SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) that would help cities and counties address blighted properties passed the State Senate on Friday.

“Blighted properties don’t just affect the lots next door. They can bring down the property value of an entire block,” Stadelman said. “Giving our local governments the ability to combat this issue is how we begin to revitalize our neighborhoods.”

• The measure would reduce abandoned and neglected homes by helping municipalities intervene earlier through the court system to save these properties.
• It allows municipalities and counties to partner with land banks to maintain and manage vacant buildings so they can be saved.
• The measure would help people stay in their homes by reducing the cap on interest rates on unpaid property taxes.

“Sen. Stadelman recognizes the impact that blighted properties have in Rockford, and I appreciate all of his work in Springfield to help mitigate this issue,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “Blighted properties decrease home values, drive away investment, and are havens for criminal activity. This bill makes it easier for municipalities to intercept dilapidated properties before they are beyond repair so that they can be rehabilitated and placed back on the tax rolls. My administration has taken aggressive action to strengthen our neighborhoods, and this bill we be a tremendous tool that can help the city in this work.”

“In most cases, local governments are responsible for maintaining or demolishing these deteriorating properties,” Stadelman said. “This measure provides solutions that will help our local governments better address these issues and begin restoring our communities.”

Senate Bill 1721 passed the Illinois Senate with a vote of 50-4 and now heads to the Illinois House of Representatives for further consideration.

WHO: State Senator Ram Villivalam, State Rep. John D’Amico, State Rep. Margaret Croke, Alderman Samantha Nugent, Commissioner Bridget Degnen, Compassionate Care Network, Jewel-Osco, Salvation Army

WHAT: COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

WHERE: Salvation Army Mayfair Community Church, 5200 N. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60630

WHEN: Thursday, April 29 at 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CHICAGO – This Thursday at 8 a.m. local leaders and organizations will host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Salvation Army Mayfair Community Church, providing 1,200 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to members of the community.

Open to all over the age of 16, regardless of residency, insurance or immigration status, this community-driven event invites those who have experienced difficulty finding vaccination appointments, particularly due to disparities in health care. Appointments will take place every 15 minutes and photo ID is required. Registration is available online, by phone at 872-208-5188 and by text at 224-592-5819.

“We need to reach out to underserved communities so they can get the help they deserve. The pandemic may have separated us, but the vaccine is bringing us together,” said Abrar Quader, Executive Director for the Compassionate Care Network (CCN), a public health non-profit which has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout since early February.

“For the health and safety of our communities, it is critical that all those eligible are able to access a vaccine. This event is centered on those who have had the most difficulty doing so,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam.

Alderman Samantha Nugent also encouraged her community to register for the clinic.

“Vaccine accessibility gets us one step closer to eliminating COVID-19 and resuming normalcy,” she said.

“The Salvation Army is excited to partner in this effort to ensure our most vulnerable neighbors can access the vaccine at a location they know and trust," said Lt. Col. Lonneal Richardson, Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army Metropolitan Division. "We have been here before and during the pandemic, and we will be here long after to help.”

SPRINGFIELD – To protect Illinois drivers’ personal information and travel records from falling into the wrong hands, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) advanced legislation out of the Senate Friday to limit the instances in which this data can be shared.

“You have the right to keep your personal information private—that includes your travel history,” Murphy said. “This legislation would tighten up current laws to ensure your comings and goings aren’t shared without valid cause.”

In 2019, reports revealed that the Illinois Tollway Authority was openly sharing drivers’ travel data with local police departments and divorce attorneys. The data showed individuals’ movements on state tollways, in addition to personal contact information, license plate numbers and more.

Under Murphy’s bill, private data derived from toll collections could only be released for toll collection purposes and pursuant to law enforcement investigations. Except in cases of emergency, police departments would be required to have a warrant or subpoena in order to obtain a driver’s information from the Tollway.

Any personally identifiable information connected to travel data would have to be deleted from Illinois Tollway Authority records within five years.

“Releasing travel records to third parties isn’t just a violation of privacy—it can put individuals like domestic violence survivors in danger,” Murphy said. “It is critical that the Illinois Tollway treats this sensitive information with the care it deserves.”

Senate Bill 2235 passed the Senate and now heads to the House.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) passed two measures out of the Illinois Senate that would help protect and promote people’s right to grow and produce their own food.

