CARLINVILLE – On Thursday, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) visited MJM Electric Cooperative in Carlinville. MJM provides power to members in Macoupin, Jersey, and Montgomery Counties.

The new facility is equipped with state-of-the-art technology that can tell the dispatchers at headquarters each utility pole position and its current status in the middle of a significant weather event. If a pole were to fall due to strong winds, the dispatcher can see the update in real time and send a lineman out to fix the pole.

Senator Turner also toured the newly completed community room, equipped with a full kitchen, available for rent to any community organization.

“I enjoyed meeting with Laura and everyone at MJM,” Turner said. “The smartboard technology employed at MJM will cut outage response times dramatically.”

Turner plans additional tours of businesses and facilities throughout the district she represents. Interested organizations can contact her office at 217-782-0228 or by email at www.senatordoristurner.com.

Photo: State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) poses outside with MJM Electric Cooperative CEO, Laura Cutler, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021.

New pay equity partnership will uplift working women in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – A $350,000 partnership between the Illinois Department of Labor and Women Employed will help low-income women across the state learn about pay equity and transparency laws, drawing praise from the Illinois Senate Women’s Caucus.

“This partnership will uplift working women and create a support network in every community across Illinois,” said State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights), co-chair of the Senate Women’s Caucus. “I am proud of the work Women Employed are doing to tear down barriers to economic parity.”

Read more.

Labor Chair Holmes announces improved security for state's unemployment insurance benefit system

AURORA – The Illinois Department of Employment Security and Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology have launched a new identity verification and multi-factor authentication solution for IDES’ unemployment insurance benefits system, according to Assistant Majority Leader and Senate Labor Committee Chair Linda Holmes (D-Aurora).

“During the course of the pandemic, IDES experienced problems with security for the accounts and personal information of unemployed Illinoisans filing claims. States across the nation experienced fraud as unemployment hit unprecedented levels,” Holmes said. “This new ILogin system will strengthen existing protections for users and help the agency find and deal with fraudulent activity attempts.”

Read more.

Senate Redistricting Committee to Hold Public Hearings on Congressional and Judicial Subcircuit Maps

Public encouraged to weigh in as General Assembly considers new boundaries

SPRINGFIELD – The Senate Redistricting Committee will hold a series of public hearings to gather input on new Congressional and judicial subcircuit boundaries following information recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

At least five hearings will take place as the General Assembly prepares to vote on new maps, and the public is encouraged to weigh in by providing testimony about potential changes or submitting proposed maps for the committee to consider.

Read more.

In case you missed it

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Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr., Chicago; Senator Celina Villanueva, Chicago: Gov. Pritzker Announces First $24 Million In Back To Business Grants To Support Small Businesses | Effingham Radio

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­MORTON GROVE – State Senators Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) and Laura Fine (D-Glenview) joined administrators, staff and other officials on Monday for a groundbreaking ceremony at the Julia S. Molloy Education Center in Morton Grove.

“This expansion will provide students throughout our community with a quality learning environment tailored to their needs,” Villivalam said. “I am proud to stand with our youth, parents and educators that serve our community today.”

"The Molloy School is life changing for the most vulnerable students in our district," Senator Fine said.  "This expansion will allow the school to continue its incredible work of educating our children.”

EAST ST. LOUIS – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) is encouraging local businesses to apply for the second wave of Back to Business grants, which closes on Oct. 13.

“Throughout the pandemic, our small businesses have remained assets to the Metro East community, despite all the struggles they faced,” Belt said. “It’s important for us all to be gracious to those who showed up, and for those businesses to get the aid they deserve from our government.”

Wednesday evening was busy for Illinois Senate Democratic Senators across the state as five of them held events to help provide resources to their communities.

State Senators Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) and Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) co-sponsored a Property Tax Assessment Appeal workshop alongside experts to help inform residents on the property tax appeal process and how to lower their property tax bills.

“I’m continuously working on real, long-term solutions to the high property tax rates burdening Illinois families,” Murphy said. “I was glad to host this property tax appeal workshop to help people file appeals to their property tax bills.”

SPRINGFIELD – A $350,000 partnership between the Illinois Department of Labor and Women Employed will help low-income women across the state learn about pay equity and transparency laws, drawing praise from the Illinois Senate Women’s Caucus.

“This partnership will uplift working women and create a support network in every community across Illinois,” said State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights), co-chair of the Senate Women’s Caucus. “I am proud of the work Women Employed are doing to tear down barriers to economic parity.”

EAST ST. LOUIS – To promote the Back to Business Grant Program, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Swansea) is inviting small business owners to participate in an informational webinar about eligibility and the application process.

Belt is partnering with Representatives LaToya Greenwood and Jay Hoffman, along with business leaders from Small Business Development Centers and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, to host a free webinar for small business owners who need assistance applying for the Back to Business grant program at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 6.

“Small businesses have been one of the hardest hit industries during the pandemic. It is our duty to help businesses get back on their feet and continue successfully serving residents in our communities,” Belt said. “I encourage small businesses in need of funding to join us and find out if your business is eligible and how to apply.”

The $250 million Back to Business program offers eligible small businesses one-time grants of up to $150,000 to cover operation costs, staff payroll and other expenses. To qualify, a business must have made $20 million or less in revenue in 2019 and be able to demonstrate a reduction in revenue in 2020.

Participants will learn about eligibility, priority industries, disproportionately impacted areas and documentation requirements. Information regarding community navigators, which are able to assist businesses with the online application portal, will also be available.

Registration is required and can be found at SenatorBelt.com/B2B.

If business owners have questions about the event, Belt encourages them to contact his office at 618-875-1212 or visit SenatorBelt.com.

PLAINFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is urging residents to renew eligible professional licenses from the comfort of their own home.

Illinois residents can now renew certain professional licenses online. In addition, licensees’ renewal deadlines have been extended to Dec. 31, 2021.

“This is one small way that the State of Illinois is working to eliminate red tape and streamline the process to allow people to renew their professional licenses from the comfort of their own home,” Loughran Cappel said. “Please renew your licenses as soon as possible to avoid late fees and ensure you are up to date.”