SPRINGFIELD – To benefit Illinois farmers and help reduce the state’s dependence on foreign fuel sources, Senate Agriculture Chair Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) advanced a measure that aims to create a statewide renewable fuel standard which would require biodiesel for transportation fuel beginning in 2024.

“The demand for biodiesel is growing quickly, and it’s important that Illinois keeps up,” Joyce said. “Biodiesel offers environmental and performance benefits, as well as an economic boost for our farmers.”

Senate Bill 2394 is an initiative of the Illinois Soybean Association and would require diesel sold within the state for use in internal combustion engines to be at least 5% biodiesel fuel oil by volume prior to July 1, 2024, and 20% after that. Certain exemptions would be allowed, including for fuel used in locomotives, marine engines and for power generation.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinoisans across the state would have more reliable access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment under legislation from State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), which advanced out of committee Wednesday. 

“Mental health care is necessary health care, and there is no reason patients should have to drive hours or wait weeks for mental health treatment,” Senator Fine said. “There is already a stigma around mental health that we are fighting to eliminate, and the last thing we need is another roadblock for those seeking care.”

Under Senator Fine’s legislation, insurers would be required to provide timely and proximate access to treatment for mental, emotional, nervous or substance use disorders and conditions. Insurers would also have to make an exception to out-of-network copay requirements if there are not any in-network providers available nearby or timely enough.

SPRINGFIELD – To help promote the preservation of historic properties throughout the state, State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) has introduced a measure to encourage people who own historic structures to preserve and rehabilitate their properties.

“Historic buildings can teach us about our past while being utilized for our future,” Castro said. “Through rehabilitating and revitalizing these buildings, property owners can bring jobs, housing and businesses to their community while keeping its historical roots.” 

The Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program is administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division. Rehabilitating and preserving historic structures can increase the value of a property, revitalize downtowns and neighborhoods and provide a sustainable alternative to building new properties.

SPRINGFIELD – An initiative sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) that would ensure all eligible employees are paid prevailing wage and create a more transparent Illinois Department of Labor passed committee on Wednesday.

The Prevailing Wage Act requires contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers, workers and mechanics employed on public works construction projects no less than the average rate for the same work in the county where the work takes place.

The initiative would require IDOL’s electronic database of payroll records to be listed by the middle of each month and searchable by the public, ensuring compliance with prevailing wage laws.  

“The government shouldn’t be involved in underpaying construction employees,” Belt said. “We owe it to our local economies to create good paying jobs, and we owe it to the public to ensure government construction projects – especially on roads and bridges – are done right.”

Though IDOL is already required to maintain a database of payroll records to ensure workers are actually being paid the prevailing wage, Belt’s legislation would make it public.

“This added transparency will help ensure workers are being paid the prevailing wage they have earned,” Belt said.

Senate Bill 1767 passed the Senate Labor Committee with a vote of 12-5 and will now head to the Senate Floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – According to the CDC, six in 10 young people and five in 10 adults consume a sugary drink each day. A measure by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) to ensure kids’ meals have healthy beverage options as a default to combat the risk of health issues passed the Senate Tourism and Hospitality Committee Thursday.

“Improving the nutritional quality of restaurant children’s meals can help improve diet quality and cultivate lifelong healthy eating behaviors, which help children grow up healthier,” Hunter said. “If we can prevent children from having certain illnesses and behavioral issues, we should do everything in our power to do so.”

Senate Bill 1846 would require restaurants to provide healthier drink options to automatically come with children’s meals. Drinks could include water, sparkling water, unsweetened flavored water, unsweetened low-fat or non-fat milk, unsweetened non-dairy milk alternatives, or 100% fruit or vegetable juice.

Parents would still have the choice to ask for other types of beverages, like soda or lemonade, if they wish.

SB 1846 is an initiative of the Illinois Public Health Association to foster healthier eating with children.

A 2012 analysis reported that 33%of children eat foods or beverages from fast-food restaurants and 12 percent from full-service restaurants on a typical day. Americans spend almost half of their food budget on restaurant foods. Children eating out has been associated with higher consumption of calories, sugary drinks, saturated fat, and total sugars, and with lower diet quality compared to meals at home.

Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with dozens of health issues, including weight gain/obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout.

“Ensuring health for our children and future generations is something I am very passionate about, and I am proud to bring this groundbreaking legislation to our state,” Hunter said.

Senate Bill 1846 waits to be heard by the full Senate and can be tracked online here. A podcast on this bill can be heard here.

SPRINGFIELD – To help young adults improve their financial literacy, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) moved legislation that would create the Equity through Financial Literacy Task Force from the Senate Human Rights Committee today.

“Knowing how to navigate complex financial systems is necessary for young adults to be successful,” Villanueva said. “We must be proactive in educating young people on how to stay safe from financial predators and how to overcome systemic barriers to capital.”

The task force would investigate how to best educate residents to maximize their income, avoid predatory practices and fines, and plan for their financial futures. Recommendations will focus on efforts to reduce economic disparities in historically disinvested groups.

In 2020, Americans reported an average of $1,634 in lost income due to a deficit in financial education. These costs are even more devastating to people of color, who have an average of $700,000 lower household wealth than white families.

The legislation, Senate Bill 1556, passed the Senate Human Rights Committee and awaits consideration before the full Senate.

Villanueva avanza para mejorar la educación financiera entre jóvenes adultos

SPRINGFIELD – Para ayudar a que los jóvenes adultos mejoren su educación financiera, la Senadora estatal Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) avanzó hoy una legislación que creará la Fuerza de Trabajo de la Equidad a través de la Educación Financiera en el Comité de Derechos Humanos del Senado.

“Saber cómo navegar el complejo Sistema financiero es necesario para el éxito de los jóvenes adultos,” dijo Villanueva. “Debemos ser proactivos en educar a los jóvenes sobre cómo no caer en manos de depredadores financieros y cómo superar las barreras sistémicas de acceso al capital.”

La fuerza de trabajo investigará la mejor manera de cómo educar a los residentes para maximizar su ingreso, evitar prácticas depredadoras y pagos por comisiones, y planear su futuro financiero. Las recomendaciones se enfocarán en los esfuerzos para reducir las disparidades económicas en grupos en los que históricamente no se ha invertido.

En 2020, los estadounidenses reportaron un promedio de $1,634 en ingresos perdidos debido a un déficit en su educación financiera. Estos costos son más devastadores entre gente de color, quienes promedian un nivel de riqueza acumulada por hogar inferior en $700,000 comparado con las familias blancas.

La legislación, SB 1556, fue aprobada por el Comité de Derechos Humanos y espera ser considerada por el pleno del Senado.

SPRINGFIELD – To better determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has harmed LGBTQIA+ communities in Illinois, State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) passed legislation out of an Illinois Senate committee Thursday that would require state agencies and hospitals to gather more specific data on age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation and gender identity when dealing with COVID-19 patients.

Simmons, the first openly gay member of the Illinois Senate, said visibility is the first step to ensuring justice in how services are delivered to these historically marginalized communities.

“For members of the LGBTQIA+ communities, who already disproportionately face challenges in getting medical care or sadly lack the support of family, COVID-19 has the potential to be even more devastating,” Simmons said. “We can’t protect these communities if we refuse to see them.”

SPRINGFIELD – To help working families facing housing insecurity, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) passed legislation Wednesday in the Senate Revenue Committee to encourage the development of quality, affordable housing units.

“We must be proactive in addressing the looming eviction crisis and building an equitable recovery,” Gillespie said. “Creating incentives in the housing market to produce affordable housing means better options and more stable lives for working and poor families across the state.”

The legislation would create a property tax abatement for affordable housing units. To receive it, property owners must commit to keeping rents for least 20 percent of their units at or below the maximum rent for 20 years. The bill would also require that the families renting those units be at or below maximum household income limits.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) would enforce the measure, and the measure would also require local governments to submit affordable housing plans to IHDA.

Senate Bill 2304 passed in the Senate Revenue Committee and awaits consideration before the full Senate.