SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois residents walk through the aisles of their local grocery store, they may wonder how far their food travels before it reaches their table. This has led State Senator Dave Koehler to advance an initiative to make Illinois food more readily available on store shelves.

“This initiative strengthens our food industry in a way that cultivates a stronger, more sustainable food system that benefits everyone,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “By bridging the gap from farm to table, we give our family farmers more opportunities to distribute their goods while making fresh produce available to our community.”

Senate Bill 3077 would create the Local Food Infrastructure Grant Act. This measure would require the Illinois Department of Agriculture to amplify local food processing, collection and distribution within the state through grants. Eligible applicants would include farms, co-ops, process facilities, food businesses and hubs with fewer than 50 employees, as well as Illinois nonprofit organizations and local governments.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure educational resources are accessible for children who are deaf or blind, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton passed an initiative to broaden the scope of services offered at the Philip J. Rock Center and School in Glen Ellyn.

“All children, regardless of their sensory needs, deserve the opportunity to receive high-quality education and support,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “By extending the services of the Philip J. Rock Center and School, we're opening doors to new opportunities for children throughout our community.”

Currently, the Philip J. Rock Center and School only serves students who are both blind and deaf. It is the only publicly funded residential school in the country for deaf-blind students. The school currently assists nine students from age three through 21.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Adriane Johnson passed a measure to require regular monitoring of water quality from nearshores, harbors and public water supply intakes in Lake Michigan.

“Lake Michigan is the largest public drinking water supply in the state, serving nearly 6.6 million people, in addition to being Illinois’ largest recreational resource,” said Johnson (D - Buffalo Grove). “The protection of water resources is essential for sustaining public health, quality of life and economic prosperity.”

Senate Bill 3716 would update an existing provision to ensure that the IEPA is regularly monitoring water quality from nearshores, harbors and public water supply intakes in Lake Michigan. The measure would also require the IEPA to provide an executive summary every two years on conditions of the water quality in Lake Michigan to the governor and General Assembly. This update further aligns Illinois with the federal Clean Water Act. 

SPRINGFIELD – To alleviate the negative impacts light pollution poses on our state’s environment, State Senator Laura Ellman passed a measure out of the Senate to implement responsible outdoor lighting standards.

“We may not immediately think of light as a source of pollution or consider the impacts that artificial light creates,” said Ellman (D-Naperville). “This impact includes migratory birds, nocturnal insects, people who cannot experience a natural night, and our expenditure of resources.”

Light pollution refers to the brightening of the night sky by man-made light sources, including street lights and buildings. Excessive light in our night sky causes a variety of issues, such as interfering with bird migration, nocturnal insects and our optical health.

SPRINGFIELD – When a logistics company proposed a busy trucking facility across the street from a residential neighborhood, the Lake County community strongly opposed the planned development.

Compounding the issue was that the property for the development and the residential subdivision were under the jurisdiction of different governing bodies. In response to the community’s uprising, State Senator Julie Morrison passed a bill to prevent this in the future.

“We are developing a task force to give us direction and resolution on what to do when future development plans are presented,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “We want to look at giving communities input on industrial developments occurring near their place of residence.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. is alleviating financial burdens on organizations that help vulnerable populations to ensure access to essential nutrition services by exempting home-delivered meals from sales tax for Medicare and Medicaid recipients

"For many Medicare and Medicaid recipients, home-delivered meals are a lifeline – providing essential nutrition and support," said Sims (D-Chicago). "However, the added burden of sales tax can create financial strain for those already facing economic challenges. Senate Bill 3476 aims to remove this barrier to access, ensuring that vulnerable individuals can receive the nourishment they need without additional financial burden."

Under Senate Bill 3476, home-delivered meals – like from Meals on Wheels – provided to Medicare and Medicaid recipients would be exempt from sales tax when payment is made by an intermediary, such as a Medicare Administrative Contractor, a Managed Care Organization, or a Medicare Advantage Organization, pursuant to government contract.

SPRINGFIELD – To secure a border scope of accountability for protecting human rights, State Senator Mike Simmons advanced legislation to extend the deadline for filing human rights violations in the workplace and public accommodations.

“Extending the statute of limitations for filing civil rights violations is crucial for violations that are traumatizing,” said Simmons (D–Chicago). “It provides a better path to relief for those who have been harmed.”

Under Simmons' new legislation, Senate Bill 3310, the deadline for filing and seeking redress for a civil rights violation in employment and public accommodations will be extended from three hundred days to two years.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Simmons passed legislation through the Senate aimed at improving access to affordable housing for young people experiencing homelessness, particularly those struggling with mental health issues or substance abuse.

“This bill is directly informed by community partners and constituents who have told us many young people age out of programs and services when they turn 18, putting them in limbo for additional support services until they turn 21,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “By lowering the eligibility age to 18, we can help more young people when they need it most preventing future housing insecurity and instability.”

The Housing is Recovery pilot program seeks to provide affordable housing through a combination of rental subsidies and access to recovery support services or treatment for individuals contending with mental health and substance abuse issues.