SPRINGFIELD — Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez’s measure expanding the ability of schools and future teachers to participate in the Grow Your Own Teacher program became law today.

The Grow Your Own Teacher initiative is a program designed to train people to become teachers in hard-to-staff schools.

“Illinois is dealing with a teacher shortage, so we need to do all that we can to place dedicated teachers in schools,” Martinez (D-Chicago) said. “We especially must work to ensure students at schools that are traditionally hard to staff, like those in low-incomes areas, have the same access to quality education as anyone else.”

The new law will expand the definition of "eligible school" and "hard-to-staff" schools for the initiative to include early childhood programs in which no less than 40 percent of the children it serves are receiving subsidized care under the Department of Human Services' Child Care Assistance Program.

SPRINGFIELD – Families of individuals who reside in facilities that care for dementia patients will have additional tools to prevent abuse of their loved one’s under a proposal by State Senator Terry Link (D-Indian Creek) that was signed into law on Friday.

Link’s new law – contained in Senate Bill 109 – allows for electronic monitoring in patient rooms in a building or wing of a building solely dedicated to dementia care.

“Dementia patients are especially susceptible to abuse or neglect at the hands of their caretakers,” Link said. “While we know most staff treat their patients with the utmost respect and dignity, allowing video monitoring equipment will serve as a deterrent to misconduct and offer peace of mind to family members.”

SPRINGFIELD – Single-occupancy public restrooms in Illinois will soon be identified as all-gender thanks to a measure from State Senator Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) that was signed into law today.

“Making single-occupancy restrooms gender neutral is inclusive, but it also just makes sense,” Bush said. “It's a small change that will make a big impact for thousands of Illinoisans.”

Senate Bill 556 requires any single-occupancy public restroom to be identified as all-gender and requires exterior signage that marks the restroom as such.

PLAINFIELD – Illinois residents’ genetic testing results will now be protected under a new law championed by State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant.

Signed into law on Friday, Bertino-Tarrant’s House Bill 2189 prohibits companies that provide direct-to-consumer commercial genetic testing such as ancestry.com and 23andMe, from sharing any test results with health or life insurance companies without the consumer’s consent.

“As genetic testing becomes more popular, it is essential that personal information remain private,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “Illinois consumers should have peace of mind that their health information will remain private as they make decisions to manage their health care.”

The number of people who have had their DNA analyzed with direct-to-consumer genetic genealogy tests more than doubled during 2017 and exceeded 12 million in 2018.

GLENVIEW – Youth in the care of the Department of Children and Family Services will have a few mew more protections in place under a new law taking effect sponsored by State Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview)

Senate Bill 191 deals with eligibility for the Family Support Program services or an Individual Care Grant. Under current statue, parents may be forced to give up custody of their children in order for the children to receive necessary mental health care. This causes many parents to opt not to provide that care, which negatively impacts the health and well-being of the child. The result is often that the youth will begin to engage in delinquent acts or have difficulty managing or coping with negative emotions and behaviors.

“Having to choose between your child’s well-being and keeping custody of your child is a decision that no parent should be forced to make,” Fine said. “That dilemma is removed under this bill, which allows parents to provide their children with the care they need.”

GODFREY – Lewis and Clark Community College will receive a total of $113,300 in state grants, State Senator Rachelle Crowe announced today.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White awarded the grant through the Adult Literacy Grant Program, which helps learners develop and enhance their reading, math, writing and English-language skills.

“Ensuring all adults have adequate resources in literacy and other English-language skills provides them the support they need to lead successful lives,” Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) said. “I am grateful that the secretary of state continues to prioritize theses significant programs.”

Lewis and Clark Community College will be receiving $63,300 for Project READ and $50,000 for the Alton Area Family Literacy Program for a total of $113,300.

COLLINSVILLE – The Mississippi Valley Library District is the recipient of a $19,264 mentoring grant from the Illinois secretary of state, State Senator Rachelle Crowe announced.

The grant was awarded through the FY20 Project Next Generation program, which is a mentoring program administered through Illinois public libraries. Mentors work with middle and high school students to help them develop skills needed to use technology and find success through project-based learning. Mentors also help with developing life skills, such as effective communication, goal setting and conflict resolution.

The Mississippi Valley Library District is one of 29 public libraries in the state to receive the grant.

“I commend the secretary of state’s continued effort to support our underserved youth,” Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) said. “Putting more money into public libraries gives local children access to resources that improve their skills and confidence in the classroom.”

DECATUR – The Decatur Public Library is the recipient of a $14,600 mentoring grant from the Illinois secretary of state, State Senator Andy Manar announced.

The grant was awarded through the FY20 Project Next Generation program, which is a mentoring program administered through Illinois public libraries. Mentors work with middle and high school students to help them develop skills needed to use technology and find success through project-based learning. Mentors also help with developing life skills, such as effective communication, goal setting and conflict resolution.

Decatur is one of 29 public libraries in the state to receive the grant.

“I’m glad to see that the secretary of state is committed to investing in public libraries and underserved youth in Illinois,” Manar (D-Bunker Hill) said. “This grant will help provide at-risk students in Decatur with the tools they need to be successful both now and in the future when pursue a college degree or prepare to enter the job market.”