CHICAGO – The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) named State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) a Lifetime Environmental Champion for his exceptional voting record on environmental protection and sustainability legislation.

“Throughout my career, I’ve made it a priority to work toward cleaner air and water, tackle climate change and protect our open spaces. It is an honor to be recognized by the Illinois Environmental Council for these efforts,” said Martwick. “I look forward to continuing to work with them to protect our environment and the health and safety of our communities.”

CHICAGO – With many older adults heavily Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) wants to highlight a recent announcement by the secretary of state’s office that all valid driver’s licenses held by Illinoisans who are 75 years of age or older have been extended by one year.

“It’s important to ensure the health and safety of everyone in our community,” Martwick said. “Extending licenses allows older adults to maintain social distancing as they are at high risk of complications from COVID-19 during this time.”

As a result, drivers age 75 and older with a 2020 driver’s license expiration date do not need to visit a facility to renew their licenses until shortly before their birthday in 2021.

There are approximately 147,000 drivers age 75 and over with expired or expiring driver’s licenses in 2020. Letters are being sent to drivers that qualify for this extension. The letter should be kept with the qualifying driver as further proof of the one-year extension. In addition, driving records on the secretary of state’s computer system have been updated to show the new 2021 expiration dates for qualified drivers, and law enforcement agencies both state and nationwide have been notified of the extended expiration dates.

In addition to being 75 or older, the driver must have a valid license. Drivers whose licenses are suspended or revoked do not qualify for the one-year extension. All other drivers whose licenses have expired since the beginning of the pandemic have been extended until Nov. 1, 2020.

For those customers who must visit a facility, face masks are required. In addition, these customers are asked to be patient due to heavy volume and to be prepared to wait outside in various types of weather. This is due to social distancing, which limits the number of people inside a facility at one time.

Illinois law gives the Illinois secretary of state the authority to extend driver’s license expiration dates. For more information, visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

CHICAGO – During a time when many Illinois businesses are struggling with tough financial decisions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is excited to see 24 local businesses have been awarded a combined $430,000 through the Business Interruption Grant program.

“The hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a toll on small businesses in our communities,” Martwick said. “The BIG program provides funding many business owners need to stay afloat, and I’m glad to see a number of local establishments on this list of recipients.”

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded a total of $46 million to 2,655 small businesses in the first round of BIG funding. The BIG program offers grants to Illinois restaurants and bars, barbershops and salons, fitness centers, and other businesses that have suffered pandemic-related losses, with a focus on businesses in the hardest-hit areas of the state.

First round grants range from $10,000 to $20,000 and may be used to help businesses with working capital expenses, including payroll costs, rent and utilities. The funds may also be used to cover pandemic-related expenses, such as personal protective equipment, training and new technology.

The BIG program is the largest state-run economic support program formed in response to the COVID-19 economic downturn. The full list of grant recipients is available here.

CHICAGO – State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) celebrated the new law enabling a Chicago casino, because millions in taxes collected from the casino will be used to bolster the city’s police and fire pension funds.

“The city’s retired firefighters and police have earned their retirements and paid their fair share,” Martwick said. “The casino will help ensure the city can keep its promises to these public servants.”

Senate Bill 516 makes various changes to the state’s gaming laws and will enable Chicago to open its long-sought casino. When fully operational, the casino is expected to provide more than $200 million dollars a year to Chicago’s police and fire pension funds. The taxes collected by the city on all slot machines and table games in the new casino will go exclusively to Chicago’s police and fire pensions.

Martwick traveled to Springfield during the brief legislative session, in spite of major health concerns, in part to help ensure that the casino legislation passed.

“This casino is vital to our regional economy,” Martwick said. “Chicago is already a tourist hub, but a casino will create even more reason for people from neighboring states and from across the world to visit. It will also create hundreds of jobs, another boost for the city and its people.”

The measure passed both the Senate and House with comfortable, bipartisan majorities and takes effect immediately.

CHICAGO – State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago), along with the Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White, wants to announce the 16th annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award.

“This competition is a great way for the talented residents of Illinois to show off their work,” Martwick said. “These artists work hard to create thoughtful and beautiful work, and Illinois would like to help give them recognition and publicity.”

The competition is named in honor of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning Illinois Poet Laureate Gwendolyn Brooks and is co-sponsored by the Illinois Center for the Book. The competition to recognize new literary talent in the state is open to Illinois residents age 18 and older and has an entry deadline of June 30. To submit an entry, please visit the link here.

The award for first place is $500, second place is $300 and third place is $100. Winning poems will also be submitted for possible publication in Illinois literary magazines, including “Ninth Letter,” “Quiddity” and “RHINO Poetry.”

For more information, contact Illinois Center for the Book Coordinator Bonnie Matheis at 217-558-2065 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..