In a unanimous decision issued Friday, the Illinois Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of local pension fund consolidation contained in a 2019 law sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro.

“This is a victory for taxpayers and first responders across Illinois,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This consolidation is already producing positive returns, underscoring the importance of addressing our state’s most pressing financial issue.”

Castro’s law – which passed under Senate Bill 1300 – enabled downstate fire and police pension funds to be consolidated into two separate funds over a 30-month period beginning in January 2020. Since the law took effect, the Firefighters’ Pension Investment Fund has added more than $40 million in value through investment returns and seen a reduction in fees and expenses of $34 million. This has led to a reduction in statutory minimum contributions, saving money for local governments and taxpayers.

As of September, the law has enabled the consolidation of nearly 300 pension funds with $7.9 billion in total assets. It was expected that annual returns would measure around 7.1%, but the Fiscal Year 2023 rate of return was 9.7%.

CHICAGO — State Senator Willie Preston  introduced new legislation to ban harmful chemicals in candy, soda and other food items sold and produced in Illinois.

“This legislation, in its simplest form, increases food safety for Illinoisans,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “These substances have been used in food for decades, and new evidence shows they can pose serious threats to our health and to the health of our kids.”

Senate Bill 2637 – the Illinois Food Safety Act – will ban specific, dangerous food additives from being used in the manufacturing, delivering, distributing, holding or selling of food products. These additives include brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and red dye no. 3.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to prioritize educators, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel introduced a measure that would guarantee teachers have classroom planning time built into each school day.

“During my 15 years in the classroom, I experienced firsthand the struggle many teachers face when trying to find time to plan,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Teachers are often forced to plan lessons before or after school. By providing time during the school day, we can ensure better quality plans while avoiding extensive hours outside the classroom for educators.”

Senate Bill 2721 would guarantee that every teacher receives at least 45 minutes of continuous, uninterrupted individual classroom planning time per day. The requirement would apply to all public school districts in Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD — In observance of January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, State Senators Mattie Hunter and Julie Morrison are highlighting the importance of raising awareness about human trafficking and uplifting resources to support survivors.

“Human Trafficking Awareness Month serves as an important reminder to become familiar with the signs of trafficking — a crime that impacts hundreds in our state, often those who find themselves in vulnerable situations,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “In addition to identifying red flags, it is important that we continue to support survivors and advance policies that prevent situations like these from happening.”

Human trafficking refers to crimes involving the use of force, fraud or coercion to profit of off the exploitation of adults or children by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex acts. Human trafficking is an issue that is rampant and often undetected in Illinois and across the country.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois and the nation are in the midst of a local journalism crisis, with news outlets closing or shrinking at an alarming rate. State Senator Steve Stadelman and the members of the Local Journalism Task Force spent the last year studying the decline of local journalism, and outlined its findings and policy recommendations at a news conference Wednesday.

“As local journalism declines so does the checks and balances on democracy. It’s an issue facing newsrooms across both the state and nation – due in large part to dwindling revenue that leads to a dwindling number of reporters,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “A disruption in finances is a disruption in talent. It was long past time for us to have serious conversations about the future of journalism and how that affects the future of our communities.”

Stadelman – a former TV news anchor – chaired the Local Journalism Task Force. Representatives from media, academia and government met nearly a dozen times throughout the previous calendar year to study the decline of local media, its impact on democracy, and potential policy changes that could increase revenue to newsrooms across the state.

SPRINGFIELD – Members of the Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force had its first meeting where they selected State Senator Dave Koehler and State Representative Debbie Meyers-Martin as co-chairs, and outlined its findings from the first meeting and goals for the coming months.

“This task force will bring a better understanding of how the Underground Railroad operated, as slaves escaped the south for freedom and a better life in Illinois,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “By giving Illinoisans a clear understanding of the past, we are creating a greater future.”

The Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force was created through legislation championed by Koehler last year – Senate Bill 1623. The task force will create a statewide plan to connect existing local projects and new projects to create a cohesive statewide history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois, while establishing new educational and tourism opportunities.

CHICAGO – State Senators Elgie R. Sims and Ann Gillespie are encouraging local chambers of commerce to apply for funding to help them recover from the continuous financial distress brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We know that many businesses across the state have been historically disadvantaged when it comes to economic investments, but the State of Illinois is making tremendous strides in investing in the communities that need it the most," said Sims (D-Chicago). "This funding is critical in ensuring businesses and chambers of commerce, no matter where they are in the state, have the economic resources they need to be successful."

SPRINGFIELD — Standard fertility preservation services, including storage, could soon be covered under Illinois-regulated health insurance plans, regardless of medical necessity or diagnosis of infertility, thanks to legislation introduced by State Senator Natalie Toro. 

“Fertility preservation services can be life-changing for people who want to have children, but for many different reasons, are not ready to start a family,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “I believe all Illinoisans should have access to reproductive health care, and this treatment is one more component of this important care.”

Fertility preservation is the freezing of embryos, eggs, ovarian tissue, sperm or testicular tissue for future reproduction. These treatments give people more flexibility and options when planning when to start a family. However, under current law, Illinois-regulated health insurance plans are only required provide coverage for medically necessary standard fertility preservation services, making these treatments largely inaccessible because of their high out-of-pocket costs.