CHICAGO – State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) celebrated the new law enabling a Chicago casino, because millions in taxes collected from the casino will be used to bolster the city’s police and fire pension funds.

“The city’s retired firefighters and police have earned their retirements and paid their fair share,” Martwick said. “The casino will help ensure the city can keep its promises to these public servants.”

Senate Bill 516 makes various changes to the state’s gaming laws and will enable Chicago to open its long-sought casino. When fully operational, the casino is expected to provide more than $200 million dollars a year to Chicago’s police and fire pension funds. The taxes collected by the city on all slot machines and table games in the new casino will go exclusively to Chicago’s police and fire pensions.

Martwick traveled to Springfield during the brief legislative session, in spite of major health concerns, in part to help ensure that the casino legislation passed.

“This casino is vital to our regional economy,” Martwick said. “Chicago is already a tourist hub, but a casino will create even more reason for people from neighboring states and from across the world to visit. It will also create hundreds of jobs, another boost for the city and its people.”

The measure passed both the Senate and House with comfortable, bipartisan majorities and takes effect immediately.

PARK FOREST – The Braceville Fire Protection District will receive more than $20,000 in state grants for new equipment, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Park Forest) announced Wednesday.  

“Because of the pandemic, many local fire departments were unable to hold fundraisers to make money for equipment,” Joyce said. “These grants will help departments purchase lifesaving equipment, so they can quickly respond to emergencies in our community.” 

Braceville Fire Protection District has been awarded $21,690.

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal awarded the grant to give Illinois first responders the opportunity to replace or upgrade aging equipment they may otherwise not be able to purchase.  

The program is an innovative approach to a problem that has long caused difficulties for fire departments and not-for-profit ambulance services in the state, particularly those that struggle to generate the necessary revenue for small equipment, such as air-packs and portable radios.

In total, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal awarded $3.5 million in grants to 154 fire departments, fire districts and EMS providers. A complete list of grant recipients can be found here.

CHICAGO—The minimum wage in Illinois increased to $10 on Wednesday because of a 2019 law co-sponsored by State Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. (D-Chicago). 

“We are seeing many years' worth of efforts to help working families finally come to fruition,” Sims said. “I take pride in our work here in Illinois to provide a wage that matches the rising cost of a family’s basic needs.” 

The state’s minimum wage increases to $10 per hour July 1, the second in a series of increases required by the law passed last year. That legislation requires the wage to increase by $1 on Jan. 1 of each year going forward until it reaches $15 per hour in 2025. 

Sims also disagreed with business leaders who have sought to delay or repeal the law because of the pandemic and its associated economic downturn. 

“Those earning minimum wage haven’t seen an increase since 2010,” Sims said. “I understand that this is a difficult time for businesses, but we cannot continue to make working families wait for a pay raise. This is already long overdue.” 

The law raises the minimum wage statewide, though some communities, including Cook County and Chicago, have set higher local minimum wages – measures which Sims supports. 

CHICAGO – Middle school students will be required to study civics as part of their course work under a new law passed by State Senator Jacqueline Collins that takes effect today.

“Current events teach us the importance and impact of civic engagement at every age,” Collins said. “In the malicious action and shameful inaction of our current president, we are given daily reminders that to be a society ruled by laws, not men, we must be vigilant and active. That starts with education about our system of government and our own responsibility to it.”

GRAYSLAKE — Private sector workers who experience sexual harassment and discrimination will have greater protections under the law thanks to a major piece of legislation from State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) that took effect Wednesday.

“This law gives victims of workplace harassment and discrimination more protections and ensures they are able to seek justice,” Bush said. “We’re not only changing the law—we’re changing the culture. We’re standing with victims and saying enough is enough.”

Employers will now be required to provide sexual harassment prevention training once a year, and discrimination against an employee because they are perceived to be a part of the protected class would be illegal, even if the employee is not part of that class.

The law — found in Senate Bill 75 — also includes major reforms to the state’s ethics investigation process, including making the process more transparent and giving additional rights to victims of harassment and discrimination who file ethics complaints.

