Legislation is part of Collins’ push against trafficking

SPRINGFIELD – Information about human trafficking would also be displayed in public restrooms of establishments like truck stops, hotels and restaurants as part of the latest legislation fighting human trafficking sponsored by State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago).

“This may seem like a minor action, but we must remember two very important things: Human trafficking is here in Illinois, and it thrives on invisibility,” said Collins. “Today, we have taken a small step toward raising awareness about this crime against humanity.”

Collins is the Senate sponsor of House Bill 588, which would require high-traffic businesses to display signs in their restrooms created by the Illinois Department of Human Services that list the phone number for the 24/7 National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Senate approved a measure sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) that would increase transparency around misconduct and discipline at Chicago Public schools.

“Parents lose the ability to properly take care of their children if they don’t know about important events like fights at school,” Peters said. “Parents have the right to know what’s going on at their kids’ schools so that they can help their kids get the proper treatment and care to deal with traumatic events.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that would ensure that special education students in Illinois are able to complete their schooling passed out of the Senate on Wednesday.

“Students all across Illinois have faced significant challenges over the last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Koehler said. “It is no different for special education students, except that an interrupted school year may mean that they are unable to finish their education under current regulations.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) pledged to continue work on his initiative to demand that excessive profits received by Managed Care Organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic be returned to the state.

“As we begin to move into a post-COVID-19 world, we’re seeing that managed care organizations brought in record-breaking profits while many communities across the state struggled to receive basic care and necessary resources during the pandemic,” Koehler said. “If we are able to reallocate excess profits from these companies, we can help hospitals stay open and keep providing lifesaving care in our low-income and rural communities.”

The legislation was filed in response to decreased health care service use during the period where elective surgeries and procedures were postponed. Decreased use resulted in MCOs paying fewer claims and therefore retaining unprecedented amounts of enrollment-based profit, the scope of which was revealed via a Better Government Association investigation. Those wishing to read more about the results of the investigation can visit the BGA’s website.

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SPRINGFIELD – To protect the wellbeing of public school employees, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would offer the same terms and conditions as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.

“Illinois should expand access to family and medical leave for working families,” Villivalam said. “Our educators and school staff work on the frontlines every day to provide a quality education for our youth and deserve their leave with no strings attached.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) announced Wednesday a $250,000 construction project to improve and update a stretch of Kimball Avenue as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s multi-year construction plan.

“This project will bring some much-needed improvements to this part of the city, including accessibility updates,” Pacione-Zayas said. “It’s always good to see IDOT make infrastructure improvements that make our roadways a little more accessible and generate good jobs at the same time.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin)  spearheaded a measure to create a program that will help people with serious mental illness or substance use disorders by enabling access to affordable housing and support services.

“The Housing is Recovery Pilot Program will help break the cycle of institutionalization for those struggling with mental health issues and addiction,” Castro said. “We need to ensure those most vulnerable have a roof over their head and the services they need.”

Often, people with a serious mental illness or substance use disorder lack affordable housing, causing increased institutionalization, incarceration or risk of death from an overdose. House Bill 449 would create the Housing is Recovery Pilot Program to help prevent people with a serious mental illness or people who are at high risk of overdose due to lack of support services from being institutionalized or dying.