ST. CHARLES – The City of St. Charles will receive over $8,000 in grant funding for historic preservation projects through the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) announced Wednesday.

“Families in the 25^th District have long been able to enjoy the rich history throughout the district, especially in St. Charles,” Villa said. “I’m eager to see the results of the architectural survey, and I hope we can add another historic district to our community.”

More than $131,400 in Certified Local Government grants will be distributed throughout Illinois for nine historic preservation projects that focus on surveys, public education, planning and nominations to the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Charles was awarded $8,262 in Federal Historic Preservation Funds, and the City of St. Charles will match $3,057 of that funding to conduct an intensive architectural survey in the Pottawatomie Neighborhood. The survey will identify and document the history and character of structures in the neighborhood for the potential establishment of a fourth historic district in the community.

Information on how to apply for the next round of Certified Local Government grants can be found here.

SPRINGFIELD – Schools will have to follow specific trauma-informed guidelines for school shooting lockdown drills under State Senator Karina Villa’s (D-West Chicago) new law.

“We should be doing everything in our power to stop school shootings and avoid the trauma that comes from shooting events — including that caused by involvement in graphic simulations during lockdown drills,” Villa said. “Our students should feel safe at school, and these trauma-informed guidelines will help them prepare for the worst without carrying the weight of a simulated tragedy.”

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans will soon be able to donate unused prescription drugs for redistribution through State Senator Karina Villa’s (D-West Chicago) Prescription Drug Repository Program.

“As we fight to lower the cost of prescription drugs, it’s imperative that we work to provide alternatives to buying medication at the costly market value,” Villa said. “I-DROP will help ensure families are not forced to make the tough decision between paying bills or buying food and purchasing necessary prescription medication.” 

SPRINGFIELD – Menstrual hygiene products will be available to college students at no cost under a new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“Every student on campus deserves equal access to a proper education, but that access can be severely limited if a student is stuck at home because they can’t afford menstrual hygiene products,” Villa said. “We need to treat period poverty like the public health crisis it is and fight for change across our state to increase access to necessary menstrual hygiene products.”

Public universities and community college districts will be required to make menstrual hygiene products available to students at no cost in campus bathrooms under Villa’s law.

“Period products are necessary items, like soap and toilet paper, that should be easily accessible to anyone who needs them,” said State Representative Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville), who sponsored the bill in the House. “Many of us know a student, or have been that student, who is late to class because they are trying to find a teacher they trust to ask for a tampon. By tackling period poverty at our schools and universities, we’re helping students stay healthy and focused on their education.”

House Bill 641 was signed into law Thursday and takes effect immediately.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans will be able to purchase menstrual hygiene products with federal and state food assistance program benefits under a new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“Benefits programs aren’t living up to their full potential until they cover necessary menstrual hygiene products,” Villa said. “Increasing the accessibility of menstrual hygiene products for low-income Illinoisans is essential to combatting period poverty across our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – Protections for survivors of sexual assault will expand to allow family members of survivors to file petitions for civil no-contact orders under a new law sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago).

“Survivors of sexual assault should be able to go about their daily lives without worrying about their abuser contacting them or their loved ones,” Villa said. “Expanding civil no-contact orders to include family members of survivors is imperative to restoring a sense of normalcy and peace in the lives of survivors and their families.”

Under current law, a petition for a civil no-contact order can be filed by a survivor of non-consensual sexual conduct or by another person on behalf of a survivor who cannot file the petition. Villa’s new law will expand eligibility to offer protections for family or household members of survivors of sexual harassment and assault.

In order to qualify for these protections, the person filing the petition must first receive consent from the survivor.

House Bill 1742 was signed into law Friday and will take effect Jan. 1, 2022.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to deter wage theft, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) sponsored a new law that increases the amount employers who underpay their employees must pay in damages.

“It is unacceptable for an employer to withhold hardworking employees’ wages,” Villa said. “Working families across Illinois deserve to be justly compensated and should receive increased damages for cases of wage theft.” 

Currently, employees who do not receive wages in a timely manner are entitled to file a claim to recover their unpaid wages, plus damages totaling 2% of the amount of monthly underpayments. Villa’s legislation will increase the percentage paid in damages from 2% to 5% to more effectively deter wage theft by employers.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to expand the rights of survivors of sexual assault, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) sponsored a law requiring hospitals to use the Illinois State Police online evidence tracking system and establishing a set of crime victims’ rights.

“Survivors of sexual assault need to know health care professionals and law enforcement officials are providing them with information on all available resources at their disposal,” Villa said. “It takes a brave person to come forward to report assault, and survivors deserve to feel at ease by staying in the loop on charging decisions and other updates to their cases.”  

In 2020, the Illinois State Police launched an online tracking system for sexual assault evidence collection kits that allows survivors of sexual assault to track evidence in their cases, but not all hospitals in Illinois opted to participate. Villa’s law requires all hospitals to enter collected sexual assault evidence into the tracking system and requires health care facilities or law enforcement to provide survivors information on how to use the tracking system.