Caucus News

Details: Category: Senator Celina Villanueva News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 03:39 PM

Senator Villanueva SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) was sworn in to continue representing the 11th State Senate District of Illinois on Wednesday.

“I am honored to have the trust and support of my community,” Villanueva said. “When I go to Springfield, I bring the voices of my community with me knowing that we are stronger when we fight for justice together.”

Senator Villanueva first joined the Illinois Senate in 2020, previously serving in the Illinois House of Representatives since 2018. Before holding elected office, Villanueva was an organizer for the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and Chicago Votes.

Several ZIP codes in the 11th State Senate District have the highest infection rates of COVID-19 in the state, compounding on already existing health and economic disparities in communities of color. Holistically addressing the disparities highlighted by the pandemic remains her first priority as lawmakers enter the 102nd General Assembly.

“The pandemic has further highlighted what communities of color have faced for generations,” Villanueva said. “We won’t accept going back to how things were pre-pandemic. We must build our communities back stronger and more resilient.”

Details: Category: Senator Laura Murphy News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 03:38 PM

Senator Murphy SPRINGFIELD – Improving the state’s educational resources, restoring the public’s trust in government and fighting for middle-class families remain priorities for State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), who was sworn in to her second full term Wednesday, Jan. 13 at the Capitol.

“I’m honored to have the confidence of the people of the 28th District, and I pledge to continue representing them faithfully in the Illinois Senate,” Murphy said. “Over the past five years, I’ve made it my mission to push for government transparency and accountability, affordable education for all, and better support for working families in Illinois—and I have no plans to slow down.”

Murphy was appointed to the Illinois State Senate in 2015 and stood for election in 2016 and 2020. The 28th Senate District neighbors O’Hare International Airport and includes all or parts of Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Roselle and Schaumburg.

In 2020, she was appointed Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate.

“Working in the General Assembly means engaging in conversations and negotiations with my fellow lawmakers to come up with solutions we can all stand behind,” Murphy said. “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to continue this work and make sure the Illinois government is truly serving the people of this great state.”

Details: Category: Senator Cristina Castro News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 03:37 PM

Senator Castro SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) and several other members of the Illinois Senate were sworn in as the 102nd General Assembly began earlier today. Castro’s inauguration marks the start of her second term.

“I was very proud of all the good my colleagues and I were able to accomplish during my first term, and I am both honored and humbled that the people I represented trusted me enough to continue that work for another General Assembly,” Castro said. “There is still a lot of work that needs to be done, particularly to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am eager to begin the conversations with my fellow lawmakers to make Illinois a better place to live.”

Castro was first elected to the Senate in Nov. 2016 for a four-year term. Her current term, along with the terms of entire 102nd General Assembly, expires Jan. 11, 2023.

Details: Category: Senator Robert Peters News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 03:36 PM

Senator Peters SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) was sworn into his first full term in office today as the 102nd General Assembly officially began.

“This has been a trying year for many of us, so I do not take for granted the responsibility given to me by the people that I represent to look out for their best interests,” Peters said. “We are at a crossroads in our society, and I am confident that the 102nd General Assembly will be able to deliver real safety and justice to our communities and establish a world where everyone can be made whole.”

Peters joined the Senate in Jan. 2019, following the resignation of Sen. Kwame Raoul, who had been elected to serve as Attorney General the previous November.

The 102nd General Assembly serves until Jan. 11, 2023.

Details: Category: Senator Sara Feigenholtz News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 03:35 PM

Senator Feigenholtz SPRINGFIELD – Today, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) was sworn in for the 102nd General Assembly after joining the Senate in January 2020.

“This past year in the Senate has been like no other – after serving just three weeks, we were hit by COVID-19 and life transformed overnight,” Feigenholtz said. “The pandemic has been devastating to our communities, and our office has been working day and night to address the concerns and struggles of our constituents. The needs of Illinoisans resulting from the pandemic are bottomless, and I enter the 102nd General Assembly renewed and prepared to address our states full recovery.”

A veteran House lawmaker, Feigenholtz joined the Senate upon the retirement of her mentor, Senate President John J. Cullerton. Feigenholtz has a statewide reputation as an effective legislator and is known for navigating complex policy matters and sponsors a diverse portfolio of legislation.

Details: Category: Senator Elgie R. Sims Jr. News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 02:45 PM

sims 011421 SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed a measure that would impose comprehensive criminal justice reforms on how police are held accountable for the use of force, how courts impose bail and sentence convicts, and what rights all citizens, including detainees and prisoners, have with regard to their interactions with law enforcement officers.

“I am gratified that the Senate has passed this major reform package, and I believe it is the first step to transforming criminal justice in Illinois in a way that will uplift our communities and support our law enforcement professionals,” Sims said Sunday after House Bill 3653 passed the Senate 32-23. “This increases accountability and transparency in law enforcement, modernizes our bail and sentencing systems, and provides for greater protections and more humane treatment of those who have been arrested and accused of crime.”

Details: Category: Senator Kimberly A. Lightford News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 02:10 PM

SPRINGFIELD – In order to address the longstanding root causes of racial inequality and disinvestment that are holding back the Black community, the Illinois Senate Legislative Black Caucus has passed the most comprehensive legislative package in the nation to rid Illinois of systemic racism.

Decades of oppression, the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and police brutality inspired the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ push to end the historic disparities facing Illinois’ Black population.

Details: Category: Senator Christopher Belt News; Thursday, January 14, 2021 01:55 PM

SPRINGFIELD – In order to dismantle systemic inequality, combat discrimination in the workplace and promote growth in underserved communities, State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) has sponsored legislation that seeks to eliminate barriers to economic access, equity and opportunity.

“Black Americans make up about one in nine workers, but they represent one in six front-line workers— they should have the same career opportunities as any other individual,” Belt said. “This legislation is part of a larger effort to level the playing field moving forward.”

In order to eliminate historical economic disparities, the Senate passed a series of bills that addresses the third pillar of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ anti-racism agenda—economic access, equity and opportunity—which is made up of nine parts: