Belt's measure raises wages for working people

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure that would strengthen prevailing wage rules to help workers receive higher pay.

“This important safeguard will help workers get a fair deal for their labor,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “We’re closing a loophole that left many workers getting the short end of the stick because that’s not what we’re about here in Illinois.”

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Murphy measure aims to protect consumers from unlicensed car sales

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Laura Murphy is championing a measure to crack down on unlicensed car dealers deceiving consumers with sales of defective cars.

“In our current financial landscape, consumer protection is more important than ever,” said Murphy (D-Des Plaines). “Unlicensed car sellers pose significant risks to consumers, not just financially but also by putting the lives of unsuspecting customers in danger with cars that are of questionable quality.”

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Porfirio advances bill aimed at reducing the risk of suicide among first responders

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Mike Porfirio is leading a bill to help lower the risks of suicide among first responders who face disproportionate mental health struggles due to challenges they encounter on the job.

“Our first responders are heroes who face unique risks and traumatic experiences while they fight to protect their community,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “Maintaining a task force with members who are knowledgeable about experiences our first responders go through will help us understand how we can curb suicide risks among first responders.”

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Illinois Senate Democrats commemorate local parks

SPRINGFIELD — Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus welcomed park districts from across the state to the Capitol to celebrate Parks Day.

“I am grateful for what my local park districts do day in and day out,” said State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex). “Park districts take care of our beautiful parks with walking trails and playgrounds, fitness centers, sports fields and even golf courses. These are places that make a community feel alive and vibrant – a place you want to live in.”

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SPRINGFIELD – Recording artists could soon have more protections from artificial intelligence (AI) replicating their voice or work under legislation from State Senator Mary Edly-Allen and State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz.

“We need strong regulations and protections in place to safeguard artists when people try to steal their work and pass it off as their own using artificial intelligence,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “This bill was made to clarify existing law using language approved by both the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA).”

SPRINGFIELD – To pay their respects to fallen officers and their families, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus attended the Illinois State Police Officers Memorial in Springfield.

“Today is about honoring the brave men and women of law enforcement who gave their lives to keep our communities safe,” said State Senator Bill Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “May we never forget their courage and sacrifice, as their legacy continues to inspire us every day.”

A memorial service is held annually to honor the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who serve the state of Illinois. This year’s service was held at the Illinois State Library and honors nine officers killed in the line of duty in 2024, along with three K-9 honorees and 17 historic honorees.

The monument in Springfield, located on the west lawn of the State Capitol, bears the names of the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities. It was first dedicated in 1990, and a ceremony is held each year to pay tribute to fallen officers and their families. The names of every officer who died while serving during the previous year are engraved in the monument leading up to the ceremony.

“It is important to honor the courageous men and women who have given their lives in the line of duty,” said State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago). “My colleagues and I will do our part to honor their sacrifices by ensuring we pass laws that protect these heroes’ loved ones.”

A full list of 2025 honorees can be found here.

Video of the service here.

SPRINGFIELD – Working alongside the hospitality and retail industries, State Senator Mike Halpin outlined his measure at a press conference Thursday to create a more targeted approach to combatting human trafficking.

“We must empower our local governments and law enforcement to keep tabs on businesses to make sure every instance of human trafficking is accounted for and the perpetrators are brought to justice,” said Halpin. “By allowing localities to monitor hotels, restaurants and truck stop training, we can create a more targeted approach to combatting these terrible crimes.”

While current law requires human trafficking recognition training at hotels, restaurants and truck stops, Halpin’s measure would give municipalities the legal authority to act if a business is not complying the training laws. In addition, the new law would allow local governments to issue fines of up to $1,500 per offense.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce advanced three measures that would give landowners and farmers more flexibility when it comes to hunting deer on their own property.

“Illinois farmers, who are experiencing substantial crop damage and lower yields, need a better way to manage deer populations on their farms,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “Let’s give these farmers the tools they need to handle nuisance deer during the growing season.”

Senate Bill 710 would address multiple issues with the nuisance deer program and deer hunting tags. Currently for nuisance deer, a property owner has to prove each year that there has been damage to property, like destruction of crops, by the deer. Farmers have been requesting a better way to handle this because under the current program, they cannot manage the deer population until after a problem has occurred. The bill would allow the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to issue deer removal permits based on the percentage of permits redeemed in the previous season by the recipient. The bill would also allow for an expansion of youth hunting tags from one to two.

SPRINGFIELD — To ensure all students receive equitable access to school counseling and support services, State Senator Adriane Johnson championed a measure to clarify that school counselors are permitted to serve all students, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status.

“Every student deserves access to trusted adults and supportive services in their school,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “This legislation ensures that school counselors can serve all students without ambiguity or hesitation.”

Senate Bill 405 would require school counselors to work to address the academic, social, emotional, and postsecondary needs of all students, regardless of their citizenship status. The measure would reinforce existing practice and professional standards while providing clear statutory guidance that promotes inclusivity and equity across Illinois schools.

SPRINGFIELD — On the 50^th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and fall of Saigon that took place April 30, 1975, State Senator Mark Walker spoke on his experience serving in the Vietnam War during a press conference on Wednesday.

“After I served in the Vietnam War, my mother asked me why I did it,” said Walker (D-Arlington Heights). “I told her I fought for the Bill of Rights, for freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of assembly. Those freedoms are what I fought for and what my friends fought for. We fought alongside the South Vietnamese who fought for the same freedoms we did, for their country.”

State Representatives Hoan Huynh, Stephanie Kifowit, Dan Swanson and Wayne Rosenthal joined Senator Walker at the press conference in the Illinois Capitol Building to express their appreciation to the over 2.7 million American service members and 800,000 South Vietnamese who sacrificed for their country.

SPRINGFIELD — At-home sexual assault evidence collection kits, often sold and marketed directly to consumers, are raising concerns about their reliability and the risks they pose to survivors seeking justice. State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton is working to strengthen standards by ensuring evidence is collected by trained medical professionals.

“At-home collection kits may sound ideal for privacy reasons, but they don’t provide the same level of support or legal integrity as exams conducted by a medical professional,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “No one should be sold false hope during one of the most traumatic experiences in their life.”