SPRINGFIELD – At a meeting of the Illinois Senate Black Caucus earlier this week, State Senator Willie Preston was elected by his colleagues as the new caucus chair.

"I am deeply humbled and grateful to my colleagues for entrusting me with the honor of serving as Senate Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “This is an extraordinary responsibility, and I do not take it lightly. Together, we stand on the shoulders of the trailblazers who came before us, and it is our duty to continue fighting for the progress Black communities deserve.”

The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus advocates on behalf of the Black community, ensures inclusion and diversity within legislation, and works diligently to improve the health and social outcomes for Black Illinoisans.

“As chair, my focus will be ensuring that every Black family in Illinois has the tools they need to thrive,” said Preston. “We must continue the work of building a strong and inclusive middle class where families have access to good-paying jobs that provide dignity and stability.”

SPRINGFIELD — To support the preservation of Promontory Point, a historic landmark in Burnham Park, State Senator Robert Peters passed a resolution which aims to restore and protect the Point’s historic limestone retaining wall while ensuring public access and ecological sustainability.

“Promontory Point is a valued piece of Chicago’s history and an important public space for residents and visitors alike,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “This resolution reflects our commitment to preserving its character while addressing shoreline erosion in a way that respects the community’s voice.”

Promontory Point is a 40-acre, man-made peninsula located at the south end of Burnham Park. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018 and designated a Chicago landmark in 2023, the Point has long been at the center of preservation conversations. A 2002 proposal from the city of Chicago and the Chicago Park District sought to replace its historic limestone components with concrete and stone, sparking community opposition.

SPRINGFIELD — A landmark plan spearheaded by State Senator Cristina Castro and State Representative Theresa Mah to begin phasing out the federal subminimum wage for Illinoisans with disabilities is one step closer to becoming law.

“I’ve heard from friends, family and constituents about the pain they have to live with knowing their son or daughter is doing manual labor in a shop for eight hours a day only to come home with pennies on the dollar in their paycheck,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This legislation is personal to me and a critical step in upholding the rights and dignity of all workers in our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois workers now have the ability to see if they are owed unpaid wages through the I-CASH website, thanks to advocacy from State Senator Robert Peters and Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

“Let’s be clear: Wage theft is theft. It’s in fact the leading form of theft,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “People deserve as much time as possible to recover their unpaid wages.”

The Illinois Department of Labor recovers back wages when it finds an employer has underpaid workers in violation of state law. Unfortunately for workers, wage theft investigations can take significant amounts of time. Illinois workers can now search the I-CASH website to see if unpaid wages and penalties pursued and collected by the Illinois Department of Labor are waiting for them to claim.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Lakesia Collins is leading a measure to protect children and help survivors of sexual abuse seek justice.

“Sexual abuse is always traumatic for children – full stop. But with this legislation, we can give them stronger support if they choose to bring an action in court,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “No one should have to sit in a court room and defend themselves after being victimized as a child.”

Under the initiative, House Bill 222, the use of contributory fault as a tactic to reduce damages in childhood sexual abuse cases would be prohibited. Further, the measure would treat all childhood sexual abuse or contact as inherently harmful in a court of law, which would eliminate the need for the survivor to present further evidence of trauma.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Paul Faraci is continuing his efforts to improve access to mental health care for veterans and first responders through legislation aimed at strengthening recent reforms.

“First responders and veterans deserve unrestricted access to the care they need to protect their mental health,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “This measure ensures there’s no uncertainty about who is covered under this law and reinforces our commitment to improving mental health access in Illinois.”

Earlier this year, Faraci sponsored Senate Bill 2737 to ensure first responders and veterans can seek mental health care from providers of their choice by limiting the impact of non-compete clauses in employment contracts. The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, was prompted by concerns from a mental health provider who was sued for providing health care services to a firefighter under a non-compete clause.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure patients suffering from chronic pain receive recommended treatment, State Senator Laura Fine passed legislation to authorize physicians to prescribe controlled substances according to updated federal guidelines.

“To combat the opioid epidemic, in 2016 states instituted policies that severely restricted the prescribing of certain opioids," said Fine (D-Glenview). “As a result, chronic pain patients with a legitimate need for these medications were at risk of self-medicating and putting their mental and physical health in jeopardy.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Simmons is sponsoring legislation to strengthen workforce recruitment and retention for educators and childcare providers in Illinois.

“We need a plan for Illinois families and childcare providers to be able to find the best employees possible,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “By getting feedback from all parties, we can create a comprehensive plan that sets children, families and providers up for success.”

Under the legislation, the existing State Comprehensive Day Care Plan survey of day care facilities would include feedback from groups and individuals with relevant expertise and lived experiences with the goal of promoting workforce recruitment and retention for educators and childcare providers.