Bush introduced the law after traveling the state as the co-chair of the Senate Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness Prevention, hearing from both victims and advocates. Her conversations led her to fight for more protections against harassment and discrimination in the workplace.

“Preventing sexual harassment and discrimination and ensuring our workplaces are safe is not only good for workers—it’s good for business,” Bush said. “With these measures in place, workers will have more protections under the law, and employers will be more proactive about educating employees and preventing these situations.”

The measure was signed by the governor last year and took effect July 1.

EAST ST. LOUIS - In support of the grocery store employees, gas station attendants and other minimum wage workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) applauds the July 1 increase to the state's minimum wage.

“Our low-wage essential workers deserve to see a pay increase for their labor during the COVID-19 crisis,” Belt said. “And the many Illinoisans who have been laid off during the pandemic can count on a livable wage when they return to work.” 

Senate Bill 1 increases the state's minimum wage increases to $10 per hour on July 1. The legislation requires the wage to increase by $1 on Jan. 1 each year until it reaches $15 per hour in 2025. 

To support the state’s small business community, a tax credit will be available for businesses with fewer than 50 employees to help offset the wage increase.

In response to business leaders who have used the pandemic and its associated economic downturn to try to repeal or delay the wage increase, Belt says it can’t wait.

"I promised my constituents a livable minimum wage, and I plan on keeping that promise," Belt said. "It’s been a decade since Illinois workers received a wage increase—we can’t stall any longer."

ELGIN – A measure co-sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) meant to provide support to casinos became law Tuesday.

“Many businesses have been able to reopen under the Restore Illinois plan, but casinos have not,” Castro said. “A casino can be one of the largest sources of employment in its area, and the surrounding communities are often heavily reliant on the tax revenue it provides. If casinos are forced to close for good as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would have long lasting and devastating effects on the area.”

Senate Bill 516 was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker Tuesday and makes several changes to previous gaming bills. It is meant to lessen the financial burden of casinos, which have been closed since the first Stay at Home Order was issued in March.

Specifically, the bill:

• Increases the period of time casinos have to pay fees from two years to six years and removes the requirement to pay interest in the fees;
• Moves the implementation date of a new, lower tax rate to July 1, 2020, rather than having the rate kick in only when a new casino opens; and
• Extends the due date for sports licensing and other fees by one year to July 1, 2021.

“By providing these small changes, we’re giving the casinos the same opportunity to bounce back that other institutions have had, which gives them a bit of breathing room, while not completely removing their obligation to pay their fair share,” Castro said.

Castro’s district includes the Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin. The measure passed both chambers of the General Assembly with bipartisan support during the May special session.

CHICAGO – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Bill Cunningham that will help bring a casino to the city of Chicago and pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the city’s police and fire pension funds was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker Tuesday.

“A Chicago casino has been years in the making, and I’m glad we were able to get this legislation over the finish line and make it a reality,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “This project will provide a major economic boost to the entire region and provide critical revenue to Chicago’s police and fire pension funds to help ensure our first responders get the retirement benefits they’ve earned.”

Senate Bill 516 makes various changes to the state’s gaming laws and will enable Chicago to open its long-sought casino. When fully operational, the casino is expected to funnel more than $200 million dollars a year to Chicago’s police and fire pension funds.

Shortly after taking his seat in the Illinois Senate in 2013, Cunningham introduced legislation that would have required the city of Chicago to dedicate future revenue to the city’s financially strapped police and fire pension funds.

As chief sponsor of Senate Bill 516, Cunningham was able to ensure the intent of his 2013 legislation remained in the law. The measure passed both the Senate and House with comfortable, bipartisan majorities. As a result, the taxes collected by the city on all slot machines and table games in the new casino will go exclusively to Chicago’s police and fire pensions.

“Although a Chicago casino seemed a long way away in 2013, it was critical to put a marker down then to help ensure it provided funding for Chicago’s police and fire pension systems,” Cunningham said. “This is going to provide a major investment in those pension funds, and, as an added bonus, it’s going to reduce the pressure placed on Chicago property taxes, which were the only source of revenue for police and fire pensions.”

Senate Bill 516 will take effect immediately.