SPRINGFIELD – Following the Senate’s passage of a balanced budget, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) voted to prioritize students.

“This year has been tough on so many people, but especially our students,” Bennett said. “This budget maintains funding for higher education and increases support for need-based tuition assistance programs, offering the University of Illinois and our area community colleges the opportunity to continue providing a world-class education to the next generation.” 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) released the following statement after the Illinois Senate voted to send the Fiscal Year 2022 budget to the governor:

“This is a responsible budget that prioritizes an equitable recovery for small businesses and working families.

SPRINGFIELD – A resolution sponsored by State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) which establishes January 17, 2022 as Muhammad Ali Day in the state of Illinois passed the Senate on Monday.

“State commemorative holidays are an opportunity to recognize people who provided an example of what it means to be the best we can be,” Ellman said. “Muhammad Ali deserves this recognition for his achievements, hard-working and courageous, both in and out of the ring.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) issued the following statement in response to the Senate’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget:

“I am happy to have voted for a plan that is balanced, and that accounts for the complexity of Illinois’ fiscal situation reeling from the pandemic.

“The programs that people depend on will not face painful cuts, keeping them reliable during an increased time of need. Keeping people healthy and rebuilding a strong economy is essential moving forward. I am glad this budget prioritized public health response, emergency response, and mental and behavioral health.

 “Furthermore, continuing the Black Caucus’ agenda to eradicate systemic racism is deeply necessary. It is crucial that the reforms my colleagues and I voted to pass have adequate funding, so that equity is at the forefront of all state structures. This budget does that.

“I’m confident the budget passed today will revitalize our state as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the crisis of systemic racism.”

SPRINGFIELD – The last veteran to earn the Medal of Honor during World War II should be afforded a state funeral and the option to lie in state in the rotunda of the United States Capitol, State Senator Doris Turner said, and successfully passed a resolution through the Illinois Senate Tuesday to urge President Joseph Biden and Congress to make it so.

“I come from a long line of military veterans,” said Turner. “My father and many of my uncles served in World War II, and were among those we have recognized as the Greatest Generation. It’s such an honor to carry this resolution and I am pleased at its adoption.”

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to keep communities safe from gun violence, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would strengthen the Firearms Restraining Order Act on Monday.

“Families must have a course of action to protect themselves when a household member shouldn’t have a gun,” Gillespie said. “This measure gives our partners in law enforcement the tools they need to intervene before a tragedy can occur.”

Under current law family members, household members and law enforcement may obtain a civil order to temporarily remove firearms from people who pose a risk of harm to themselves or others. If issued, the firearms restraining order would transfer any firearms, FOID card or concealed carry license to law enforcement for no more than six months. This legislation adds ammunition and firearm parts to the list of removeable items.

State Rep. Denyse Stoneback (D-Skokie) introduced the measure in the Illinois House.

SPRINGFIELD – Survivors of sexual assault could track their evidence kits through the Illinois State Police sexual assault evidence tracking system and would be afforded more concrete rights as survivors of crime under a measure sponsored by State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago), which passed the Senate Sunday.

The legislation supports survivors of sexual assault by requiring hospitals to use the Illinois State Police online evidence tracking system and establishing a set of crime victims’ rights.

“There’s no reason hospitals should not take part in the Illinois State Police sexual assault evidence tracking system,” Villa said. “Requiring hospital participation in the tracking system will give survivors the tools they need to take control of the evidence in their cases.”  

In 2020, the Illinois State Police launched an online tracking system for sexual assault evidence collection kits that allows survivors of sexual assault to track evidence in their cases, but not all hospitals in Illinois opted to participate. Villa’s measure would require hospitals to enter collected sexual assault evidence into the tracking system. This would ensure survivors of sexual assault receive information on how to use the tracking system from health care facilities or law enforcement.

SPRINGFIELD – After the Illinois Senate approved the fiscal year 2022 state budget early Tuesday morning, State Senator Steve Landek (D-Bridgeview) issued the following statement:

“As the mayor of Bridgeview, I have experience with the needs and struggles of local governments, and in my role as chair of the Senate State Government Committee, I strive to ensure that all legislation that clears the General Assembly is fiscally sound and doesn’t put an undue burden on cities and villages.

“I’m pleased that the budget the Senate is sending to the governor ensures that the Local Government Distributive Fund stays fully funded, so that municipalities across our great state – especially low-income areas, communities of color, and other places that have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-10 pandemic – can continue to pay for the programs and services their citizens depend on.”