SPRINGFIELD – A new law led by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel will streamline local municipal services, allowing the city of Joliet to absorb the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District.

“Joliet is well equipped to ensure a smooth transition between the sanitary district and city, leading to better local governance and removing duplicate systems in the area,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “This is a commonsense switch that will bring greater efficiency and sustainability to how Joliet manages its essential services to the community.”

Under House Bill 663, the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District will dissolve and the city of Joliet will absorb its assets, powers and responsibilities, with any additional assets going to Will County.

“This is a practical move that cuts red tape and makes local government more efficient,” said State Representative Larry Walsh, House sponsor of the bill. “By consolidating services under one system, Joliet can modernize its infrastructure, respond faster to community needs and eliminate waste in how essential services are delivered.”

House Bill 663 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.

SPRINGFIELD – After acknowledging a gap in early childhood disability advocacy, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel championed a new law that ensures stronger representation for young children with disabilities.

“When Early Childhood Education is being discussed, it’s essential we include a representative to advocate for what’s in the best interest of all children, including those with disabilities, ,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “In Illinois, we have made strides in our early childhood education efforts, and this law continues to prove that we care about all children getting the education they need.”

SPRINGFIELD – To better prepare all educators – including substitute teachers – for emergencies at school, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel advanced a measure out of the Senate that requires training in evacuation and lockdown procedures prior to being in the classroom.

“This measure ensures that anyone teaching students knows exactly what to do in case of a crisis situation,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “You never know when an emergency will happen, so requiring this training is the logical thing to do.”

House Bill 1787 would require school districts in Illinois to provide training to all substitute teachers on school evacuation drills and law enforcement lockdown drills. Additionally, all substitutes would be given the same information as full-time employees that outlines all lockdown and evacuation procedures, and maps would be required to be displayed in every classroom showing all school exit points.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to increases in bullying incidents using artificial intelligence and altered images, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel advanced legislation out of the Senate that adds to the definition of cyberbullying and addresses artificial intelligence content in the school code.

“Many people are using AI to produce harmful materials, which has led to a whole new level of cyberbullying,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “We cannot let our laws fall behind technology. This legislation helps our state meet current challenges and ensures bullying via AI is addressed in the school code.”

SPRINGFIELD – In response to the growing trend of bullying that uses artificial intelligence to create and distribute sexually explicit materials, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel passed a bill through committee that further expands the definition of cyberbullying and addresses the use of bullying by artificial intelligence in the school code. 

“With artificial intelligence on the rise, we are seeing a lot more cyberbullying scenarios that deal with altered, harmful images,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “It’s essential for our students and families to know that although there may be good uses for AI, it can also be a harmful tool and there will be consequences for students if it’s used inappropriately.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel passed a measure out of committee that would allow individuals trafficked or exploited as minors more time to bring forth charges.

“The victims of crimes like these can take time to come forward because of trauma or other hardships,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Eliminating the time restriction would help ensure survivors can tell their story when they feel ready, not when the law says so.”

House Bill 2602 would extend the time limit for filing criminal charges in cases of forced labor, trafficking or related offenses by allowing charges to be brought at any time if the victim was under 18 years old when the crime occurred.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure all educators, including substitute teachers, know what to do in case of an emergency at school, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel passed a bill out of committee that requires them to be trained in evacuation and lockdown procedures.

“Parents send their children to school expecting their teacher to know what to do if there’s an emergency,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “Ensuring every teacher, substitute or full-time, is trained for emergency response situations is the logical thing to do.”

SPRINGFIELD – To address concerns about high caseloads that may hinder the ability of special education teachers to provide individualized care, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel presented a resolution to the Senate Wednesday.

“I know firsthand how hard special education teachers work to support their students’ diverse learning needs,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “When more caseloads are being piled onto educators, reduced effectiveness and burnout is inevitable.” 

Senate Joint Resolution 2 would direct the Illinois State Board of Education and the Professional Review Panel to conduct a study on the impact of implementing maximum caseloads for special education teachers. The resolution requests ISBE to submit a report of their findings to the General Assembly and governor by Dec. 31, 2026.