ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is encouraging residents to participate in the Citizens Utility Board’s (CUB) ongoing Virtual Utility Bill Clinic to potentially save money during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As more people spend time at home, energy usage has gone up, which means monthly utility bills are going up as well,” Stadelman said. “Families already have additional financial burdens in this uncertain time. I encourage residents to use CUB’s online clinics to help them reduce their bills.”

To participate, residents should send a copy of their most recent electric, natural gas and telecom bills to CUB at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Attn: Virtual Utility Bill Clinic.” Participants can remove personal information, but their documents should include the account holder’s name.

A CUB specialist will evaluate the bill to determine if you are signed up with an alternative supplier or if you are paying for unnecessary products or services. CUB will also let you know if you are eligible for money-saving programs, like financial assistance, and share information about energy-efficiency programs.

Stadelman encourages residents to take advantage of CUB’s free utility bill clinics so to help keep their utility usage and costs in check. For more information on the program, please visit www.citizensutilityboard.org.

CHAMPAIGN – State Senator Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) encouraged Champaign County residents to fill out the 2020 Census, protecting their representation in government and share of federal funding.

“The census is currently underway and is easy to complete with the new online questionnaire option. For a family of four, I was able to fill it out in a matter of minutes using a smartphone,” Bennett said. “Responding to the census is critically important because it determines funding for things like roads, hospitals, fire departments, and schools in Champaign County.”

In 2010, Champaign County had a final response rate of 70.4%. So far this year, Champaign’s response rate is down, currently only at 60.7%. More than half of the county’s residents’ responses have been submitted online.

“The census can be completed from the comfort of your own home and you can make your voice heard by participating,” Bennett said. “Now more than ever, it is vital that we ensure everyone is counted.”

Although online is the quickest way to fill out the questionnaire, there are three ways you can respond: online, by phone or by mail. Bennett also pointed out that higher self-response rates mean fewer individuals are likely to receive visits from census surveyors to be counted in-person. This year, census surveyors are putting the health of themselves and their families at risk from COVID-19.

If you haven’t filled out your census questionnaire yet, you can visit 2020census.gov, where you can find the online questionnaire and additional information about the census. To see local responses rates across Illinois and the entire nation, visit www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us.

Bennett urges Champaign County residents to complete census from home

CHICAGO – With her home ZIP code experiencing the highest COVID-19 infection rate in the state, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“Staying at home is a privilege that working people literally cannot afford. With an overwhelmed unemployment system, no adequate safety net and lack of personal protective equipment, people in my community are forced to choose between getting infected at work or losing everything.

“As we continue adapting to this pandemic, we must address the amplified economic and health disparities in our communities. It is black and brown ZIP codes that have the highest rates of infection, so addressing that starts with additional testing sites in our neighborhoods.

“I am grateful that the governor announced he is partnering with community health centers to make testing more available, as well as covered by emergency Medicaid regardless of status. I urge the governor to continue these partnerships and to reach out to local businesses to ensure that they are strictly following health and safety guidelines for the thousands of service industry and other essential workers who are putting their lives on the line.”

BUNKER HILL – State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) is urging Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to rethink their decision to keep the Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area closed.

Manar raised concerns in a letter to the governor after learning Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area wasn’t included in the latest list of state parks set to reopen. After releasing an initial list of 25 state parks and wildlife areas on April 23, IDNR announced on May 1 that they would open an additional 35 parks, including Beaver Dam State Park in Macoupin County.

“With appropriate social distancing and other commonsense measures in place, I am of the opinion that Coffeen Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area should open,” Manar said. “I urge the governor and IDNR to rethink this decision and allow Montgomery County and area families to enjoy local recreation that Coffeen Lake provides.”

Manar says outdoor recreation is a necessity for all Illinoisans, but is particularly at risk for those who live downstate.  He notes that many smaller communities don’t have local parks, so state parks, historic sites, and recreation areas become more important. 

“Access to fresh air and exercise is crucial for all Illinoisans, and in many rural communities, municipal and neighborhood parks are simply not an option, because they often do not exist,” Manar added. “I appreciate the governor adding Beaver Dam State Park to the original list of parks that would open. Now, I am asking him to do the same for Coffeen Lake.”

ROCKFORD –State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) encouraged Winnebago County residents to fill out the 2020 Census, protecting their representation in government and share of federal funding.

“The census is an incredibly important tool that the federal government uses to determine how much money will be given to the Rockford and surrounding areas,” Stadelman said. “Filling out the census is easier than ever before with the new online questionnaire option. For a family of six, it took me 10 minutes to fill out.”

In 2010, Winnebago county had a final response rate of 72.5%. So far this year, Winnebago’s response rate is down, currently only at 67%. More than half of the county’s residents’ responses have been submitted online.

