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First Senate Public Safety Committee hearing to provide safety update

Details
Category: Senator Robert Peters News
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 03:08 PM
  • Peters
  • Public Safety

peters 021621CHICAGO – On Tuesday, Feb. 16, the Senate Public Safety Committee, co-chaired by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), will hold its first meeting of the 102nd General Assembly in a joint hearing with the Senate Criminal Law Committee.

“Our committees did great work over the summer and fall of 2020 to create and pass the landmark criminal justice package, and I’m eager to get to work to continue the fight for safety and justice,” said Peters, chair of the Public Safety Committee.

The subject of the hearing is “public safety outcomes update,” and one of the main topics will be the discussion of carjacking, a subject which has recently garnered a lot of intention and stoked a lot of public fear.

Peters hopes to use the hearing to share information and dispel rumors in an effort to ease residents’ fears about the safety of the city.

The hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. More information can be found here.

WHO: Senate Public Safety Committee

WHAT: Subject matter hearing on public safety outcomes update

WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m.

WHERE: Virtually, can be accessed via https://ilga.gov/senateaudvid.asp

Johnson completes first round of small business tours

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Category: Senator Adriane Johnson News
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 03:07 PM
  • Paycheck Protection Program
  • Small Business Tour
  • Johnson
  • Waukegan

johnson business tours 2.16
BUFFALO GROVE — State Senator Adriane Johnson has seen small businesses in the community suffer like never before. To provide those businesses support and let their owners know she is there to help them through this difficult time, the Buffalo Grove Democrat toured a number of shops throughout the Northern Suburbs.

“Small businesses have faced unimaginable challenges this year, and many owners worry daily if they’ll be able to make it through the winter months,” Johnson said. “Each person I met has faced a unique set of challenges. I’m hopeful our conversations served as a reminder that people are looking out for them and want to see them succeed.”

Read more: Johnson completes first round of small business tours

Joyce applauds building renovation progress at Kankakee Community College

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Category: Senator Patrick Joyce News
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 02:47 PM
  • Technology
  • Joyce
  • Kankakee Community College
  • Electrical Engineering

pexels pixabay 163100KANKAKEE – Renovations to the Technology Building at Kankakee Community College are moving forward after State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex ) and State Representative Lindsay Parkhurst (R-Kankakee) secured funds last year’s budget for capital infrastructure improvement, and will be used to renovate some of the Technology Building classrooms on the Kankakee Community College Riverfront Campus.

“Colleges and universities like Kankakee Community College not only provide students with a top-notch education, but also contribute to economic development in our communities,” Joyce said. “Despite all the challenges we have faced this year, this funding shows the state’s commitment to accelerating higher education in Kankakee.”

Read more: Joyce applauds building renovation progress at Kankakee Community College

Morrison searches for answers on vaccine distribution frustrations

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Category: Senator Julie A. Morrison News
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 08:53 AM
  • Morrison
  • IDPH
  • COVID-19 Vaccine

vaccine vials 012721HIGHWOOD – Stories of clinics not receiving their promised number of COVID-19 vaccines, appointment websites crashing, and people spending the night in their cars hoping to be first in line to get their dose aren’t unheard of. The frequency of these stories – and others – led State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) to schedule a Senate hearing on the statewide vaccine distribution plan.

“As the demand for the vaccine has grown, so has anticipation for each of us waiting for the vaccine,” Morrison said. “We’ve been fielding calls from frustrated and frightened constituents who are eligible but can’t find their place in line or get the vaccine.”

Read more: Morrison searches for answers on vaccine distribution frustrations

Murphy advocates for small businesses, questions DCEO at committee hearing on BIG program

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Category: Senator Laura Murphy News
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 08:49 AM
  • DCEO
  • Murphy
  • Small Business
  • COVID-19
  • BIG Program

murphy 052320SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) and other members of the Senate Commerce Committee questioned representatives from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and communicated concerns from their local business owners at Thursday’s subject matter hearing regarding the Business Interruption Grant program.

