SPRINGFIELD – To end the culture of corruption and increase transparency in government, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed a sweeping ethics package in the Illinois Senate today.

“This legislation takes the first steps in addressing some of the most egregious scandals in our state’s history,” Gillespie said. “It offers bipartisan solutions to reestablish public trust in our institutions and is the result of several conversations in our legislative working group on ethics.”

The legislation would make several ethics reforms including prohibiting elected officials from lobbying other units of government, establishing a six-month revolving door ban, prohibiting all political fundraisers during legislative session, prohibiting salaried appointees from serving as an officer for a political committee and pro-rating the salaries of General Assembly members who leave office prior to the end of their term.

SPRINGFIELD – Two measures introduced by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) that would assist school social workers with earning their degrees and paying off their tuition advanced from both chambers of the General Assembly yesterday.

“These measures address both the student debt crisis and our shortage of professional, culturally competent social workers,” Gillespie said.

Senate Bill 661 would require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to award up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships each year. Scholarship recipients would be required to work at a public or not-for-profit P-12 school in Illinois for at least two of the five years immediately following their graduation.

SPRINGFIELD – To help working families, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate to encourage the development of affordable housing units.

“We need a long-term strategy for affordable housing,” said Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights). “Creating incentives in the housing market will produce better options and more stable lives for working families across the state.”

House Bill 2621 combines measures from affordable housing initiatives introduced this year by Senators Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) and Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). It creates incentives in the housing market for affordable housing units, enforces the mandatory affordable housing plan for cities with at least 1,000 residents and changes how the Cook County Assessor’s office calculates the tax liability for affordable housing complexes.

SPRINGFIELD – As classes resume in-person, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation to ban the abuse of students with restraints and seclusion rooms in schools.

“This legislation protects all students, particularly the most vulnerable, from these harmful practices,” Gillespie said. “I am grateful to all our partners that put in years-long work to keep students safe.”

Current law allows school staff to isolate a student if they pose a danger to themselves or others. However, a Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois investigation revealed that isolation rooms are often used as a punishment for refusing to do classwork, swearing and other behavior that does not pose a threat to safety.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that tax increment financing (TIF) dollars are used responsibly, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would expand the required reporting by municipalities to the Illinois Comptroller.

“Requiring measurable data from local governments will provide taxpayers with a better understanding of how TIF developments could affect their property taxes,” Gillespie said. “Our plan will create a transparent process that delivers opportunity while keeping our local governments honest.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that tax increment financing (TIF) dollars are used responsibly, State Senator Ann Gillespie passed legislation in the Senate Revenue Committee that would expand the required reporting by municipalities to the Illinois Comptroller.

“Most residents don’t know how TIF districts affect their property taxes or benefit the community,” Gillespie said. “This plan will shed light on the process and provide transparency in our local governments.”

TIF districts are a tool used by municipal governments to stimulate economic development in targeted areas. The legislation would gather more consistent, measurable data on the success of the TIF project by expanding what local governments must report annually to the Comptroller’s Office. Expanded reporting requirements would include projected and actual job creation, and projected and actual increment. The legislation also requires the report to be verified by a neutral third party.

"This is a sensible plan to ensure taxpayers are presented with a more complete picture of whether promises made are promises kept when it comes to TIF districts in their communities," Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza said.

House Bill 571 passed the Senate Revenue Committee and awaits consideration before the full Senate.

SPRINGFIELD – Two measures introduced by State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) that would assist school social workers with earning and paying off their degrees passed the Illinois Senate today.

“Illinois schools face a shortage of professional, culturally competent social workers,” Gillespie said. “We must make it easier for our future social workers to finish and pay off their education so that schools can hire the positions they desperately need to fill.”

Senate Bill 661 would require the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to award up to 250 Post-Master of Social Work Professional Educator License scholarships each year. Scholarship recipients would be required to work at a public or not-for-profit P-12 school in Illinois for at least two of the five years immediately following their graduation.

SPRINGFIELD – To help working families facing housing insecurity, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation Wednesday in the Senate Revenue Committee to encourage the development of quality, affordable housing units.

“We must be proactive in addressing the looming eviction crisis and building an equitable recovery,” Gillespie said. “Creating incentives in the housing market to produce affordable housing means better options and more stable lives for working and poor families across the state.”

The legislation would create a property tax abatement for affordable housing units. To receive it, property owners must commit to keeping rents for least 20 percent of their units at or below the maximum rent for 20 years. The bill would also require that the families renting those units be at or below maximum household income limits.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) would enforce the measure, and the measure would also require local governments to submit affordable housing plans to IHDA.

Senate Bill 2304 passed in the Senate Revenue Committee and awaits consideration before the full Senate.