SPRINGFIELD – With a long history of successful animal protection legislation in the Illinois Senate, Assistant Majority Leader Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) has now presented a measure to add more safeguards in the courts for abused animals.

The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 153 on Tuesday, which would give trial courts discretion in prosecutions for cruelty to companion animals to appoint a volunteer lawyer or supervised law student to assist the court as a special advocate.

“Abuse cases can result in dismissed charges or reduced sentences for animal owners accused of cruelty, often due to prosecutors with good intentions but not enough resources for research and information to make a strong case,” Holmes said. “These advocates can assist the courts in working toward consistent reinforcement of Illinois’ mandate to properly protect companion animals.”

CENTREVILLE – Each year, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources selects schools across the state to receive grants for field trips. This year, Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) is congratulating St. John the Baptist School in Smithton on being selected as a winner.

“I am incredibly grateful that the students at St. John the Baptist School were chosen for this opportunity,” Belt said. “This program offers students an excellent chance to expand their learning outside of the classroom.”

CHICAGO – Beethoven Elementary School was a recipient of the Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Program, and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is announcing her congratulations.

“I am proud to announce that the school I went to as a child and that I now represent as a state senator has been chosen to receive an Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant,’ Hunter said. “As schools reopen, it will be important for students to take field trips and learn about the biodiversity throughout our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – A measure spearheaded by State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) that would sufficiently honor members of the Illinois National Guard in death passed the Senate Veterans Affairs committee Tuesday.

“The presentation of a flag, whether it’s a state flag or the American flag, to the families of fallen soldiers is a crucial tradition that dates back centuries,” Hastings said. “No soldier’s life should go unrecognized, so I am pleased my colleagues on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee saw fit to extend this privilege to more of our state’s fallen National Guardsmen and women.”

SPRINGFIELD – A new measure sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) would require the Department of Children and Family Services to submit an annual report detailing certain information about Illinois’ youth-in-care.

“Issues run deep at DCFS, and this annual report will give us accurate information about how they deal with our state’s most vulnerable population,” Feigenholtz said. “Children who are already living with mental illness are being hospitalized to the point of deterioration. Their path to recovery must include being released from inpatient psychiatric care in a timely manner so they can begin to return to their families.”

Senate Bill 106 requires DCFS to submit an annual report, detailing:

• The number of youth-in-care placed in out-of-state residential facilities;
• The number of youth not under DCFS guardianship who were subjects of child welfare investigations where the youth was hospitalized in inpatient psychiatric hospitals during the department’s involvement; and
• The number of youth-in-care who remain in emergency rooms for longer than 24 hours while awaiting admission to a psychiatric hospital bed.

Further information, such as age and date, must also be included. The bill also requires that the report be published on DCFS’s website.

“Kids are deteriorating while being kept in these hospital settings for too long,” Feigenholtz said. “We need to be sure they are released to a residential facility in a timely manner. This report will provide us with crucial data, and we are committed to holding the Department accountable. These are our kids. They are not disposable.”

The bill passed the Senate Health Subcommittee on Children and Family on Monday, and awaits consideration before the full Senate.

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) argued the merits of a plan to require the Department of Children and Family Services to assist youth-in-care with the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in a virtual meeting of the Senate Health Subcommittee on Children & Family.

“One of the most stressful times for youth-in-care is their senior year in high school, because not only are they close to aging out of the system, but they also have to consider their future plans, including college and how to pay for it,” Peters said. “Providing assistance in applying for financial aid will help ease some of the burden for youth-in-care by giving them one less thing to worry about.”

Senate Bill 63 requires DCFS to ensure that every youth-in-care has completed a FAFSA by no later than Nov. 1 of the youth’s final year in high school. It also requires DCFS to assist the youth in acquiring any documents that are necessary to complete the FAFSA, including Social Security card, driver’s license number, and tax and other financial information.

The legislation, which is an initiative of the National Association of Social Workers, passed the committee unanimously. Peters sponsored a similar proposal in 2020, but it was sidelined due to changing priorities brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

DANVILLE – State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) and Robinson Chiropractic are teaming up to host a healthy food drive in an effort to replenish the stock at The Dwelling Place for homeless and at-risk individuals in Vermilion County.

“The need for food has increased dramatically due to the economic effects of COVID-19, and that demand has especially impacted places like The Dwelling Place,” Bennett said. “Your donations can make a difference for folks in need in our community.”

According to The Dwelling Place, over 16,000 Vermilion County residents live in poverty and are at risk of homelessness, and over 500 children of school age are identified as homeless. Individuals and families who seek assistance for food are often in search of healthier options.

CHICAGO – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) congratulated Josiah L. Pickard Elementary School’s second-grade class for being selected for a grant to help students go on field trips centered on biodiversity.

“This grant program gives students the opportunity to see first-hand what they are learning about in the classroom,” Munoz said. “I’m excited for the students to have the chance to visit the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs.”