Senate Bill 170 specifies that cities and municipalities cannot prohibit residents from growing vegetable gardens solely on the basis that they are vegetable gardens.

“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are looking to become more self-sufficient and exploring new hobbies,” Koehler said. “This legislation would protect the rights of people who want to grow their own food to feed themselves and their families.”

Towns, cities, and villages would still be able to regulate gardens and garden structures based on zoning and building code ordinances. However, they simply cannot single out vegetable gardens and related structures when passing regulations.

The other piece of legislation, Senate Bill 2007, permits cottage food operations to sell their products at farmers’ markets, fairs, festivals or public events, and additionally allows online sales. A cottage food operation is a vendor that prepares products in a home kitchen rather than a commercial kitchen. The legislation would require vendors to submit recipes or food safety plans to local public health departments to be allowed to sell their products.

“Especially in light of the financial hardships many families have faced because of the pandemic, we should be doing everything we can to help create more income opportunities,” Koehler said. “This legislation has the potential to benefit many families in the area and around the state.”

The proposal builds on the original cottage foods law passed by Koehler in 2012.

Both measures now go to the House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – To help protect local wastewater facilities, State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) spearheaded a measure updating standards for nonwoven disposable wipes that can damage sewer systems when improperly disposed through being flushed down toilets.

“Every year, blockages in sewer systems caused by the flushing of things like nonwoven disposable wipes causes more than $500 million in damages nationwide,” Castro said. “Something as simple as a label on packaging can clear up confusion among consumers and protect our wastewater systems.”

Over the last 20 years, the market for nonwoven disposable wipes has grown, with a corresponding increase in improper disposal by flushing the products. These kinds of wipes can be used for personal care or for wiping down surfaces, like baby wipes or disinfectant wipes. Wipes combined with other substances like fats, oils or grease can lead to major blockages resulting in damage to sewer systems. The wipes also cause damage to home plumbing and septic systems.

Senate Bill 294 would require manufacturers of disposable wipes to clearly label products as “do not flush” and gives wastewater districts the ability enforce the act through fines for violations. There is currently no regulatory standard for labeling products like these, which can lead to consumer confusion about which kinds of wipes can be flushed.

“Our communities rely so much on healthy wastewater systems,” Castro said. “By properly disposing of non-flushable wipes, we can prevent blockages and ensure they work the way they need to.”

The measure passed the Senate and now heads to the House for further consideration. 

SPRINGFIELD – Senator Bill Cunningham passed legislation out of the Illinois Senate requiring insurance companies to fully cover the cost of replacing a vehicle that is totaled in an accident.

Under current Illinois law, insurance companies do not have to pay certain taxes and fees for purchase of a replacement vehicle, saddling accident victims with hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in unanticipated costs — even when they were not at fault in the auto accident.

“This is the first step to bringing these crimes to light.”

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate acted to fight human trafficking Friday, passing two pieces of legislation by State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) to study the problem and require more businesses that come into contact with traffickers to be more vigilant.

“Human trafficking is a crime against humanity that overwhelmingly affects people of color and women: 40% of human trafficking victims are Black,” Collins said. “We must acknowledge the hard truth that globally, the United States is one of the worst countries for human trafficking and that as a centrally located state that serves as a national transportation hub, it is happening here in Illinois.”

According to a 2014 study by the Urban Institute, human traffickers target Black women due to the belief getting caught will result in less jail time than if they traffic in white women. Black women constitute an estimated 40% of human trafficking victims despite only making up about 13% of the population. There are as many as 24,000 human trafficking victims in the Chicago area on any given day due to its status as a major city at the confluence of multiple interstates.

Initiative expands financial options to support apprenticeships, K-12 tuition

SPRINGFIELD – To bring Illinois on par with neighboring states, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) has advanced a bipartisan initiative to allow families to use funds from qualified tuition plans to cover the cost of K-12 tuition and apprenticeship supplies.

“Many of our bordering states like Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin consider K-12 tuition and apprenticeship costs eligible expenses under qualified tuition plans,” Crowe said. “This initiative builds on Illinois’ commitment to ensure our students have access to the best opportunities by helping families afford K-12 education and job training.”

Qualified tuition plans, also known as 529’s, are tax-advantaged savings plans sponsored by states, agencies or institutions to encourage families to save for future education costs.

These plans allow residents to open an investment account to save for future qualified higher education expenses, like tuition, mandatory fees, or room and board.