Caucus News

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to support mental health education in schools, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is sponsoring legislation that helps school leaders identify, understand, and respond to mental health problems school children may face.

“Educating students about their mental health early in life will benefit them in the long term,” Stadelman said. “Many students will navigate difficult situations in a healthier way if schools are able to teach them and provide instruction on how to cope and respond with their mental health.”

CHICAGO - State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago), Deputy Majority Leader of the Illinois Senate, issued the following statement in response to the passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget:

“The budget that passed the legislature, most importantly, is balanced and responsible. I’m proud we continued to fund health care and education, as both are important to the lives of so many people in this state.

“Additional Medicaid funding for community health workers, psychiatric rate increases for safety net hospitals, doulas and home-visiting programs will help make these services available to families in Black and Brown communities. This budget also preserves access to OB/GYN and other specialty services in safety net hospitals, helping reduce disproportionate rates of maternal mortality in the Black community.

“We also increased funding for schools with the greatest need. Students at these schools not only deserve access to the same resources as other students, they often need extra help. Continuing to increase our investments in education is the surest way to guide Illinois to a brighter future.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) released the following statement after the passage of a budget for the 2022 Fiscal Year:

“As we begin to take steps to recover from this past year, I’ve made it a priority to ensure that those most impacted by the pandemic get the resources they need to get back on their feet.

“Our schools took a big hit with the abrupt switch to online learning, so the $350 million in additional funding for education will provide a much-needed boost for our students and teachers. I am also glad to see money for local governments fully funded to give our communities flexibility when it comes to addressing local needs.

“Additionally, this year’s budget sets Illinois on the path of fiscal responsibility. As we pay off our bills this year and in the future, we can put more focus and funds on programs that will continue to benefit residents of our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the Senate voted to send the Fiscal Year 2022 budget to the governor:

“Over the past year, I’ve fought for many institutional changes that help combat systemic racism that holds Black and Brown folks down. This budget ensures that there is equity in how Illinois spends its money and that everyone in our state, regardless of ZIP code, is given the opportunity to live their best life.

“This is our first state budget following a global pandemic that nearly crippled the world’s economy, and the services and programs the budget funds will help shore up stability for the people in Illinois who are struggling the most.

SPRINGFIELD – After months of negotiations with lawmakers, state agencies and other stakeholders, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is calling the state’s final budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year a win for students and working families:

“As we work toward a full recovery from the pandemic, it’s crucial that Illinois spends—and saves—smart. Every dollar represents a down payment on our state’s future.

“By closing loopholes and cutting back on unnecessary expenses, we were able to keep our promise to public schools and increase evidence-based funding by $350 million, making critical investments in K-12 education in a way that reduces the tax burden on local property owners.

“I’m proud to have helped craft a balanced budget that makes our full required pension payment, supports the middle class and spurs economic growth in all our communities. We’ve weathered the challenges of the past year—now it’s time to build back better.”

PARK FOREST – After speaking with many constituents who were having trouble renewing license fees for their small trailers, Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) became a lead co-sponsor on Senate Bill 58, which creates a new registration class for small trailers, lowering the cost of the fee for licensing a small trailer from $118 to $36.

“The fee hike on one class of trailer license plates is unfair and unacceptable, which is why I supported legislation to create a more reasonable registration system,” Joyce said. “By reversing the increase, we can give Illinois residents the chance to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets.”

The legislation designates all trailers that weigh 2,000 pounds or less as “utility trailers” and sets the utility trailer registration fee at $36. Fees were increased on these trailers in 2019 as a part of the Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure plan.

The measure applies only to trailers primarily designated for personal use.

The legislation also removes the $10,000 cap on sales tax credits on vehicle trade-ins. The cap, which had been in effect since 2020, required sales tax to be applied to any trade-in with a value above $10,000, costing residents hundreds of dollars more when purchasing a new vehicle.

“Saving residents money is more critical than ever before, as we move into economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Joyce said. “I look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law so motorists can breathe a sigh of relief.”.

Senate Bill 58 passed the General Assembly Monday.

SPRINGFIELD – Following a number of ethics violations under the dome over the years, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) helped pass a measure to hold lawmakers, lobbyists and other insiders to the highest ethical standards.

“We must continue to strive for more transparency, greater disclosure and a higher standard of conduct,” Morrison said. “This commonsense legislation calls for lawmakers to work in the best interest of the people of Illinois – not in the best interest of themselves or their wallets.”

The ethics overhaul measure – found within Senate Bill 539 – makes a number of changes to current ethics law, including instituting a revolving door for executive branch elected officials and legislators becoming lobbyists, enacting a more clear statement of economic interest form and creating a statewide lobbying database.

Many of the items found within the measure were originally part of an ethics package filed by Morrison in January 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that measure was not able to make it across the finish line. However, Morrison is pleased to have pledged her support for this bill that will help end corruption in Illinois government.

“This is another step toward ending the glaring corruption taking place in Springfield,” Morrison said. “I applaud my colleagues in both chambers for passing real, lasting ethics reform.”

The measure passed both chambers.

SPRINGFIELD – To increase transparency at all levels of government and ensure elected officials are held accountable for their actions, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) championed a measure to overhaul ethics laws in Illinois.

“Illinoisans deserve to be able to trust their government again,” Murphy said. “These long-overdue changes can help restore transparency and accountability to our state government, and begin to build back the public’s confidence.”

The legislative package includes numerous provisions to strengthen ethics laws surrounding economic interest disclosure, lobbying, campaign finance and compensation, including:

1. Prohibiting elected officials from lobbying other units of government for entities that lobby them;
2. Creating a statewide lobbyist database that requires those lobbying state, county, municipal or township governments to be registered and disclosed;
3. Barring elected officials in the General Assembly and officers in the executive branch from lobbying for firms registered to lobby the legislative or executive branches;
4. Forbidding local elected officials from lobbying for firms registered to lobby their own unit of government;
5. Establishing a six-month cooling-off period for executive branch elected officials and legislators becoming lobbyists;
6. Closing the Consultant Loophole by requiring individuals who may not directly communicate with officials and staff, but who help develop strategies to influence executive or legislative officials or staff to register with the database;
7. Banning in-person or virtual fundraisers anywhere in the state on a session day or the day before a legislative session day;
8. Prohibiting salaried appointees who are subject to the advice and consent of the Senate from serving as officers for political committees;
9. Authorizing the Executive and Legislative Inspectors General to initiate investigations independently, without the advance approval of their respective ethics commissions;
10. Enacting a clearer, more streamlined Statement of Economic Interest disclosure system; and
11. Pro-rating the salaries of General Assembly members who leave office prior to the end of their term.

“Government officials should serve the people—not their own financial interests,” Murphy said. “This legislation is a good first step, but I will continue pushing for reform to bring us closer to the ideals Illinois was founded on.”

Senate Bill 539 passed the Senate with unanimous support and now awaits the governor’s signature to become law.