“Today’s hearing shed some light on the processes the department used to evaluate applications and distribute BIG funds, but our small businesses deserve complete transparency,” Murphy said. “We need access to all available information to properly evaluate how small business owners could be better served in the future.”

Read more: Murphy advocates for small businesses, questions DCEO at committee hearing on BIG program

Joyce reminds residents Illinois Department of Revenue will accept tax returns starting Feb. 12

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Category: Senator Patrick Joyce News
Thursday, February 11, 2021 04:13 PM
  • Joyce
  • Tax Preparation
  • Department of Revenue
  • MyTax Illinois

pexels pixabay 209224PARK FOREST – Individual income tax returns for Illinois may be submitted starting Friday, Feb. 12, and State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) urges residents to file early this year.

“This is an important filing season, given the pandemic,” Joyce said. “I encourage folks to begin filing as soon as they’re able so they can receive their tax refunds as quickly as possible.”

Read more: Joyce reminds residents Illinois Department of Revenue will accept tax returns starting Feb. 12

Crowe thanks creative students, residents for hundreds of cards

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Category: Senator Rachelle Crowe News
Thursday, February 11, 2021 08:56 AM
  • Crowe
  • Valentine Cards

crowe 021121MARYVILLE – Thanks to an inspiring response from students, families and community members, State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) will deliver hundreds of Valentine’s Day cards to residents at Stearns Nursing and Rehab in Granite City and Foxes Grove Supportive Living Community in Wood River.

“The pandemic has left our neighbors in local long-term care facilities feeling isolated from loved ones over many events and holidays,” Crowe said. “But thanks to members of our community, I am overwhelmed with joy to deliver these notes to remind our older residents how much they are cared for.”

PICTURED: (LEFT) Senator Rachelle Crowe poses in her Maryville district office with cards donated by Collinsville High School students and local residents. (RIGHT) Cards dropped off in Senator Rachelle Crowe’s Wood River office location.

Holmes: Tax season revealing extent of unemployment fraud

Details
Category: Senator Linda Holmes News
Thursday, February 11, 2021 08:15 AM
  • Holmes
  • COVID-19
  • Unemployment Fraud
  • Labor Committee

holmes 021121Holmes urges taxpayers to be wary, vigilant of ID theft

AURORA – Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora), Chair of the Senate Labor Committee, warns taxpayers to be aware of ongoing nationwide unemployment fraud as tax season approaches. Across the country, taxpayers are opening their annual earnings statements and learning they've been the victim of unemployment fraud that has swept the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's bad enough that so many people have lost their jobs during this pandemic. It's just plain evil that there are hackers out there preying on individuals, stealing their identities and filing fraudulent claims, too many of which will go unnoticed until the annual earnings statement arrives for tax time,” Holmes said. “Check your statements, check your credit and if you've been a victim, take action now."

This ongoing fraud attack on unemployment systems was a key part of a Senate Labor Committee hearing this week. The vulnerability of the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program for self-employed workers and independent contractors left unemployment systems exposed to fraud. IDES, working with law enforcement, put stronger documentation requirements in place for wage and identification to reduce that vulnerability, and the federal government is engaged at the national level.

Most importantly, state officials said they have set up hotlines and added advice to the state agency website to help victims. Individuals can call IDES at (800) 244-5631 with questions about their 1099-G form. Resources are also available on IDES's website, at https://www.ides.illinois.gov/1099G or https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/Report-Identity-Theft.aspx.

This week’s hearing culminated many virtual meetings of a working group Holmes has led since last year. Next week the Labor Committee will hold a second hearing on unemployment issues with representatives of business and labor.

More Articles …

  1. Simmons sworn in as State Senator for 7th District
  2. Steans leaves legacy of progressive victories as she retires from 7th Senate District
  3. Morrison applauds governor for adding people with disabilities, pre-existing conditions to Phase 1b of vaccine plan
  4. Joyce: New CDL facility to open in Bradley
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