SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) joined State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), State Representative Jay Hoffman (D-Belleville) and Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly Wednesday for a press conference to discuss legislation aimed at modernizing the Firearms Owner Identification card procurement process. 

“The modernization of government services is an ongoing, but necessary process,” Hastings said. “We are undertaking this initiative because of the belief that responsible gun owners should not be penalized due to those who have taken advantage of the existing system,” Hastings said. “By bringing this system into the 21st Century, we can remove burdens from law-abiding gun owners and give law enforcement the ability to hold bad actors accountable.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) released the following statement after an announcement that Kimberly-Clark, maker of trusted brands including Huggies and Kleenex, will expand its presence in Chicago with a new commercial center for its North American consumer products business:

 “The North American Commercial Center is expected to open in the Fulton Market area of Chicago, which will fall in the district I represent. I am confident that this initiative will create a massive increase in employment, while also providing an economic boost to our community.

“After a year like 2020, bringing employment opportunities to the 5^th District is crucial to the financial recovery of thousands of residents.

“Kimberly-Clark has been a hub for consumers worldwide, and I could not be happier that Chicago will get a taste of its liquidity. I commend everyone involved in this effort, and I will look forward to the center’s launch.”

The announcement was made Wednesday by Governor JB Pritzker, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and World Business Chicago.

SPRINGFIELD – Responding to a crucial need for hundreds more early childhood educators in the coming years, State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas (D-Chicago) passed a plan out of the Senate Higher Education Committee Tuesday to provide new college degrees and an easier path to training for those already working in the field.

“This is not just about providing a brighter future for our kids, but also the people who are already working so hard to help them learn and grow,” Pacione-Zayas said. “We know that high quality early care and education is key to helping our children realize their full potential. We need to remove barriers by expanding access and affordability in this field to show support for the workforce that cares and educates our youngest while families work and pursue educational goals.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation introduced by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) that would require the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to fly the United States, Illinois and prisoner of war/missing in action flags at all state parks passed committee on Wednesday.

“When these flags are flown, they become more than flags, they become a representation of our nation and state, as well as a reminder of the sacrifices brave service members gave to protect the freedoms we all enjoy today,” Belt said.

SPRINGFIELD – On Wednesday morning, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) joined a press conference alongside State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), Representative Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) and Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly to discuss legislation to modernize Firearms Owner Identification cards in Illinois.

“Applications for Illinois FOID cards and concealed carry licenses have been backlogged for more than a year, and my office has received countless calls from constituents asking us to fix this problem so they can be compliant with the law,” Bennett said. “Together, we have formed a solution with the Illinois State Police that would help clear the backlog and speed up application processing.”

Senate Bill 1165, an initiative of the ISP, would create a prohibited persons portal to help law enforcement identify people whose FOID cards have been revoked, create a review board to respond to revocations and denials, and enact other changes to make the application and renewal process more efficient.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) has advanced an initiative to allow families to use funds from qualified tuition plans to cover the cost of K-12 tuition and apprenticeship supplies, bringing Illinois on par with neighboring states.

“Twenty-two states—including several of our bordering states like Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin—consider K-12 tuition and apprenticeship costs eligible expenses under qualified tuition plans,” Crowe said. “This initiative builds on Illinois’ commitment to give students the best opportunities by helping families afford K-12 education and job training.”

SPRINGFIELD – To protect women and children in Illinois, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Senate Public Safety Committee that would establish the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission.

“Incidents of domestic violence have increased dramatically since the start of the pandemic,” Villanueva said. “Families are counting on us to take proactive measures to prevent violence.”

The commission would establish regional review teams by judicial court, conduct domestic violence fatality reviews and advise the Governor and General Assembly on domestic violence prevention policy. The commission would consist of four members of the General Assembly, one appointee by the Governor and various public members representing survivors, support organizations and law enforcement.

SPRINGFIELD – On Tuesday, State Senator Karina Villa (D-West Chicago) joined a broad coalition of housing, civil justice and nonprofit organizations across the state to pledge her support of measures to increase access to housing by fighting income discrimination. 

“This legislation is critical now more than ever as we face a mounting housing affordability crisis and new destabilizing forces imposed by the pandemic,” Villa said. “Not only will this bill support those utilizing non-wage income and housing subsidies, but also workers like servers and bartenders who’ve experienced source of income discrimination because their profession may be viewed as unstable by housing providers. By ensuring landlords view all income with equal weight, we are creating important safeguards for family stability.”

Villa is the chief co-sponsor of Senate Bill 2492, which would help remove barriers to housing access by requiring the Department of Human Services to lift undue administrative burdens in the application process for tenants applying for housing assistance. This measure would also strengthen Illinois’ fair housing laws by creating new protections to ensure families are not refused housing solely because of the source of their income. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated our communities in more ways than we can count, and it also shined a bright light on the lack of fair and affordable housing in Illinois,” Villa said. “Everybody deserves equal access to housing opportunities, and it’s imperative that any action we take makes it easier for individuals to obtain much-needed assistance.”

The full press conference can be viewed here.