SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to protect vulnerable utility customers, State Senator Steve Stadelman has introduced legislation that would establish a Disconnection Protection Program.

“Ensuring that our residents have continuous access to basic utilities like electricity and gas is not just a matter of comfort, but of public health and safety,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This measure would prevent families from having to choose between paying for utilities and other essential needs like food and medicine, especially during times of financial difficulty.”

Low-income households that seek energy payment assistance do not currently have any protections from being disconnected by electric and gas utilities.

SPRINGFIELD – As newsrooms across the state and nation continue to shrink, State Senator Steve Stadelman’s measures to encourage local ownership of newsrooms and recruit more students to the journalism profession have passed the Senate.

“Investing in journalism education is investing in the future of our democracy,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford).

One part of the measure involves the sale of local news organizations to other companies. The issue is private equity firms are buying newspapers and consolidating them until they provide very little local news with few to no local journalists, eventually shutting them down. The legislation would require a local news organization to notify the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and employees 120 days before a sale occurs. The goal is other local newspapers, companies or non-profits will have the opportunity to step in to keep the publication local.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation to ensure driver’s education courses include instruction on worker safety in highway construction zones has passed the Senate.

“This measure signifies our priority of protecting the safety of both drivers and workers in highway construction zones,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “We are underscoring our commitment to fostering a culture of safety on Illinois roadways.”

The legislation would require driver’s education courses to include instruction on workers’ safety protocols in highway construction zones, aiming to reduce accidents and protect the lives of both drivers and construction workers.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman’s legislation aimed at combatting hazing has successfully passed the Senate.

“Hazing has no place in our communities, and by closing legal loopholes, we are sending out a clear message: perpetrators will be held accountable,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “No individual should ever feel pressured or coerced into participating in activities that jeopardize their physical or mental health.”

Senate Bill 2934 seeks to strengthen existing laws by explicitly stating that consent or permission from the victim does not absolve perpetrators from prosecution. This reinforces the state’s stance against any form of hazing, regardless of consent.