Caucus News

DEERFIELD — State Senator Julie Morrison is leading legislation that would ensure the Illinois State Police utilize the national DNA profile database CODIS to notify investigating agencies if a consistent DNA profile has been identified.

“The CODIS database is a valuable tool for law enforcement agencies to ensure our safety and seek justice for victims of crimes,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It is imperative that we continue to provide the administrative tools needed to ensure the Illinois State Police is able to utilize and contact investigating law enforcement agencies if a match is identified.”

SPRINGFIELD — In an effort to keep students safe, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton is leading a measure to include railroad safety information in student handbooks.

“Student safety has to be at the forefront of our priorities,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “Our residents have expressed concern about schools near railroads and ensuring students understand the protocols in place to keep them safe.”

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Doris Turner celebrated the opening of the new SCHEELS Sports Park complex Tuesday. Projections indicate the facility will attract 250,000 annual visitors, generate an estimated $25 million in annual economic activity, and bring a significant boost to Springfield’s tourism industry. The new complex will also allow youth in Springfield and the surrounding area to access new, state-of-the-art sports facilities that provide opportunities for healthy physical activity and community engagement.

“The SCHEELS Sports Park development has been years in the making, but it’s not just a park — it will serve as a premier destination for a wide range of family-friendly and community events,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “We are seeing hundreds of people, from athletes to spectators to organizers, come to Springfield for tournaments each weekend, boosting our local economy and bringing in tourism dollars. This facility will have a lasting effect on the Springfield community for decades to come.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes is leading a transformative piece of housing legislation that will rein in excessive parking requirements imposed by municipalities and remove a key barrier to building more homes for working families.

“Every unnecessary parking space we mandate is a home we aren’t able to build,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure is about putting families first and making sure communities have the tools they need to grow, welcome new residents and build housing that people can actually afford.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Mattie Hunter is leading sweeping legislation that would reform exclusionary zoning laws and open new pathways for affordable, diverse housing across the state.

“Underserved communities across Illinois have been bearing the weight of the housing crisis for years," said Hunter (D-Chicago). “Senate Bill 4060 gives us the tools to build more housing in more places – and to do it in a way that is fair, transparent and enforceable.”

As part of Governor JB Pritzker’s Building Up Illinois Developments – or BUILD – proposal, Hunter is leading Senate Bill 4060.

CHICAGO – Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus celebrated the launch of a first-of-its-kind incentive program to promote environmentally conscious television and filmmaking, positioning Illinois as a nationwide leader in sustainable film production.

“I am proud to support an initiative that brings together innovation, job creation, and environmental responsibility,” said State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin). “Illinois is setting the standard for how states can grow their industries while building a more sustainable future.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel advanced a measure that would let paraprofessionals with a short-term approval license become fully licensed after their short-term license expires.

“Paraprofessionals do a lot to help teachers,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “They provide important assistance for students’ instruction, behavior and personal care under the guidance of teachers and administrators.”

Paraprofessionals’ short-term approval licenses are valid for three years but cannot be renewed. Current regulations allow someone with a short-term approval license to act as a paraprofessional while working toward meeting the full-time license qualifications.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt advanced a measure that would ban the use of AI tools in teacher evaluations.

“This measure protects teachers by ensuring their evaluations are written by people, not AI,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “This will keep the process fair, transparent and more focused on real classroom performance.”

Senate Bill 2909 would prevent school administrators from using AI to write teacher evaluations. A teacher evaluation is a formal process used to measure an educator's effectiveness, instructional skills and classroom performance. The use of AI while writing these evaluations brings up many transparency and privacy concerns for teachers.