SPRINGFIELD – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Illinois has a birth rate of 14.6 births per 1,000 females between the ages of 15-19, and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is ensuring policies will be put in place in the event that anyone has missed school due to pregnancy-related issues.

“Girls should not have to miss out on their education just because they got pregnant,” Hunter said. “Whether planned or not, pregnant girls deserve an access to their education.”

House Bill 3272 requires all school boards in the state to adopt written policies related to absences and missed homework or classwork assignments as a result of or related to a student's pregnancy.

Over 30% of teen girls who have dropped out of high school cite pregnancy or parenthood as a key reason. Rates are even higher for African American and Latino girls—38% and 36%, respectively.

“Girls should not be punished for being pregnant. School administrators can help accommodate pregnant students’ learning needs to ensure their pregnancy does not set them back in life,” Hunter said. “Having a child will surely be an obstacle to earning a degree, but it doesn’t have to be impossible.”

Hunter also addresses school board absence policies in House Bill 3099, which eliminates the Chicago Board of Education’s Office of Chronic Truant Adjudication, and instead requires the Chicago Board of Education to implement a socio-emotional focused attendance policy that targets the underlying causes of chronic truancy.

House Bill 3272 passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday, and awaits further consideration from the full Senate. House Bill 3099 also awaits to be heard on the Senate Floor.

SPRINGFIELD – The final pillar of the Legislative Black Caucus plan to eradicate systemic racism, sponsored by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) was signed into law Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the systemic economic, educational and health disparities that have historically plagued African Americans across our country. For centuries, Black people have been disrespected, abused and misused in the name of health care, starting with the abuse of the enslaved,” Hunter said. “To prevent future harm to one of our most vulnerable populations, we have enacted this informed policy, with the goal of deep, intense reform.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter’s (D-Chicago) legislation to end hair discrimination in Illinois passed out of the Senate Friday.

“No one should have to miss out on a job opportunity or miss a school graduation because of the hair that grows naturally out of their head,” Hunter said. “It’s 2021. As a nation, we should be past this petty discrimination.”

Senate Bill 1847 – or the Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act – amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to provide that the term "race" includes traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is leading an initiative that would extend the student-assistance contribution tax credit, which passed the Senate Friday. 

“I am proud to sponsor this initiative to help parents get a head start on saving for their children’s college expenses,” Hunter said. “Children who have a savings account are more likely to go to college, so it is important to encourage planning early.”

Senate Bill 340 extends the sunset of the student-assistance contribution tax credit for employers from Dec. 30, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2031. Additionally, this bill provides that for taxable years on or after Dec. 31, 2021, the maximum credit will rise to $1,000 from the current amount of $500.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) passed a measure through the Senate Thursday to amend regulations for the Prescription Monitoring Program.

“This legislation was necessary in order for doctors to be aware of what prescriptions their patients are taking to ensure any unnecessary prescriptions can be eliminated,” Hunter said. “Opioid overdose rates have risen in Illinois over the last year, and I want to take all necessary precautions and help those who need treatment to get it.”

Currently, the PMP is allowed to automatically send a report to prescribers and dispensers when medication shopping is detected from three identifications of a prescriber or pharmacy in a six month period.

CHICAGO – A jury found ex-police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd, nearly a year after the world watched Floyd’s death on tape. State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

 “While I’m pleased that the jury made the right decision, this verdict will not bring George Floyd back. As a country, we still have a long way to go to fully eradicate racism.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues to enact legislation that rectifies some of the horrors Black, Brown, and other marginalized communities have had to endure at the hands of police and other branches of government struggling with built-in racist policies and cultures.

“I hope that this verdict brings some sense of resolve to George Floyd’s family and that the dialogue on how to better race relations continues in this country.

“We have to be better, and we all have a part to play to ensure there are no more tragedies like the murder we witnessed last summer.”

SPRINGFIELD – According to the CDC, six in 10 young people and five in 10 adults consume a sugary drink each day. A measure by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to ensure kids’ meals have healthy beverage options as a default to combat the risk of health issues passed the Senate Tourism and Hospitality Committee Thursday.

“Improving the nutritional quality of restaurant children’s meals can help improve diet quality and cultivate lifelong healthy eating behaviors, which help children grow up healthier,” Hunter said. “If we can prevent children from having certain illnesses and behavioral issues, we should do everything in our power to do so.”

Senate Bill 1846 would require restaurants to provide healthier drink options to automatically come with children’s meals. Drinks could include water, sparkling water, unsweetened flavored water, unsweetened low-fat or non-fat milk, unsweetened non-dairy milk alternatives, or 100% fruit or vegetable juice.

Parents would still have the choice to ask for other types of beverages, like soda or lemonade, if they wish.

SB 1846 is an initiative of the Illinois Public Health Association to foster healthier eating with children.

A 2012 analysis reported that 33%of children eat foods or beverages from fast-food restaurants and 12 percent from full-service restaurants on a typical day. Americans spend almost half of their food budget on restaurant foods. Children eating out has been associated with higher consumption of calories, sugary drinks, saturated fat, and total sugars, and with lower diet quality compared to meals at home.

Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with dozens of health issues, including weight gain/obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout.

“Ensuring health for our children and future generations is something I am very passionate about, and I am proud to bring this groundbreaking legislation to our state,” Hunter said.

Senate Bill 1846 waits to be heard by the full Senate and can be tracked online here. A podcast on this bill can be heard here.

CHICAGO – A 2019 Dove study found that African American women face the highest instances of hair discrimination and are more likely to be sent home from the workplace because of their hair. State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is working to ensure this will no longer be the case in Illinois.

“No one should have to miss out on a job opportunity or miss a school graduation because of the hair that grows naturally out of their head,” Hunter said. “It’s 2021. As a nation, we should be past this petty discrimination.”

Senate Bill 1847 – also known as the Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act – amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to provide that the term "race" includes traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists.