VILLA PARK – State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is encouraging local fire departments to take advantage of the state’s Small Equipment Grant program.

The program provides $3.3 million in funding across the state for firefighting personal protection equipment, infection control items and other small equipment. Organizations can be awarded up to $26,000.

“The COVID-19 pandemic serves as a reminder that our first responders and firefighters continuously put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe and healthy,” Cullerton said. “This grant program serves as a resource to assist in ensuring they have the vital tools and resources to do their jobs effectively.”

EAST ST. LOUIS – The Illinois Department of Transportation will host a series of free virtual workshops called the Building Blocks of Success, and State Senator Christopher Belt (D- Centreville) is encouraging businesses who want to participate in the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program to take advantage of the free opportunity.

“These workshops will be a great opportunity for businesses to choose what new skills they gain by targeting skills to meet the needs of their operation for now and in the future,” Belt said. “If you are small business owner, please do not miss out on the opportunity to become DBE certified.”

COVID-19 surge cancels veto session

SPRINGFIELD — As cases of COVID-19 surge at record high rates, the Illinois General Assembly’s fall veto session has been cancelled to keep legislators, staff and the community safe and healthy.

“The front page in the Nov. 10 Springfield paper warns of a COVID ‘tsunami’ sweeping the region and its health care system. This is not the time to physically bring together hundreds of people from all around the state,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “Given what’s happening, it was an obvious decision. It’s not safe or responsible to have a legislative session under these circumstances.”

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Martwick honors Veterans Day at opening of Chicago Veterans' Home

CHICAGO — In honor of Veterans Day, State Senator Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) celebrated the opening of the new Chicago Veterans’ Home along with the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Illinois Capital Development Board. The home is the first state veterans’ retirement facility to open in 20 years and the first to serve the Chicagoland area.

“It is my honor to announce the opening of the Chicago Veterans’ Home and see the hard work of so many that has turned into reality,” Martwick said. “Veterans are our heroes. They have made the sacrifice to protect this country for our freedoms, and that’s why they deserve our appreciation through safe and affordable housing.“

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Black Caucus Committee Roundup for week of Nov. 9

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus wrapped up more than two months of committee hearings in an effort to provide legislators with a look at lingering problems that Black Illinoisans face and identifying a path forward to eliminating systemic racism.

The hearings began after the caucus outlined its four-pillar legislative agenda in early September to identify measures that will put Illinois on a course for racial and economic equity.

Read more.

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CHICAGO—Kankakee County will receive $82,000 to improve its mass transit system, State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. (D-Chicago) announced Monday.

Sims is a member of the Appropriations I and II committees, and he is also one of the lead budget negotiators who sought funds to advance mass transit in rural communities.

“When many think of mass transit, they often think of urban areas, but it is actually a crucial resource for those living in rural areas,” Sims said. “Public transportation can be the difference in whether someone can make it to an important doctor’s appointment or provide nutritious meals for their families. I look forward to seeing how this investment helps improve the lives of people throughout Kankakee County.”

The Rebuild Illinois capital program will award $112 million to 31 downstate transportation systems. These grants are meant to help expand and improve services, provide more transit options and help improve the overall quality of life for residents.

Kankakee County’s grant will fund the replacement of a 14-passenger paratransit vehicle, which will be used as part of rural public transportation in Kankakee County.

It will also pay for the replacement of mobile radios in the county’s fleet. This will help ensure the safest and most efficient use of services in rural communities.

You can see the full list of local providers and awards here: https://idot.click/rbi-capital-plan-transit-grants

CHICAGO – State Senator Emil Jones, III (D-Chicago) is encouraging parents who might need a little extra help preparing their young children for school to enroll in the Illinois State Board of Education’s new educational text program.

“Oftentimes, we can get so wrapped up in our day that we could forget to do something as small as asking our kids how their day went,” Jones said. “However, providing parents with a reminder via text and prompts to engage with their children is a useful tool in encouraging parents and children to prioritize those conversations.” 

The Chat2Learn Program — spearheaded by ISBE and the Behavioral Insights and Parenting — will engage up to 50,000 parents and caregivers of preschool-aged children in Illinois Preschool For All and Preschool For All Expansion programs. Program administrators are encouraged to sign parents up on their behalf. However, parent-enrollment will open at a later date.

Through conversation prompts given to parents through the program, future students will build literacy, mathematics, and social-emotional skills for kindergarten readiness. The messages are based on research evidence collected by the BIP Lab.

An example message is: "Part of being a parent is getting to know your child better every day. Ask your child, 'If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, what would you do?'"

Text messages begin on Dec. 6 and continue through June 30, 2021.

For more information, visit https://biplab.uchicago.edu/

CHICAGO – State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) is encouraging uninsured and underinsured Illinoisans to visit the Affordable Care Act Marketplace during the open enrollment period, which runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15.

“Everyone needs and deserves health insurance,” Villanueva said. “This is the time of year when you can go to the ACA Marketplace and find or change insurance if you don’t have an employer-sponsored plan and you don’t qualify for Medicaid.”

This year, Illinoisans will be able to choose from 179 plans from eight insurance providers. There are also tax credits available to help lower-income residents reduce their monthly payments and find affordable coverage.

ROCKFORD – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Friday that over $350 million in funding is set to be allocated as part of the Rebuild Illinois Capital Project. State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is pleased to announced that the Rockford Mass Transit District will receive a portion of those funds.

“The Rebuild Illinois project is a great way for the state to make much needed and  long-overdue infrastructure improvements, and I’m pleased that the Rockford Mass Transit District will be receiving a grant,” Stadelman said. “Every day, thousands of people rely on the RMTD to get to and from home, work or school or to visit one of the countless local businesses that make our city great. With this grant, they’ll be able to provide a better and safer experience for riders, which is even more crucial during a global pandemic that is causing people to rethink their travel habits.”

IDOT will provide the RMTD with $6.85 million, which will be used for various maintenance related projects including:

• The purchase of new paratransit units and alternative fuel buses to replace existing vehicles that have reached the end of their lifespan;
• The purchase of technology, including radios, computer tablets, cameras and automatic passengers counters, to help enhance safety, improve operation connectivity, and streamline the process of transferring to the Stateline Mass Transit District; and
• The design, construction, purchase and installation of various electric and power equipment to reduce levels of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission.

“These funds will go a long way toward helping the Rockford Mass Transit District provide a more modern, efficient service that will greatly benefit those who use the system as well as the city of Rockford as a whole,” Stadelman said.

Friday’s announcement was the first of three grant distribution cycles, with the subsequent two scheduled to be released in 2021 and 2023. A full list of grant recipients from the first cycle can be found here.

CHAMPAIGN – The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District, CRIS Rural Mass Transit District, Champaign County and City of Danville were named as recipients of a combined $9.98 million grant to improve transit service throughout the community, State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) announced Friday.

Bennett, a member of the Senate Appropriations II Committee, worked to prioritize mass transit systems during negotiations of the landmark, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois statewide construction plan.

“Public transportation is an important resource for thousands of residents, allowing them vital access to work, school, health care and more,” said Bennett. “By prioritizing public transit and making the necessary improvements, we are giving residents the freedom and mobility to get wherever they need to go.”

Grant funds will be used for new or renovated buses, transit stations and maintenance facilities. This is the first of three grant cycles for mass transit projects through the Rebuild Illinois plan, with the next two set to occur in 2021 and 2023.

“Transit in our downstate communities can be a lifeline for getting to work or school, a doctor’s appointment or a trip to the grocery store,” said Acting Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said. “This funding through Rebuild Illinois means these providers finally will have the resources they need to improve service in communities that have not seen this type of investment for many years.”

A complete list of local providers and awards can be viewed at https://idot.click/rbi-capital-plan-transit-grants.