SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced legislation that ensures Chicago police officers, firefighters and paramedics who contracted COVID-19 while on the job will receive the disability benefits they earned.

“Chicago first responders are entitled to the exact same health and safety protections that were provided to other essential workers during the pandemic,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. "If the Chicago police and fire pension funds are going to claim a legal technicality to refuse to protect our first responders, then the state legislature will have to step in to put protections in place. That is exactly what House Bill 3162 does — it requires the Chicago pension funds to grant the same COVID-19 presumption that all other workers receive.”

As a result of this presumption, affected police officers and firefighters would be entitled to 75% of their salary at the time of disability and duty disability benefits, instead of the current 50% under ordinary disability benefits. The legislation applies retroactively, providing relief to those who were denied full duty disability benefits after contracting COVID-19 while on the job.

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza has been leading the fight for passage of House Bill 3162. Her brother was denied full duty disability benefits after contracting COVID-19 while working 17 straight days before a vaccine was available in November 2020. Police Sergeant Joaquin Mendoza spent 72 days in the hospital, suffered kidney failure, had five strokes, and lost the use of his left arm. If he had been granted full duty disability, he would have received 75% of his salary and health insurance. His claim was denied and he was instead granted 50% of his salary for no more than four years, regardless of injury, and had his health insurance canceled.

“There are a few dozen officers and firefighters like Sgt. Mendoza who contracted COVID-19 on the job and have been unable to return to work because of the extent of their injuries,” Cunningham said. “House Bill 3162 will ensure they will be able to pay their bills, support their families, and keep their health insurance.”

House Bill 3162 passed the Senate on Friday and heads to the governor’s desk for final approval.

SPRINGFIELD – To increase donation opportunities to the Illinois Dream Fund, which provides scholarships to eligible college students, State Senator Karina Villa advanced a measure from the Senate on Thursday. 

“Every student deserves the opportunity to pursue higher education if that is what they wish to do,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “Dreamers are no different, and this initiative will increase funds for scholarships, giving more students the opportunity to attend college.”

House Bill 3233 allows customers who transmit money internationally the option to voluntarily donate a portion of their money to the Illinois Dream Fund, whose mission is to provide life-changing financial support to undocumented immigrants who wish to pursue higher education and help them successfully work toward degree completion.

Under this measure, the Illinois Dream Fund Commission will also develop a comprehensive program, including creation of informational materials and a marketing plan, to educate people in Illinois about the purpose and benefits of contributions made to the Illinois Dream Fund, such as increasing scholarship opportunities.

“Contributing to someone’s education is a wonderful and noble thing to do,” Villa said. “I encourage everyone who can donate to look into giving to the Illinois Dream Fund when the time comes.”

House Bill 3233 passed the Senate on Thursday.

SPRINGFIELD – Dual language education may soon be more accessible to Illinois students, thanks to a new measure sponsored by State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas.

“Dual language instruction can be transformative for a student, expanding their future career opportunities and strengthening their connection to their culture and develop a global view,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Improving our dual language offerings will help young people become more well-rounded and have a better understanding of themselves and the world.”

Currently, Illinois supports bilingual education programs by maintaining an advisory council on bilingual education, which reports to the Illinois State Board of Education. However, this council is only required to provide recommendations to best support students and families participating in ESL, or English as a Second Language. While these recommendations are important, this council could use its insights — as an important table of academics with expertise in various programs of bilingual education — to also study dual language instruction across the state and provide recommendations on how to support these programs.

SPRINGFIELD – To equip music venues with overdose-reversing medications and increase patron safety at concert venues, State Senator Karina Villa advanced a bill from the Senate on Friday.

“Going to a concert is meant to be a relaxing and joyful experience – one bad decision should not cost someone their health or life,” said Villa (D-West Chicago). “This bill will save lives by expanding first aid in concert halls, training staff to treat overdose and ensuring the proper tools are on site.”

House Bill 1557 requires for-profit music venues that have an occupancy of 1,000 or more to have opioid-overdose antidotes, such as naloxone, on hand and have staff members who are sufficiently trained in administrating it. This bill applies to music venues for live concerts or musical performances for which tickets are sold for entry.

Naloxone is used to reverse an opioid overdose by blocking the effects of opiates on the brain and restoring breathing. Amphetamine and ecstasy are common “party drugs” used at concerts that could potentially be laced with opioids. Those attending a concert could consume a drug unaware of the harmful contents inside leading to possible overdose. This measure would equip venue staff with the resources and training needed to help prevent concertgoers from overdosing.

“Those who consume a harmful substance on purpose or accidentally at a concert or music festival might not be aware they are putting opioids into their system,” Villa said. “We cannot catch every single person who sneaks harmful substances into a concert; however, we can help those who might be at risk of overdosing by putting in place this backup measure.”

House Bill 1557 passed the Senate on Friday.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure out of the Senate Thursday that would prohibit law enforcement from pulling a vehicle over for objects placed between the driver and their front windshield.

“When drivers are pulled over due to something being on their rearview mirror, they are often unfairly targeted by law enforcement,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “It’s long overdue that we eliminate this reason for being pulled over.”

Under current law, people cannot drive with any objects placed or suspended between the driver and the front windshield, which obstruct the driver's view. House Bill 2389 would clarify that vehicles cannot be stopped or searched by a law enforcement officer solely on the basis of a violation or suspected violation of this subsection.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson championed a measure to address homelessness and unnecessary institutionalism with the passing of House Bill 2831.

“This measure helps us address the statewide issue of homelessness,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Homelessness has become far too common and has various causes. With the improvement of health and human services we aim to decrease the number of those affected.”

House Bill 2831 would create an office within the Illinois Department of Human Services tasked with preventing and ending homelessness. The group would create a strategic plan aimed to decrease homelessness and improve health and human services outcomes for people who experience homelessness, and strengthening the safety- nets that contribute to housing stability.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Sara Feigenholtz that improves transparency, reporting and more timely notification of bullying incidents is one step closer to becoming law after the Senate voted to pass it on Thursday.

“Providing timely notification of these incidents as soon as possible has the potential to save students’ lives,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “School administrators have a responsibility to ensure their schools foster a healthy atmosphere for students.”

House Bill 3425 would require schools to alert parents and guardians of alleged bullying incidents involving their child within 24 hours after the school’s administration is made aware of the incident. A family who tragically lost their son to suicide after being bullied and cyberbullied by his classmates brought this matter to Senator Feigenholtz and Representative Margaret Croke last year in an attempt to address the failures that led to their son’s death.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure through the Senate that would establish the Justice40 Oversight Committee to move the Justice40 initiative forward in Illinois.

“We have seen how climate change and environmental degradation has negatively affected communities all over the nation, specifically disadvantaged ones,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “As lawmakers, it’s our responsibility to address these issues and begin to prioritize investments in climate and clean energy.”

The federal government created the Justice40 initiative to confront and address decades of underinvestment in disadvantaged communities. The initiative is to deliver at least 40% of the overall benefits from federal investments in climate change and clean energy to disadvantaged communities.