State Senator Dave Koehler discusses his initiative to support small farmers producing specialty crops by establishing a new grant program, which has allowed local farmers to increase their product yield and made food grown in the state more accessible to Illinoisans.

State Senator Lakeisa Collins joins the Sound of the State to talk about her new law designed to improve birth outcomes through improved access to midwives, perinatal doulas, and lactation consultants.

For the month of October, the nation honors those affected by breast cancer and raises awareness to help promote early detection, treatment, and a cure. In this episode of the Sound of the State, State Senator Laura Ellman discusses the significance of this annual observance and shares her personal story about overcoming breast cancer.

The second Monday in October is recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which honors the sovereignty, resilience and contributions of Indigenous communities. State Senator Mark Walker joins the Sound of the State to highlight legislation he’s led to address past injustices, including the repatriation of Native remains and artifacts and an effort to transfer land back to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

 Illinois safeguards the fundamental right to choose — including the right to choose when and how to start a family. This episode with Senator Cristina Castro and Representative Margaret Croke dives into a new law expanding coverage for fertility treatments like IVF.

State Senator Dave Koehler and Shreya Nallamothu, the high school student who helped develop this legislation, discuss Illinois' newly-enacted Kidfluencer law and how it protects young people from exploitation on social media.

Legislative measures from the final week of the 2024 spring session are featured in this edition of the Majority Report, including bills to address maternal mortality rates and protect Illinois consumers from unwanted automatic membership renewals.

The Illinois Senate concluded its 2024 spring session with members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus leading the way in passing a balanced budget prioritizing education, public safety, and more. Get details on the new budget which takes effect on July 1st, in this edition of the Majority Report.