SPRINGFIELD – After the Higher Education in Prison Task Force conducted a yearlong analysis of the current higher education opportunities for people who are incarcerated, Task Force members State Senator Cristina H. Pacione-Zayas and State Representative Carol Ammons have proposed changes based on the results of the study to improve educational opportunities for people who are incarcerated.

“It can be challenging for people who are incarcerated to come back to their communities or find work after serving time,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Offering college courses or a path to get a degree while in prison can  ease this transition and promote rehabilitation instead of punishment. However, there needs to be more transparency and accountability for these programs as reports have demonstrated they are not accessible to folks who are qualified.”

Over the past year, the Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force has been analyzing the existing state of higher education programs for people who are incarcerated. This study assessed barriers and opportunities potential students may face, and used evidence gathered to propose ways existing programs can be improved to better support people seeking further education.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler led an initiative to provide fair and equal insurance coverage for cancer treatment using proton beam therapy.

“Cancer patients deserve the best treatment available to them,” said Koehler (D – Peoria). “As health technology advances, so should our insurance coverage policies.”

Proton beam therapy is an advanced cancer radiation therapy that uses focused beams that targets nearly the exact depth and location of cancerous cells in the body to deliver more dose to the tumor and less to the surrounding healthy tissue. House Bill 2799 would prohibit insurers from applying a higher standard for coverage of proton beam therapy than it would for any other form of treatment.

SPRINGFIELD – To honor the life and legacy of the late Senator Scott Bennett, State Senator Paul Faraci advanced a measure to name portions of I-74 the "Senator Scott M. Bennett Memorial Highway."

“Senator Bennett was treasured by friends, family and his community,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “His camaraderie and his dedication to serving his constituents will forever be missed. However, this is a way we can continue to honor him for decades to come”

Senator Scott Bennett joined the Senate as the unanimous choice to fill the vacancy in the 52^nd State Senate District in 2015. Since the beginning of his career, Senator Bennett dedicated his service to spurring economic development, supporting family farming, providing Illinois’ students with greater opportunities, and promoting bipartisanship across the state. As chair of the Senate’s Higher Education Committee, he was a champion for higher education facilities by advocating for funding and student rights.

SPRINGFIELD – To remove barriers for motorcyclists, State Senator Doris Turner championed a measure through the Senate that would remove the requirement to complete a duplicate driver’s test with the Secretary of State.

“Young motorcyclists have to take repetitive, unnecessary tests to get their license,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Removing this requirement is an easy fix to speed up the process.”

House Bill 2582 would remove the requirement for a motorcyclist under the age of 18 to complete a motorcycle driver's examination with the Secretary of State. Under current law, 16 to 17 year old motorcyclists are required to complete a Cycle Driver Testing Course provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation and an additional examination by the Secretary of State.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce championed a measure that passed the Senate Thursday that will allow an easier way to obtain a hunting, fishing, trapping and sportsmen license.

“This is a commonsense measure that will save people time,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “People will have more time to engage in outdoor activities without having to worry about if their license is expired.”

House Bill 3677 will allow Illinois residents to obtain a three-year fishing, hunting, sportsmen’s combination or trapping license at three times the cost of an annual one.

Under current law, people have to renew their license for these activities every year. This legislation will make the process easier for individuals by allowing them to renew the licenses after three years rather than one.

“This is a big convenience factor for people who hunt, fish and trap, but it also helps out our state’s conservation,” said Joyce. “By switching to three-year license options, we will save people the hassle of renewing their license every year while also helping generate more revenue at a time for the state’s conservation efforts.”

House Bill 3677 passed the Senate.

SPRINGFIELD— Prospective employees may soon have access to increased salary transparency from potential employers, thanks to a new measure led by State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) and State Representative Mary Beth Canty (D-Arlington Heights).

“Wages and benefits determine how much food caregivers can bring to the table and if they can afford essential health care treatment and other necessary costs that determine a family’s quality of life,” said Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago). “Transparency is essential to ensure employees are not misled when accepting a role with wages that cannot support them or their family.”

To ensure prospective employees have access to all information on their potential earnings and benefits when determining if they should accept a job, this initiative would require employers with 15 or more employees to publicly post the wage or salary and description of benefits offered for a job, promotion, transfer or other employment opportunity. It also requires employers to provide employees their current wage or salary range along with a general description of benefits upon that employee's hiring, promotion or transfer, upon the employee's request.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura passed a measure through the Senate that mandates all vehicles owned by the state, a state agency, a unit of local government or any other political subdivision either be a manufactured zero-emission vehicle or converted into a zero-emission vehicle.

“By complying with The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to have one million electric cars by 2030, we can begin to position Illinois to save money in the long run and protect the environment,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Our state set forth bold carbon-reduction goals in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and by passing this measure we can work towards achieving those goals.”

Ventura’s measure aims to lower the state’s overall emissions by addressing the pollutants released into the air by vehicle emissions, which have a direct impact on the environment. Illinois is poised to become a national hub for electric vehicle and battery production. Electric school buses have already started rolling off the line at Lion Electric's Joliet factory. State and local governments would be supporting this emerging industry by transitioning vehicles to electric or zero-emissions under Senate Bill 1769.

Highway vehicles release about 1.4 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year — mostly in the form of carbon dioxide — which contribute to the global climate crisis. Roughly five to nine tons of greenhouse gases are burned each year for a typical vehicle according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

“We cannot afford to waste time on pressing issues like emissions,” said Ventura. “We want government to do their part and meet these goals, and this would begin to fulfill them.”

Senate Bill 1769 passed through the Senate on Thursday and heads to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure to help connect hospital patients to financial assistance for medical costs passed the Senate Thursday thanks to State Senator Robert Peters.

“Not everyone is fortunate enough to have health insurance to cover medical costs,” said Peters (D-Chicago). “These days, even people with medical insurance are financially vulnerable.”

House Bill 2719 requires hospitals to screen a patient for financial assistance eligibility and to exhaust all cost-reducing avenues before taking a collection action against the patient. Additionally, the measure would provide a 90-day window for a patient to apply for financial assistance or hospital-provided discounts after receiving care.

“Cost savings programs that are available aren’t always promoted enough to folks who are financially vulnerable,” Peters said. “Hospitals aren’t always equipped with the resources to inform patients of financial assistance programs. This measure seeks to support both hospitals and hospital patients in a way that benefits the entire community.”

House Bill 2719 passed the Senate Thursday.