SPRINGFIELD – For the ninth time in just over two years, Illinois has seen another improved bond rating. Fitch Ratings – one of the nation’s major credit rating agencies – announced upgrades Tuesday thanks to the fiscally-responsible decisions made by Illinois Democrats.

State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) – who serves as the Senate’s Appropriations Leader and Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee – released the following statement in response:

“When I look at the budgets we have passed in recent years, I see the work and years of fiscal responsibility paying off. We were able to pay down our bills and put money back in the pockets of the state’s hardworking families. Illinois is a stand-out state when it comes to putting the needs of our residents first – and we do so in a responsible, equitable way.

“The nine upgrades Illinois has seen in recent years shows our fiscally responsible budgeting approach is working and is independent proof that our state is headed in the right direction. Our future looks bright and I look forward to continued collaborative efforts with my colleagues to keep Illinois on this upward economic trajectory.”

ROCKFORD — State Senator Steve Stadelman joined local leaders to celebrate the long awaited reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant, which has been idled since February, after United Auto Workers and Stellantis came to a tentative agreement.

“This is a major win for the city of Belvidere and the UAW,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “Our manufacturing and organized labor industries are the backbone of our country. By coming to this agreement, we can ensure UAW members have access to higher wages and better benefits, keeping good-paying jobs in Illinois.”

The agreement is the result of collaboration between auto workers, Stellantis executives, UAW representatives, the state of Illinois and the White House. Other efforts that enabled a solution for Belvidere and supported further economic development in Illinois include the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and Reimagining Energy and Vehicles Act, which Stadelman was a sponsor.

The tentative agreement includes:­

• The reopening and removal of “idle” status for the Belvidere auto plant
• A plan from Stellantis to build a new EV battery plant and support electric truck manufacturing at existing facilities with incentives from the state
• The employment of 3,000 auto workers with higher wages and expanded benefits

For more information on the tentative agreement, people can visit UAW.org.

SPRINGFIELD — With Veterans Day approaching, State Senators Michael E. Hastings and Mike Porfirio are taking the opportunity to remind residents about vital resources available to Illinois service members, veterans and their loved ones through the Illinois Governor’s Challenge.

“Our service members—both current and former—have made many sacrifices, continually putting the safety of our citizens above their own,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort), a retired Army captain and chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. “It is our duty to ensure military members, veterans and their loved ones have access to the resources and assistance they need. I encourage anyone in need of help to utilize the resources offered by the state.”

The IGC—in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs—was created to prevent suicide among service members, veterans and their families. According to IDVA, veterans are 1.5 times more likely to commit suicide than individuals who have never served in the military. The campaign is a collaborative effort to expand access to prevention resources such as the Veterans Crisis Line and training materials for organizations interested in supporting service members and their loved ones.

The nationwide Veterans Crisis Line is free, confidential and available 24/7. Users do not need to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to use the hotline. For support, veterans and their loved ones can dial 9-8-8 and press 1, send a text to 838255, or chat online with a trained professional at VeteransCrisisLine.net. 

The Governor's Challenge has also partnered with PsychArmor, a national nonprofit providing education and training courses to improve the outcomes of military-connected individuals. The training program covers a range of topics, including how to identify the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions like PTSD, depression and anxiety.

“Veterans and service members have selflessly dedicated themselves to protecting our country,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township), a Navy reserve member. “It is our duty to protect them in return. Providing resources for active military members, veterans and their families ensures they have the support they need to thrive.”

For more information, or to get involved with the Illinois Governor’s Challenge, visit SaveVets.Illinois.gov.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Cristina Castro is spearheading a measure to establish a clearly defined and uniform number of appeal days so that all Cook County taxpayers can rely on sufficient time to file, define, argue and support their property assessment appeals.

“Tax-paying homeowners should be able to count on their local government for consistency and be able to voice their concerns when their property assessment goes up—as many are experiencing this year,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This is an opportunity to stand up for Cook County homeowners, especially northwest suburban taxpayers who are seeing increases across the board, and make the property assessment appeals process more simple and flexible.”

Senate Bill 1988 requires the Cook County Assessor to continue accepting appeals from a taxpayer for at least 30 business days after the date the increased property assessment was mailed or published on the assessor’s website.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to a Carlinville funeral home’s insufficient handling of human remains, State Senator Doris Turner introduced legislation that would put procedures and protocols in place to protect families who have lost a loved one.

“When we lose a loved one, we expect a funeral home to respect the remains of our friends and family,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “We are talking about a person who has loved ones and a story of their own. It is vital that we ensure no family has to receive the dreaded call that the remains they received belong to someone else. This has become a nationwide issue that needs to be addressed.”

Senate Bill 2643 would require the death care industry in the state as well as state regulators to implement a mandatory unique identification tagging system for all human remains. It also would establish a chain of custody system that tracks the human remains of a deceased individual whose death occurred in the state from death to final disposition, if the final disposition is in Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD – After months of negotiations, State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. passed a measure to enhance oversight over the pawnbroker industry. 

“Working with consumer advocates and other interested stakeholders, we passed a comprehensive plan to ensure transparency and ethical practices within the pawnbroker industry,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “The Predatory Loan Prevention Act stopped many forms of predatory lending in Illinois, and we are working to continue down that path.” 

Sims’ measure creates the Pawnbrokers Regulation Act of 2023, regulating how a pawnbroker can operate and conduct its operations to ensure they are being fair, transparent, and equitable. It gives the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation authority to oversee and regulate the industry. Further, it establishes a complaint and penalty system, which could result in the termination or suspension of a pawnbroker’s license. 

SPRINGFIELD – Continuing his advocacy for immigrant employees following the governor’s veto of Senate Bill 1515 earlier this summer, State Senator Javier Cervantes brought forth a new plan that would protect marginalized workers and give employees time to correct employment verification document discrepancies before an enforcement action is taken against them.

“Throughout my years working alongside labor and health care organizations, I have seen employees hurt by this process,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “In working with the governor’s office and advocacy groups, we are confident we have come up with a plan that will protect employees and work for everyone involved in the verification process.”

Currently, federal immigration law requires employers to verify the legal work status of their employees through the E-Verify system. E-Verify compares information from an employee’s I-9 Form to records available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm eligibility. If discrepancies are found, immigrant workers have the possibility of receiving a “no match” letter for a variety of reasons, including instances where the individual changed their name due to marriage. Many employers terminate employees who receive this notice, even though they could be legally working in the United States.

SPRINGFIELD— State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton’s measure to help to modernize Illinois’ professional licensure process advanced out of the Senate Tuesday.

“I continue to hear from residents in my district who are waiting for an update on their license applications and renewals,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “This measure will expedite the process to modernize and streamline operations for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.”

IDFPR administers licenses for over 100 different professions including nurses, barbers, roofers, social workers, dentists and others. In Illinois, over 1 million people need a professional license or registration to work.