BUFFALO GROVE – With the life expectancy gap between Black and white Americans at its widest since 1998, State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) said it’s more urgent than ever to enact the reforms proposed in House Bill 158, which seeks to eliminate racism and improve equity in Illinois’ health care system.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing racial disparities in health and health care across the country, and these effects will linger in our communities long after we have defeated the virus,” Johnson said. “It’s time that every Illinoisan—including Black and Brown Illinoisans—has the support and resources they need to be well.”

Johnson is a co-sponsor of the initiative, which represents the health and human services pillar of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’s four-pillar agenda aimed at ridding Illinois of systemic racism.

The legislation contains a number of measures to expand services and improve health outcomes for underserved communities, including a provision to ensure health care workers undergo implicit bias training in order to root out racial prejudice in the delivery of medical care.

To fight the recent alarming rise in maternal and infant mortality rates, which are even higher among mothers and babies of color, the legislation would improve peri- and postnatal care in Illinois by increasing access to doulas and home visiting programs and preserving the availability of OB/GYN services in safety net hospitals.

Additionally, the initiative would support Illinoisans’ mental wellness starting at a young age by providing training to day care center and school staff on the topics of early childhood social emotional learning, infant and early childhood mental health, early childhood trauma, and adverse childhood experiences.

Other provisions address access to health care, hospital closures, Medicaid managed care organization reform, community health worker certification and reimbursement, hospital reform, and mental health and substance use treatment.

“Rooting out systemic racism in the health care system is a matter of life and death,” Johnson said. “This legislation takes long-overdue steps to support underserved communities and give all Illinoisans the thoughtful, high-quality medical care they need and deserve.”

House Bill 158 passed the Senate with a vote of 41-16 and now awaits the governor’s signature.

CHICAGO – State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) applauded the signing of a major economic reforms package Tuesday, the culmination of years of work on the part of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus and advocates to address structural racism in Illinois’ financial systems.

Among the reforms, Simmons said legislation capping payday loan rates at 36% and empowering employees to bring human rights complaints against their employers in particular are welcome changes that will help working people in the 7th Illinois Senate District.

“We need to push for an economy that roots out structural racism,” Simmons said. “These reforms should be a start to creating a path to an economy removed of some of the worst and most obvious forms of abuse.”

The wide-ranging economic reform package also included measures expanding the Illinois Equal Pay Act to hold employers of companies with more than 100 employees more accountable for how they pay their workers, as well as incentives to banks for providing lending and banking services to economically disadvantaged communities through the Illinois Community Reinvestment Act.

SPRINGFIELD – Following a year of grave racial injustice and in light of continuing challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) passed legislation out of the General Assembly that will improve equity in the state health care system.

“This legislation has been a long time coming. My colleagues and I have worked extremely hard to pass these measures to target the structural racism that Black Illinoisans face in various sectors, including the health care industry,” Hunter said. “These measures seek to bring an end to the disparities in our health care system that exist not just for Black people, but for other communities of color and low-income Illinoisans.”

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure students experiencing homelessness are aware of available resources, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced an initiative to require higher education institutions to designate one employee to serve as a housing insecurity liaison.

“Our state’s higher education system has a responsibility to fight our youth homelessness crisis and provide students with safe places to live,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Just one trusted employee could prevent homeless students from falling through the cracks by connecting them with aid.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is taking action to ensure local journalism survives in Illinois’ small towns and mid-sized cities.

“As a former journalist and news anchor, I know how important it is to have access to truly local news,” Stadelman said. “People deserve to know what’s happening in their communities, regardless of where they live.”

The measure would create the Local Journalism Task Force, which would be made up of 10 individuals representing print and broadcast media, journalism schools, and state and local government. They would be charged with conducting a study on communities underserved by local journalism and making recommendations on how to preserve and restore news coverage in these areas.

In honor of Women’s History Month, some of our women legislators paid tribute to Jane Addams, Ida B. Wells, Gwendolyn Brooks and Maria Cerda: Four women who paved the way for generations of leaders, and whose legacies of service and progress live on today. Thanks to Senators Melinda Bush, Laura Fine, Julie Morrison, Rachelle Crowe, Laura Ellman. Ann Gillespie, Celina Villanueva, Meg Laughran Cappel, Adrian Johnson, Laura Murphy and Mattie Hunter for sharing their stories.

DANVILLE – In an effort to replenish the stock at The Dwelling Place for homeless and at-risk individuals in Vermilion County, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) and Robinson Chiropractic are reminding residents to make a donation to their healthy food drive by Wednesday, March 31.

“With more people experiencing financial strain and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for food has dramatically increased,” Bennett said. “This increased demand has impacted community organizations like The Dwelling Place, so I encourage you to support the center and donate today, if you can.” 

According to The Dwelling Place, over 16,000 Vermilion County residents live in poverty and are at risk of homelessness, and over 500 children of school age are identified as homeless. Individuals and families who seek assistance for food are often in search of healthier options.

Bennett’s office will be collecting individually wrapped dried fruit, nuts, pumpkin seeds, granola bars, cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, fruit roll-ups, protein bars, Del Monte fruit cups, applesauce cups, and nonperishable food items. Expired food items will not be accepted.

Individually wrapped items will be accepted through March 31 in donation boxes at the following locations:

• Scott Bennett’s district office
  • 201 N. Vermilion St., Suite 323, Danville
    • Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Robinson Chiropractic
    • 3595 N. Vermilion St., Danville
      • Mon, Wed, Fri: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
      • Tues and Thurs: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Bennett reminds those donating to wear a mask in the building and practice social distancing. Collection boxes will be located outside of each office. Those interested in making a financial contribution to the center can make checks out to The Dwelling Place.

With questions or for additional information, contact Sen. Bennett’s office at 217-442-5252 or Robinson Chiropractic at 217-442-2273.

SPRINGFIELD – Youth Career Pathways, a new program led by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, recently awarded Southwestern High School grant dollars to expand access to training and support services for youth ages 16-24.

“This is a great opportunity for students, and something that will ensure lasting positive effects right here in Central Illinois,” said State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield). “We must commit to diversifying our strategies in programming, school curriculum and instruction, especially for at-risk students. We can eliminate these unfortunate risk factors that threaten students’ academic progress if we create more stimulating learning environments.”

This year, through the expanded program, the state will prioritize youth in disproportionately impacted areas and who are at risk for dropping out and falling behind on career preparedness. This includes youth who reside in minority and rural communities.

Grant money will assist workforce providers across Illinois in increasing training that helps youths obtain marketable skills that prepare them for their future careers.

Applicants eligible for the program include community colleges, community-based organizations, workforce agencies, school districts and other entities with a demonstrated plan to serve the target populations with postsecondary training and credentialing.