CHICAGO — State Senator Sara Feigenholtz is celebrating news that Illinois welcomed a record 113 million visitors in 2024, exceeding the previous record and bringing an increase in visitor spending, tax revenue and hospitality jobs.

“Visitors and locals alike know that Illinois is the best place to be, and the ‘Middle of Everything’ campaign has tremendously helped us get the word out far and wide,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “Illinois’ record-breaking tourism numbers are evidence of our commitment to promoting our great state to visitors while supporting our tourism industry.”

In 2024, visitor spending directly generated $4.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, according to Tourism Economics. This boost in revenue has stimulated various sectors of the state’s economy while directly supporting 282,165 jobs in the state’s tourism and hospitality industry, an increase of 3,965 jobs from 2023. The city of Chicago saw an impressive 7.7% rise in overnight visitors, further highlighting the state’s appeal as a premier destination for domestic tourists.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Sara Feigenholtz championed a newly signed law strengthening Illinois’ efforts to address the teacher shortage by removing unnecessary hurdles that drive people away from becoming an educator.

“For years, parents and teachers in my district have been feeling the crunch of the teacher shortage,” Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) said. “As we continue to equip our teachers with resources and support, we need to make sure they don’t face setbacks because of family or medical obligations.”

The law, originally Senate Bill 1584, comes in response to a local resident who took family and medical leave during her pregnancy when she was licensed under short-term approval. For many educators, including Feigenholtz’s constituent, short-term approval in a new subject area is a path to becoming a more versatile teacher who can teach more classes — but it typically only lasts three years.

SPRINGFIELD — Despite the decade that’s passed since marriage equality became the law of the land in all 50 U.S. states, the LGBTQ+ community still faces persistent discrimination in housing and barriers to homeownership. Recognizing the need for change, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz championed legislation that updates Illinois’ property laws with gender-neutral language.

“For years we have methodically chipped away at outdated, stereotyped and outright exclusionary language in our state’s laws,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “Today we take another step to strengthen our property laws — sending the message that no matter who you love, your gender identity or expression, you are welcome to build your home, family and life here in Illinois.”

Currently, Illinois law only references property transfers between a husband and wife, leading to lengthy delays in real estate transactions for same-sex couples and transgender individuals. Feigenholtz’s new law addresses this barrier by revising state law to refer to married couples with gender-neutral language, giving clarity to title companies and ensuring same-sex couples do not face barriers to acquiring or transferring property.

SPRINGFIELD — To help Illinois and Chicago collaborate more effectively on key pedestrian safety initiatives, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz championed a plan laying out guidelines for what they must study to make streets safer.

“These guidelines will streamline cooperation, cut red tape and help the Illinois Department of Transportation take concrete steps to study ways we can prevent further tragedies,” said Feigenholtz (D-Chicago). “Enhanced collaboration will give us a clearer picture of how best to improve street safety in our city and across Illinois.”

In January 2023, IDOT and the Chicago Department of Transportation entered into a Memorandum of Understanding agreement in an effort to strengthen their collaboration and streamline the review process for safety improvements on local streets and state routes. The MOU was in part sparked by a request from Feigenholtz that the departments conduct a traffic study after a pedestrian was killed in the 6th Senate District.