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Menstrual hygiene products can be purchased with SNAP and WIC benefits under Villa law

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Thursday, August 05, 2021 12:13 PM
  • SNAP
  • Villa
  • HB155
  • Menstrual Hygiene Products

villa 040721SPRINGFIELD – 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.”

Read more: Menstrual hygiene products can be purchased with SNAP and WIC benefits under Villa law

Family members of survivors of sexual assault can seek no-contact orders under Villa law

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Monday, August 02, 2021 09:41 AM
  • Villa
  • No-Contact Order
  • HB1742

no contact 090221SPRINGFIELD – 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.

Villa measure to compensate employees for wage theft signed into law

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Friday, July 09, 2021 03:52 PM
  • Villa
  • Wage Theft
  • HB118

kitchen

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.

Read more: Villa measure to compensate employees for wage theft signed into law

Survivors of sexual assault have more rights under Villa law

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Friday, June 25, 2021 04:33 PM
  • Illinois State Police
  • Sexual Assault
  • Villa
  • HB1739
  • Evidence Tracking System

Squad carSPRINGFIELD – 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.

Read more: Survivors of sexual assault have more rights under Villa law

Villa thanks first responders, announces funding for Montgomery & Countryside Fire Protection District

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Tuesday, June 22, 2021 12:56 PM
  • Firefighters
  • Small Equipment Grant
  • Villa
  • Montgomery
  • Countryside

fire gear 070220MONTGOMERY – The Montgomery & Countryside Fire Protection District will receive $6,565 in small equipment grant funding to purchase critical equipment, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) announced Tuesday.

“Properly functioning lifesaving equipment can make the difference in a life-or-death situation, and our first responders deserve to have all the necessary tools at their disposal,” Villa said. “Words will never be enough to thank the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, but I’m hopeful that this critical funding will help extend our gracious thanks to Illinois’ first responders.”

These grants are part of the Small Equipment Grant Program, under which 149 fire departments, districts and EMS providers across Illinois have been selected to receive $3.3 million to purchase new firefighting and ambulance equipment. The program will help fire departments and not-for-profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have trouble generating the necessary revenue for small equipment.

“Departments have had to make tough financial decisions, especially this year during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Illinois State Fire Marshal Matt Perez. “The Small Equipment Grant Program helps reduce the burden on smaller departments/districts while replacing aging and sometimes failing small equipment.” 

A full list of grantees is available here.

Villa announces $1.7 million investment in local pedestrian and bike paths

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Thursday, June 17, 2021 01:25 PM
  • IDOT
  • Villa
  • Transportation Enhancement Program
  • Sugar Grove
  • Geneva

Villa bike 061721WEST CHICAGO – Illinois families will have safer access to bridges, sidewalks and bike paths thanks to a $1.7 million investment in Sugar Grove and Geneva, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) announced Thursday.

“Illinoisans can finally travel and explore other communities with our state reopened, and it’s imperative that we provide safe and accessible transportation options,” Villa said. “These investments in our local infrastructure will benefit everyone in the 25th District.”

Residents of the 25th District will see improvements to bridges, sidewalks and bike paths, including:

  • Blackberry Creek Bridge and shared-use path in Sugar Grove,
  • Sidewalks for safe routes to schools in Sugar Grove, and
  • Kautz Road Bike Path in Geneva.

These projects are part of the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, for which the Illinois Department of Transportation has selected 99 projects totaling $105.7 million. Projects receiving funding in this round of investment include biking and walking paths, trails, streetscape beautification, and other projects designed to encourage safe travel across the various modes of transportation at the local level.

“Working families across Illinois will be able to enjoy a higher quality of life with these expanded travel options,” Villa said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to enjoy the enhanced pedestrian and bike paths with our community.”

Villa legislation would expand rights for survivors of sexual assault

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Tuesday, June 01, 2021 03:33 PM
  • Sexual Assault
  • Evidence Kit
  • Villa
  • HB1739

Senator Villa

 

SPRINGFIELD – Survivors of sexual assault could track their evidence kits through the Illinois State Police sexual assault evidence tracking system and would be afforded more concrete rights as survivors of crime under a measure sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Sunday.

The legislation supports survivors of sexual assault by requiring hospitals to use the Illinois State Police online evidence tracking system and establishing a set of crime victims’ rights.

“There’s no reason hospitals should not take part in the Illinois State Police sexual assault evidence tracking system,” Villa said. “Requiring hospital participation in the tracking system will give survivors the tools they need to take control of the evidence in 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 measure would require hospitals to enter collected sexual assault evidence into the tracking system. This would ensure survivors of sexual assault receive information on how to use the tracking system from health care facilities or law enforcement.

Read more: Villa legislation would expand rights for survivors of sexual assault

Villa measure would establish guidelines for trauma-informed school lockdown drills

Details
Category: Senator Karina Villa News
Thursday, May 27, 2021 08:08 PM
  • Education
  • Villa
  • HB 2400

Senator VillaSPRINGFIELD – School lockdown drills would no longer include graphic simulations to mimic a school shooting under legislation sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Thursday.

“Schools must implement a trauma-informed approach for lockdown drills to protect our students,” Villa said. “School shooters continue to claim the lives of children across our country, and we need an approach to lockdown drills that will not be harmful to our students’ mental health.”

Read more: Villa measure would establish guidelines for trauma-informed school lockdown drills

More Articles …

  1. No-contact orders could apply to families of sexual assault survivors under Villa measure
  2. Feminine hygiene products would be more accessible for low-income women under Villa measure
  3. Prescription drug donation program created under Villa measure
  4. Villa plan would deter wage theft, protect employees’ paychecks
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