MARYVILLE – State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) will host a Facebook Live with Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs on Monday, Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. to share details about programs within the Illinois Treasurer’s Office, including the popular I-Cash program. 

“The Illinois Treasurer’s Office offers a wide variety of opportunities for individuals and government bodies across our state,” Crowe said. “This event will be a great resource for residents that may have unclaimed property, have questions about college savings, or interested in learning more about our state’s investments.”

Frerichs is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately a $35 billion portfolio. Frerichs’ office protects consumers by safeguarding more than $3.5 billion in unclaimed property, encouraging savings plans for college or trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, assisting people with disabilities save without losing government benefits, and removing barriers to a secure retirement.

“Thank you to Senator Crowe for helping to spread the word about opportunities within the Treasurer’s Office,” Frerichs said. “We want Illinois residents to know that our office can help them find their unclaimed property, assist with saving for college for a loved one and provide relief to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The virtual event will be streamed live on Sen. Crowe’s Facebook page.

EAST ST. LOUIS – As wage gaps, workplace inequities, and unfair practices against people of color continues in Illinois, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) supports the decision of ensuring fair wages for Black workers after a committee hearing on Thursday.

“Income inequality and reluctant growth in the workers’ rights for low- and moderate-income Illinoisans have become defining features of our society,” Belt said. “Eliminating the wage gaps would provide much-needed income to people of color, whose wages sustain their households.”

ASSUMPTION – To improve the city’s water system, Assumption has been named a recipient of a low-interest $877,249 loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s State Revolving Fund, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) announced Thursday.

Manar, who chairs the Senate Appropriations II Committee and serves as a lead budget negotiator for the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus, advocated for this loan during last spring’s budget-making process.

“I’ve always said, ‘Small towns deserve good things too,’ and that’s why last spring I fought to fund these crucial projects in places like Assumption,” Manar said. “Regular maintenance of water systems is something that can easily be taken for granted but must not be overlooked.”

Through this loan, which is eligible for forgiveness, the City of Assumption will install a system for nitrate removal, a phosphate feed system, replace all active water meters, and replace undersized water main. If the loan is forgiven, it would not need to be paid back.

“I truly commend Senator Manar and his dedication to working with IEPA and Assumption so that we can have safe drinking water and an infrastructure in place for decades to come,” Assumption Alderman Derek Page said. “These funds made it necessary that the city won’t have to raise rates and make water bills more burdensome than they already are.”

Illinois EPA’s State Revolving Fund includes two loan programs, the Water Pollution Control Loan Program (WPCLP) which funds both sewer and stormwater projects, and the Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) for drinking water projects.

Funding for this loan is provided through the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois statewide construction plan.

DEERFIELD – As a steadfast advocate of helping underserved children, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is excited to congratulate the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center on achieving re-accreditation from the National Children’s Alliance.

The Lake County Children's Advocacy Center is a safe, child-focused environment where a child visits after police or the Department of Children and Family Services believes the child is being abused. The child tells their story to the trained interviewer, who then works with a team to help the child.

CHICAGO – As COVID-19 cases rise to levels worse than they were during the initial outbreak, State Senator Jacqueline Collins said the Illinois General Assembly’s decision to postpone legislative session is the right one, but lawmakers must not lose sight of efforts to fight systemic racism.

“We must treat this virus seriously,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “While the safe and responsible thing to do now is to postpone meeting, one of our top priorities when we do return should be legislation tackling racism in Illinois.”

Collins led a Senate committee hearing to highlight systemic racism in access to home lending during the fall, part of an ongoing effort by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus to identify measures that will put Illinois on a course for racial and economic equity. The Black Caucus has focused on reform in the areas of criminal justice and police accountability, education and workforce development, economic access, and health care and human services as its major policy goals.

Since September, the Senate has hosted subject matter hearings on these four policy pillars in an effort to provide legislators and the public with a deeper look into the Black experience in Illinois. The hearings, which are set to wrap up this week, have served as an opportunity to gather facts and recommendations to help the Black Caucus formulate a specific legislative agenda for when the General Assembly next convenes.

“When race is still the greatest predictor of whether someone gets a home loan, whether someone can cash a paycheck at a bank, whether they die by police or from the coronavirus, then we are forced to reckon with the sobering truth that our systems are racist,” Collins said. “I believe more Illinoisans than ever are grappling with this truth, and I urge them to make their voices heard to all their representatives in government as we await the next legislative session.”

The General Assembly is expected to convene prior to the spring session.

CHICAGO – In honor of Veterans Day, State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) celebrated the opening of the new Chicago Veterans’ Home along with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Illinois Capital Development Board. The home is the first state veterans’ retirement facility to open in 20 years and the first to serve the Chicagoland area.

“It is my honor to announce the opening of the Chicago Veterans’ Home and see the hard work of so many that has turned into reality,” Martwick said. “Veterans are our heroes. They have made the sacrifice to protect this country for our freedoms, and that’s why they deserve our appreciation through safe and affordable housing.“

EAST ST. LOUIS — To address ongoing concerns of workplace inequities and unfair practices against minorities, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) and his colleagues will discuss wage equity, workers’ rights and consumer protection during a committee hearing Thursday.

“Income inequality and reluctant growth in the workers’ rights for low- and moderate-income Illinoisans have become defining features of our society,” Belt said. “Eliminating the wage gaps would provide much-needed income to people of color whose wages sustain their households.”

SPRINGFIELD – After a renewed surge in COVID-19 infections forced the postponement of the upcoming General Assembly veto session at the Capitol, Senate Transportation Chair Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Spokesperson Donald DeWitte (R-St. Charles) pledge to continue to work together to improve Illinois’ infrastructure.

Villivalam and DeWitte remain committed to working in a bipartisan manner on a number of issues.

“Even though the Illinois General Assembly will not be convening for veto session due to the recent rise in COVID-19 infections and increasing hospitalizations, we pledge to continue to do the work of the Illinois Senate Transportation Committee, including—among other vital issues—ensuring the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan is executed in a responsible and transparent manner,” Villivalam said. “We remain committed to ensuring our roads, highways and bridges are safe.”