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New Holmes, Koehler law protects compensation for child influencers

Details
Category: Senator Linda Holmes News
Monday, August 14, 2023 12:01 PM
  • Holmes
  • Social Media
  • Influencers
  • SB1782

holmes vlogger 081123Young vloggers gain protections child actors achieved over past 80 years

SPRINGFIELD — Social media content has surged in the past decade, with many posts featuring influencers who promote themselves and commercial products on behalf of advertisers. Although a growing portion of that content features children, there were no laws protecting minors’ rights. Thanks to legislation led by State Senators Linda Holmes and Dave Koehler, Illinois is the first state to protect child influencers’ earnings.

“Our role as legislators is to ensure our labor laws reflect advances in technology and the economy, including the work of children and teens,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “In this digital age, parents should not profit off their children’s work, as was established for film and television in the years before YouTube or TikTok existed.”

According to CBS News, young influencers — also known as “kidfluencers” — with one million followers can earn $10,000 or more per sponsored post. Because of the age restrictions on online platforms, the content is not created in the child's name but rather the parent or guardian who runs the account. While traditional child actors in Illinois have the Child Labor Law to safeguard their earnings, there is nothing in place for kidfluencers.

Senate Bill 1782 amends the Child Labor Law to cover minors under 16 featured in vlogs or other online content. The measure requires parents to set aside a portion of the revenue generated by their online content into a trust the child can access once they turn 18. The legislation was inspired by Shreya Nallamothu, a high school student from Koehler’s district who brought her concerns to Holmes and Koehler about how child influencers’ compensation could fall victim to a parent or guardian taking the assets.

“I’m grateful my friend Dave Koehler and I teamed up on this measure to ensure young people aren’t exploited in any employment scenario,” said Holmes. “Knowing there are teens like Shreya taking interest and action in public policy to safeguard kids gives me hope for the future.”

Senate Bill 1782 was signed into law today and will take effect July 1, 2024.

Martwick measure to hold rideshare companies accountable signed into law

Details
Category: Senator Robert Martwick News
Friday, August 11, 2023 04:22 PM
  • Transportation
  • Martwick
  • Rideshare Companies
  • HB2231

Sen. Robert Martwick

SPRINGFIELD — Thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Robert Martwick, rideshare companies will be subject to the same standard of care as all other transportation companies.

“As rideshare companies become an integral part of modern transportation, we must demand the same high standards of care as we do for traditional carriers,” said Martwick (D-Chicago). “Holding companies accountable for the actions of their employees is about safeguarding every passenger who places their trust in these services.”

Under the new law, rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are subject to the common carrier doctrine, which holds transportation companies to the highest standard of care for their passengers. This allows the state to hold the company liable if an employee causes harm to a passenger through intentional means such as assault, or if a driver is intoxicated and causes an accident.

Read more: Martwick measure to hold rideshare companies accountable signed into law

Koehler law ensures child vloggers are accurately compensated

Details
Category: Senator Dave Koehler News
Friday, August 11, 2023 04:22 PM
  • Koehler
  • Social Media
  • Child Labor Law
  • SB1782
  • Kidfluencer

Sen. Dave Koehler

SPRINGFIELD – With the rise of social media influencing, all someone needs to reach fame now is a cell phone. While traditional child actors are protected by the Child Labor Law, there has been nothing on the books for young social media influencers until now, thanks to State Senator Dave Koehler.

“The rise of social media has given children new opportunities to earn a profit,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “Many parents have taken this opportunity to pocket the money, while making their children continue to work in these digital environments.”

Under Senate Bill 1782, minors under the age of 16 featured in vlogs or other online content are covered under the Child Labor Law. The measure calls for the child – also known as a “kidfluencer”— to be accurately compensated.

The idea for the legislation came from Shreya Nallamothu, a 15-year-old high school student in Koehler’s district. Shreya brought her proposal to Koehler with concerns that money made by child influencers is not protected and that too many young people will fall victim to a parent or guardian taking the assets for their own use.

Read more: Koehler law ensures child vloggers are accurately compensated

New law will give more students access to Illinois universities

Details
Category: Senator Mike Halpin News
Friday, August 11, 2023 04:21 PM
  • Higher Education
  • Halpin
  • HB301
  • AIM HIGH Grant

Sen. Michael Halpin

SPRINGFIELD – A new law spearheaded by State Senator Mike Halpin marks a significant milestone in the expansion of the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program.

