Black leaders and Urban League seek public input on efforts to end systemic racism

SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, hosted by the Joint Caucus of Black Elected Officials and the Illinois Urban League Affiliates, will host a virtual town hall to inform community members about their plan to rid the state of systemic racism and seek public input. It will be held on Thursday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. The four pillars of the plan include:

• Criminal justice, police accountability and violence reduction
• Education and workforce development
• Economic access, equity and opportunity
• Health care and human services

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Hunter proud of support to keep Mercy open

CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) was one of nearly a hundred witnesses to speak against the closure of Mercy Hospital during Tuesday’s Health and Facilities Review Board meeting. Hunter is pleased that after several hours of testimony, the board voted to reject the closure of Mercy Hospital.

“I am proud that there was an abundance of support from the community to keep Mercy open,” Hunter said. “For months, we have been calling for Mercy to stay open so that Bronzeville residents would have reliable care in the middle of this pandemic. I am so pleased the board voted in the community’s best interest.”

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Lightford celebrates minimum wage increase on Jan. 1

BROADVIEW – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) is celebrating Illinois’ next minimum wage increase and reminding employees to double check their paychecks after Jan. 1. The minimum wage will increase to $11 an hour on New Year’s Day.

“Even before the pandemic, many working families were struggling,” said Lightford, chief sponsor of the 2019 law raising the minimum wage. “This increase won’t solve all of their problems, but it will surely help.”

The current state minimum wage is $10 an hour, up from $8.25 in 2019. Lightford is also responsible for the 2003 and 2006 laws that gradually increased the minimum wage from $5.15 to $8.25 per hour.

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Senate committee discusses expansion U of I’s rapid COVID-19 testing

SPRINGFIELD – The Senate Higher Education Committee held a hearing Monday on the progress of SHIELD Illinois, the system which administers University of Illinois’ state-of-the-art rapid COVID-19 test, which uses saliva rather than the common nasal swab and is intended to be made available to all of the state’s public universities.

"Everyone at the U of I involved in developing and utilizing the saliva test deserves our thanks," said Senator McGuire, Chair of the Higher Education Committee. "Our next task is to implement the test at our eight other public universities so they can resume in-person learning next semester."

According to Tim Killeen, president of the U of I System, the university is organizing a testing program and infrastructure to deploy the innovative test across the state. This plan includes a prototype lab on wheels that will allow testing to take place where it is needed most.

Read more: Senate committee discusses expansion U of I’s rapid COVID-19 testing