SPRINGFIELD – Promoting an environmentally conscious approach to hospitality, State Senator Laura Fine passed a measure out of the Senate to phase out the use of small, single-use plastic bottles in hotels across Illinois.

“According to researchers, by 2050, plastic could outweigh all fish in the oceans,” said Fine (D-Glenview). “Personal products available in plastic bottles are common in hotels and pose immediate risk to our environment once they are thrown away. This bill puts our state on the path to being part of a solution by reducing plastic pollution.”

Senate Bill 2960 creates the Small Single-Use Plastic Bottle Act, which requires hotels with 50 or more rooms to eliminate the use of small, single-use plastic bottles containing personal care products in individual rooms and public bathrooms beginning July 1, 2025. By Jan. 1, 2026, all hotels with fewer than 50 rooms are expected to make this transition.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman’s legislation to prioritize water protections by targeting critical water issues and implementing necessary recommendations passed the Senate on Tuesday, moving it one step closer to becoming law.

“Access to clean, high-quality water is vital to sustaining a healthy and safe future for everyone,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “This measure will allow Illinois to standardize evaluations of existing water issues and the needs of our environment.”

Senate Bill 2743 would require the State Water Plan Task Force to address water issues and reevaluate environmental needs by assisting state and local authorities in the implementation of recommended plans. The measure would also require the task force to publish a State Water Plan at least once every 10 years and meet once per quarter each calendar year.

SPRINGFIELD - To create continued opportunities in higher education for immigrants, State Senator Ram Villivalam advanced a measure out of the Senate Higher Education Committee to expand pathways for an individual to be eligible for in-state tuition.

“Expanding eligibility pathways for in-state tuition is vital to providing affordable and accessible higher education for all people within our communities,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “It is important to continue diversifying avenues to access higher education to ensure a talented workforce in the state of Illinois.”

Under Villivalam’s measure, an individual could obtain in-state tuition by being an Illinois resident prior to enrolling in the respective university, be a high school graduate from a school within Illinois, or have attended a high school within Illinois for at least two years prior to enrollment.

SPRINGFIELD – To help physicians meet patients’ end-of-life wishes, State Senator Julie Morrison passed a measure to create an electronic registry to store treatment preferences for critically ill individuals.

“How much or how little treatment a person receives at the end of their life should be up to each individual instead of the one-size-fits-all approach,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “This measure will enable physicians to access forms detailing patients’ wishes in a single, accessible location.”

Senate Bill 2644 would establish a statewide electronic registry that would contain Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment forms, which detail what type of medical treatment a critically ill patient does and does not want. POLST forms can help health care practitioners to uphold a person’s wishes regarding their care.

CHICAGO — State Senators Christopher Belt and Mike Simmons expressed support for a new grant program under the Illinois Grocery Initiative that was announced Tuesday. Paired with the Equipment Upgrades Program, the initiatives are a $20 million effort to address food deserts and prevent grocery store closures in Illinois.

“As a proud supporter of equitable access to nutritious food, I’m thrilled to learn of the latest steps the Illinois Grocery Initiative has made in combating food insecurity statewide,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “The Equipment Upgrades Program and the New Stores in Food Deserts Program represent critical investments in our communities, providing vital support to independent, nonprofit and co-op grocery stores. Today’s announcement reaffirms our commitment to ensuring no resident goes without affordable, healthy food.”

The New Stores in Food Deserts Program will offer competitive grants to encourage the establishment of new grocery stores in USDA-defined food deserts. Awards can range between $160,000 and $2.4 million, with a 1:3 match requirement from businesses. Grocery stores must be located in a food desert, earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales, accept SNAP and WIC and contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in the community.

SPRINGFIELD — By 2050, global demand for meat is expected to rise by 50%, and meeting this demand with conventional protein options alone would accelerate pollution and drain limited resources. To proactively explore Illinois’ sustainable protein options, State Senator Mattie Hunter has been appointed co-chair of the Illinois Alternative Protein Innovation Task Force.

“After advancing legislation to create the Alternative Protein Innovation Task Force, I value the opportunity to join in on this valuable work,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “This unique opportunity allows us to explore groundbreaking solutions to concerns in the agriculture sector that align with our commitment to sustainability and economic growth.” 

The task force is set up to explore different protein sources and assess their potential benefits, with the ultimate goal of understanding how alternative proteins — like plant-based protein, cultivated meat and fermented proteins — could boost the economy, create jobs and reduce the environmental impacts of traditional meat production.

CHICAGO—State Senator Lakeisha Collins is proud that tastytrade, an online brokerage company, is not only expanding their headquarters in her district, but also donating $600,000 to the Greenwood Project, a non-profit organization giving underserved college students the tools to start financial careers.

“With the expansion of tastytrade in the Fulton Market community, Chicago residents will see new opportunities to continue their careers and lives in Illinois,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “Alongside their expansion is an exciting investment in the Greenwood Project, an excellent organization connecting students with opportunities that put them on a path toward meaningful and sustainable careers. I am excited to see these investments in our communities and look forward to the new job opportunities available to Illinois residents.”

Tastytrade was founded and created in Chicago, and was later sold. While the company is no longer a startup, its leadership frequently calls back to its roots by investing back into the Chicago community and offering opportunities to hopeful financial experts in the area. The new office space in Fulton Market covers 35,000 square feet and includes a live broadcast studio for production of financial market content.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Lakesia Collins is pushing for a measure known as Liam’s Law to provide better bereavement support measures to parents experiencing perinatal and infant loss.

“This legislation is a continuation of our efforts to provide more options to families when perinatal loss occurs,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “Requiring hospitals to notify parents of their rights is the least they can do during such painful circumstances.”