hybrid period begins, with 10 members being elected to four-year terms, 10 members being appointed by the mayor to two-year terms, and the board president being appointed by the mayor for a four-year term.

Creates Historic Statewide Affordable Housing Law

CHICAGO – More Illinois residents will have affordable housing options thanks to a measure championed by a team of State Senators Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) that was signed into law Thursday.

“One of Illinois’ biggest challenges has always been affordable housing, which was amplified during the pandemic,” Feigenholtz said. “Housing was our top priority this legislative session. Finding a way to provide incentives to local mom-and-pop landlords and new developments to keep rent affordable for future and existing tenants was the goal of this legislation.”

VILLA PARK – As chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is calling on the U.S. Congress to repay debt owed to the National Guard for their service providing security to the U.S. Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 riots.

“The riots at our nations’ capital were a scary time for many,” Cullerton said. “Hundreds of men and women from Illinois were sent with the National Guard to assist in the aftermath of those riots, putting their safety on the line to protect the Capitol. It is only fair for them to be fully compensated for their duties.”

CHICAGO – This week, State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) spoke at an event for the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights to urge the U.S. Congress to advance a broad pathway to citizenship in the upcoming federal budget reconciliation.

“Illinois is a leader when it comes to protecting and supporting immigrants,” said Castro, co-chair of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus. “It is time for Congress to follow suit by passing a budget package that will allow immigrants in Illinois and across the country a true path to citizenship.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure led by State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) that would expand access to utility bill assistance programs was signed into law Thursday.

“Adequately cooling a home during these unforgiving summer months can be incredibly burdensome for low-income families,” Hastings said. “Parts of our country have already experienced a historic heat wave this summer. Preparing for extreme weather and giving people the ability to stay safe in their homes has never been more important.”

SPRINGFIELD – As the COVID-19 pandemic further accentuated the need for affordable housing in Illinois, State Senators Mattie Hunter, Ann Gillespie and Sara Feigenholtz knew they had to do something to help residents who too long have suffered from burdensome housing mandates. 

The trio of Democratic lawmakers worked together to champion a newly signed law to create incentives in the housing market for affordable housing units, enforce the mandatory affordable housing plan for cities with at least 1,000 residents and change how the Cook County assessor’s office calculates the tax liability for affordable housing complexes.

“I’ve advocated for equitable housing for a long time, and this year, affordable housing is more necessary than ever before,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “People are still recovering from the financial struggles brought on by the pandemic, not to mention the eviction moratorium coming to a halt. I hope that affordable and equitable options prevail long after this pandemic is gone.”

CHICAGO – The Senate Transportation Committee will host a subject matter hearing this Thursday on State Senator Ram Villivalam’s (D-Chicago) proposal to modernize how the state delivers transportation and infrastructure projects.

“We will have a robust conversation on the potential for our state to complete transportation and infrastructure projects in a more efficient way through allowing the Illinois Department of Transportation to have design-build as a tool in their toolbox,” Villivalam said. “Making our roads, bridges and mass transit more accessible for our residents and our businesses in an open and transparent way is my top priority as Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.”

CHICAGO – A wide-ranging new plan to bolster the early childhood education workforce in Illinois by creating a new Early Childhood Education Consortium was signed into law Wednesday, the result of legislation championed by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago).

“To truly provide Illinois children with the best possible education, we know that we need to invest in early childhood education, and that means investing in the educators who work so hard to help them learn and grow,” Pacione-Zayas said. “This is a step toward properly valuing those who do this incredibly important work, and it’s the beginning of a new chapter in our approach to raising our kids.”