SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Student Assistance Commission will always include a student member under a new law sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that was signed into law Friday.

“The Student Assistance Commission can’t truly perform its mission without the student perspective,” Ellman said. “This law ensures there is always student representation on the Commission.”

ISAC’s mission is to provide Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable. The new law allows the student member of the commission to retain their seat beyond the expiration of their term until a new and qualified student member is appointed.

NAPERVILLE — State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) is pleased to learn Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook on Illinois’ General Obligation bonds from negative to positive — a direct result of responsible spending. 

“The more than 15 months of a global pandemic could have wiped out our financial condition, but we made responsible financial decisions to keep Illinois on track,” Ellman said. “The work we have put in over the years is now paying off for not only the state, but all who live here.”

Fitch’s is the third ratings agency to upgrade the state’s forecast, in addition to Standard and Poor’s, and Moody’s.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) released the following statement in response to the passage of the state budget for fiscal year 2022:

“I am pleased that the budget passed by the General Assembly takes essential steps to improve our state’s fiscal status while continuing to invest in areas that promote growth for our state: health care and social services, education, and business development. This budget puts Illinois back on a path to financial stability.

“By paying down the entire $3.2 billion in short-term loans Illinois took out during the COVID-19 pandemic, we will save tens of millions of dollars in interest payments for taxpayers. This should send a strong message to the nation and to bond rating agencies that Illinois is serious about fiscal discipline.”

SPRINGFIELD – A resolution sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) which establishes January 17, 2022 as Muhammad Ali Day in the state of Illinois passed the Senate on Monday.

“State commemorative holidays are an opportunity to recognize people who provided an example of what it means to be the best we can be,” Ellman said. “Muhammad Ali deserves this recognition for his achievements, hard-working and courageous, both in and out of the ring.”

SPRINGFIELD – Alex’s Law, a measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that aims to decrease deaths from opioid overdoses passed the Senate on Saturday. The legislation would ensure that people who seek emergency assistance for an individual experiencing symptoms of an opioid overdose will not be arrested for any crime related to the use of drugs at the scene.

“Saving lives has to be our first priority,” Ellman said. “Fear of criminal charges should never prevent someone from seeking help.”

The idea for the measure came from the death of a 25-year-old Naperville resident, Alex Green, who died of a fentanyl overdose in 2018. Alex had been with others at the time of his overdose, but none of the others on the scene called 911 for assistance. This meant the officers who arrived on scene were not able to identify what had happened until it was too late, despite having Narcan (a medicine used to treat opioid overdoses) with them at the time.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would allow the student member of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to retain their seat until a new member is appointed passed the General Assembly on Thursday.

“It’s important that there’s always student representation on the Student Assistance Commission,” Ellman said. “It can’t truly perform its mission without the student perspective.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would allow students to use 529 college savings accounts for other education-related purposes without additional taxation passed the General Assembly on Thursday.

“This legislation would allow college savings plans to be used in more ways to reflect the realities of modern-day higher education,” Ellman said. “Students need and should be able to use their savings plans to pay for loans or job-training programs.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) that would allow students to use 529 college savings accounts for other education-related purposes without additional taxation passed the General Assembly on Thursday.

“This legislation would allow college savings plans to be used in more ways to reflect the realities of modern-day higher education,” Ellman said. “Students need and should be able to use their savings plans to pay for loans or job-training programs.”

The legislation would allow up to $10,000 to be used for additional education-related purposes without being taxed, making Illinois law consistent with federal law.