WEST CHICAGO – Illinois families will have safer access to bridges, sidewalks and bike paths thanks to a $1.7 million investment in Sugar Grove and Geneva, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) announced Thursday.

“Illinoisans can finally travel and explore other communities with our state reopened, and it’s imperative that we provide safe and accessible transportation options,” Villa said. “These investments in our local infrastructure will benefit everyone in the 25^th District.”

Residents of the 25^th District will see improvements to bridges, sidewalks and bike paths, including:

• Blackberry Creek Bridge and shared-use path in Sugar Grove,
• Sidewalks for safe routes to schools in Sugar Grove, and
• Kautz Road Bike Path in Geneva.

These projects are part of the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, for which the Illinois Department of Transportation has selected 99 projects totaling $105.7 million. Projects receiving funding in this round of investment include biking and walking paths, trails, streetscape beautification, and other projects designed to encourage safe travel across the various modes of transportation at the local level.

“Working families across Illinois will be able to enjoy a higher quality of life with these expanded travel options,” Villa said. “I’m excited for the opportunity to enjoy the enhanced pedestrian and bike paths with our community.”

DES PLAINES – To help community members protect their personal information from fraudsters, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is hosting a community shred event on Saturday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Acuity Brands Lighting, located at 1300 S. Wolf Rd. in Des Plaines.

“One way we can all prevent fraud and identity theft is by securely disposing of sensitive personal documents,” Murphy said. “Take advantage of this free and convenient opportunity to help keep your information out of the wrong hands.”

At this free community event, residents can securely dispose of any sensitive or confidential documents, like bank statements, paid utility bills and receipts.

The event will take place in the parking lot on the Wolf Road side of Acuity Brands Lighting, formerly known as Juno Lighting Group.

All residents, including those who are vaccinated, are asked to continue to adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures at the event by wearing a mask and practicing social distancing for the safety of anyone still waiting to be vaccinated.

Murphy is hosting the event in partnership with State Representative Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines).

“You can never be too careful when protecting yourself against financial fraud or identity theft which is why I strongly encourage any resident who has sensitive documents they need to get rid of to take advantage of this service,” Moylan said.

SOUTH WILMINGTON – Motorists who have been unable to visit a driver services facility to renew their driver’s licenses and purchase vehicle stickers will be able to attend a free mobile unit event, sponsored by State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) in partnership with the secretary of state’s office. 

The free event will be available to motorists Tuesday, July 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the South Wilmington Village Hall, located at 380 Lake St. in South Wilmington.

“The mobile unit makes it easier for folks to receive necessary services without waiting for long periods of time outside a driver services facility,” Joyce said. “I encourage anyone in need of a safe and convenient way to renew and pay fees to attend this upcoming event.”

The unit operates like a DMV office and offers driver’s license renewals, identification cards and license plate stickers. Attendees must wear face coverings, and social distancing rules must be followed.

Joyce reminds residents that REAL ID services will not be available at the mobile unit. The deadline to obtain a REAL ID has been extended to May 3, 2023.

In addition, Joyce invites local veterans to utilize this event to add a veteran’s designation to their driver’s license or state ID. For veteran designation, residents must bring their DD-214 or NAF 13038. For more information about veteran ID services, call the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs at 1-800-437-9824.

With questions or for additional information, contact Senator Joyce’s office at SenatorPatrickJoyce.com or call 708-756-0882.

CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) released the following statement in response to the passage of a comprehensive gun safety and modernization package in the Illinois House today:

“This critical legislation will keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, empower partners in law enforcement to act before the next tragedy can occur, and dedicate life-saving mental health funding to communities most impacted by gun violence.

“We chose to move forward with this bill to not let perfect be the enemy of good, as this package contains most of the provisions offered in our initial legislation. It will expand the number of fingerprints on file for police to conduct universal background checks and crack down on illegal gun purchases.

“I strongly urge Gov. Pritzker to sign this vital legislation.”

SPRINGFIELD – An initiative sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) to address the backlog of FOID card applications, which negatively affects responsible gun owners, passed out of the House on Wednesday.

“The backlog of FOID applications creates unnecessary hassles for responsible gun owners—a concern which has been raised to me by many people,” Koehler said. “It also creates extra work for the Illinois State Police, whose first priority should be keeping firearms out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves and others.”

SPRINGFIELD – Today the Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation, House Bill 2908, spearheaded by State Senator Robert Martwick (D-10) and Representative Delia Ramirez that would enact an elected school board for Chicago Public Schools. Martwick issued the following statement:

“Creating an elected school board allows for more accountability, more democracy, and more community influence on our city’s school board. We need a school board that acts in the interests of our students, families, and communities.

SPRINGFIELD – Following unprecedented job losses and economic hardship due to the pandemic, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) sponsored a bipartisan reform package to address challenges faced by the Illinois Department of Employment Security during the unemployment surge, which has now passed the House of Representatives and is one step closer to becoming law.

“IDES, Democratic and Republican lawmakers, and business and labor groups worked together to craft this omnibus approach,” Holmes said. “It targets the weaknesses revealed in a system that wasn’t designed to address the wave of job losses, phone calls and fraudulent claims all hitting the department at once.”

On June 19, 1865, two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation, Federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to announce the end of slavery and ensure that all enslaved people were freed. Today, over 150 years later, Illinois now declares June 19 a state holiday to recognize Juneteenth National Freedom Day.

The initiative, led by Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) began as an effort to keep Black history alive in Illinois by creating a statewide celebration of African American freedom and independence. 

“Making Juneteenth a state holiday is a breakthrough in Illinois history,” Lightford said. “It reminds us that freedom and racial equality have always been a hard-fought battle for Black Americans and gives us an opportunity to celebrate our culture and achievements.”