“This will make it easier for students who live in Illinois to go to college in Illinois,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “We all want to keep more students in-state for college, and this new law will actually do something to help.”

Beginning with the 2019-20 academic year, the Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) program has provided merit-based, means-tested financial aid to first-time, full-time undergraduate students and transfer students who are Illinois residents attending any of the 12 Illinois public four-year universities. AIM HIGH-participating universities are required to provide matching funding for institutional awards for students who meet certain eligibility requirements, as well as those established by each individual university.

Senator Halpin’s legislation implements several changes, including making the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program permanent, increasing transparency in the program to allow more students to take advantage, increasing access for part-time students and making changes to the matching requirements for the public universities.

Read more: New law will give more students access to Illinois universities

Villanueva champions equitable restroom law

Details
Category: Senator Celina Villanueva News
Friday, August 11, 2023 04:21 PM
  • LGBTQ
  • Gender Neutral
  • Villanueva
  • HB1286

Sen. Celina Villanueva

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a newly signed law to allow gender-neutral, multi-occupancy restrooms to be installed in private and public businesses.

“Businesses now have the autonomy to decide how to best show up for their communities,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “The inclusivity of this law not only benefits members of the LBGTQ community, but also those with disabilities, the elderly, and people with young children.”

A 2020 law, required that all single occupancy public bathrooms in Illinois become gender neutral.

House Bill 1286 expands on that law, allowing businesses to create gender-neutral multi-occupancy restrooms. However, the legislation is permissive – gender specific multiple-occupancy restrooms are still allowed.

Read more: Villanueva champions equitable restroom law

Comprehensive plan to improve services for children with behavioral and mental health needs signed into law, thanks to Feigenholtz

Details
Category: Senator Sara Feigenholtz News
Friday, August 11, 2023 04:20 PM
  • Feigenholtz
  • Children's Mental Health
  • SB724

Sen. Sara Feigenholtz

SPRINGFIELD – To set forth concrete guidelines, supports and collaborations that will transform the way Illinois delivers high quality behavioral and mental health care to children and youth, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz championed the Interagency Children’s Behavioral Health Services Act, which was signed into law Friday.

“Families of children with behavioral health challenges seeking help have faced barriers for far too long,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “The evidence-driven solutions in this plan will create a more streamlined, accessible and responsive system of care for youth in Illinois.”

The plan implements recommendations from the Governor’s Behavioral Health Transformation Blueprint that was released in February. The initiative, which set out to research the current state of mental and behavioral health issues facing children in Illinois and develop recommendations to better help families, was spearheaded by Dr. Dana Weiner and Senator Feigenholtz in collaboration with experts and state agencies that currently serve youth and families.

Read more: Comprehensive plan to improve services for children with behavioral and mental health needs signed...

Harmon applauds Illinois Supreme Court ruling upholding state assault weapons ban

Details
Category: Senator Don Harmon News
Friday, August 11, 2023 10:08 AM
  • Harmon
  • Illinois Supreme Court
  • Assault Weapons

assault weapons 081123SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) issued the following statement regarding the Illinois Supreme Court upholding the state’s assault weapons ban.

“This is a victory for common sense. Weapons of war have no place on our streets. I am proud to have worked on it and even prouder to see it upheld in court today.”

Harmon was the sponsor of the legislation creating the assault weapons ban.

Hunter promotes community wellness at annual health fair

Details
Category: Senator Mattie Hunter News
Tuesday, August 08, 2023 01:49 PM
  • Hunter
  • School Supplies
  • Annual Health and Fitness Fair
  • Free Services

hunter fair 080823CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter, a dedicated advocate for public health and champion of health legislation, held her annual Family Health and Fitness Fair on Aug. 5, bringing local residents together for a day of health screenings, resources and entertainment.

“Year after year, this health fair serves as a way to extend essential health services and information directly into our community,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “By offering these free resources — including diabetes and kidney screenings and school physicals — we are encouraging families to prioritize their well-being.”

 

Read more: Hunter promotes community wellness at annual health fair

More Articles …

  1. Fine, Gong-Gershowitz initiative to reduce single-use plastic foodware and styrofoam becomes law
  2. Senator Cunningham reminds residents about upcoming changes to driver’s license facilities
  3. Villanueva law supports students seeking need-based education financial assistance
  4. Morrison to keep children safe from harmful pesticides on school grounds
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