 “If the Rockford area is undercounted, we will receive less money, less representation and less influence across the state and country,” Stadelman said. “It’s up to us to be counted, or we will be counted out.”

Although online is the quickest way to fill out the questionnaire, there are three ways you can respond: online, by phone or by mail. Stadelman also pointed out that higher self-response rates mean fewer individuals are likely to receive visits from census surveyors to be counted in-person. This year, census surveyors are putting the health of themselves and their families at risk from COVID-19.

If you haven’t filled out your census questionnaire yet, you can visit 2020census.gov, where you can find the online questionnaire and additional information about the census. To see local responses rates across Illinois and the entire nation, visit www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us.

DEERFIELD — During Foster Parent Appreciation Month, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) is expressing gratitude toward the thousands of foster families across the state who have opened homes to children who previously lived in unsafe conditions. 

“At a time where children are home every day without teachers or daycare staff being able to keep an eye on their safety, it is more important than ever they live in strong, loving households,” Morrison said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of families across the state have committed to keeping children safe for an unknown amount of time and have done so graciously.”

About 4,000 children across the state each year are taken into temporary care through the Department of Children and Family Services when they live in an abusive or neglectful home. Foster families provide protection and love while the agency works with families to make positive changes in the home, in an effort to reunite parents with their children.

“I have the utmost respect for people who have selflessly opened their arms to take care of the state’s most vulnerable children,” Morrison said.

To become a licensed foster parent, people are encouraged to call 1-800-572-2390 or fill out the online interest form on the DCFS website found at www2.illinois.gov/dcfs

CHICAGO– State Senator Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) is joining Alderman James Cappleman and Alderman Michele Smith for a virtual community forum focused on census participation and community building during the pandemic.

“This event is a great opportunity for us to check in with the community and share tools to help residents get counted in the census,” Feigenholtz said. “COVID-19 has been devastating for our constituents. An undercount in the census can result in losses in critical funding that our communities need. We will not let that happen.”

Illinois is at risk of losing two congressional seats, depending data obtained through the census. An undercount of just 1% could to lead to a $195,574,350 loss in funding for the state over a 10-year period.

“We are living in a real-time crisis experience, which is exactly why we need to all be counted in the census.” Cappleman said. “If we are undercounted in Illinois, we will lose precious federal resources that we need to provide services, programs, and resources to our communities.  The Stay at Home Order makes it even more difficult to ensure we get an accurate count.”

The event will also highlight ordinary and often overlooked ways to support local communities during this crisis. The agenda will cover a wide range of subjects from community service to mask making.

“Neighbors are calling our office asking how they can support our community during the pandemic,” Smith said. “COVID-19 has taught us to re-define service and how we can get involved while we stay at home.”  

The event will take place via Zoom on May 12 at 12:30 p.m. Those interested can RSVP here. Guests can expect a special performance from performance artist and Drag Queen CircuitMOM (aka Matthew Harvat). All three officials have been longtime champions for the needs of LGBTQ+ communities. In the spirit of community engagement, they decided that the event would not be complete without celebrating their districts’ cultural diversity.

CHICAGO — With workers at nearly 70 nursing homes across the state planning to go on strike because of unsafe working conditions, several Illinois Senate Democrats wrote a letter to the Illinois Department of Public Health and many local health departments Tuesday requesting to know the amount of Personal Protective Equipment that has been distributed to those nursing homes and the process by which it was distributed.

“The hardworking people who put their own health on the line to care for our state’s most vulnerable population should not have to do so without proper protection,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Workers shouldn’t be left wondering when and if they’ll get more supplies, and management shouldn’t have to find and pay for most PPE that is needed out of its own pockets.” 

The request comes from members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus who have at least one nursing home in the district they represent where management received strike notices last week. Employees of 64 nursing homes across the state sent strike notices to management, saying facilities do not have enough PPE, safety protocols, and adequate hazard pay. 

In an effort to stand up for those workers in their districts, the group sent a letter to IDPH and local health departments to ask how facilities are chosen to receive PPE and how much PPE these nursing homes have received since the start of the outbreak.

"When our nursing home staffs aren't afforded adequate PPE, that puts worker and resident lives in danger," said State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview). "PPE is scarce right now, but our frontline workers need these supplies in order to continue caring for those who need it the most.”

Late last month, WBEZ — a Chicago-based public radio station — reported 625 Illinois nursing home patients and staff have died from COVID-19. Nursing home deaths make up more than a third of the state’s COVID-19 deaths. 

“We need to do everything possible to provide a safe environment for our nursing home workers, who day in and day out protect our most vulnerable loved ones,” said State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Schaumburg).