Stuart was re-elected in November.
Region: Metro East,Feeds,News
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January 14, 2025 at 10:21AM
Stuart was re-elected in November.
Region: Metro East,Feeds,News
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January 14, 2025 at 10:21AM
As State Representative Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, begins a new term in the Illinois House, she has her sights set on making college more affordable, protecting the rights of workers, and making the voice of the Metro East families heard in Springfield.
Stuart released the following statement:
“As we embark together on our journey into a new year, I am honored to continue to serve as an advocate for our community in Springfield. Education has been a top priority for me and will continue to be in the upcoming session. I plan to continue my work to invest in and support public, vocational, and higher education in Illinois. I look forward to building on the achievements of the last two years: from securing a $25 million investment in the Collinsville Area Vocational Center to crafting policies aimed at addressing the educator shortage, to improving access to higher education through measures like the AIM HIGH state grant program, I will continue my work to improve the quality of and access to education in Illinois.”
“Workplace safety will continue to be a top priority for me as the Warehouse Safety Task Forces’ recommendations have been finalized. It is time to act on those recommendations and enshrine them in law to prevent a tragedy like the 2021 Edwardsville tornado from happening again."
“I remain convinced that we are at our strongest when we look after one another, and I look forward to continuing my fight for these issues and continuing my advocacy for a better and brighter future for our community and Illinoisians across the state.”
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January 13, 2025 at 10:40PM
(WIFR) – Community members and lawmakers mourn the death of former 67th District Representative Charles “Chuck” Jefferson of Rockford.
The 79-year-old Jefferson served in the Illinois legislature from April 2001 to July 2014 and acted as Assistant Majority Leader.
Prior to that, he served on the Winnebago County Board from 1990 to 2001.
Jefferson was a veteran of the U.S. Army where he earned the rank of sergeant in the military police unit.
In 2020, the African American Resource Center designated a stretch of Winnebago Street from Morgan to Montague streets as Chuck Jefferson Way.
“He was a trailblazer,” said current 67th District Rep. Maurice West. “Little did I know, that…18, 19 years later I was going to follow in his footsteps.”
“I remember him telling me, ‘Maurice, the more you put in it, the higher the chance you’ll win it,’ and that stuck with me. It’s been with me. And I’m going to miss him greatly,” West said. “I’m riding on his shoulders. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Chuck Jefferson.”
State Sen. Steve Stadelman also shared a statement following news of Jefferson’s death.
Jefferson is the second lawmaker from the region to die in recent weeks. In late December, former Illinois state Rep. Ron Wait died at age 80.
On Saturday, Gabrielle Torina, Fifth Ward Alderperson for the City of Rockford, shared a statement about Jefferson on her Facebook page.
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January 13, 2025 at 07:45PM
Newly inaugurated state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, will carry her community’s needs this legislative session to prioritize a government that works smarter, manages money responsibly and prioritizes lower costs and effective resources for working families, Briel said in a news release.
Briel was formerly chief of staff for retired state Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa. She will use her new position to continue advocating for communities in her district, District 76, by tackling rising costs and expanding assistance to families who need it most, Briel said. The 76th District includes La Salle, Bureau and DeKalb counties.
“This is about building a stronger Illinois, a place I’ve called home my entire life,” Briel said in the news release. “I’m honored to have been passed the torch and take on this responsibility to address the climbing cost of living, access to affordable health- and childcare, and drive policy that invests in public safety, health and education.”
In addition, Briel aims to support workers’ rights, safeguard women’s health protections and cut government waste, allowing more resources and funding to be pooled into services communities rely on.
“As I head into my first legislative session, I look forward to collaborating across the aisle to find real solutions and ensuring our neighbors have the essential tools needed to build a strong and stable future,” Briel sad. “By remaining focused on our community’s needs, I’ll fight to ensure that no one is left behind and that our neighbors get the services they deserve.”
Region: Northern,Feeds,News,Region: La Salle
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January 12, 2025 at 01:19PM
A new law will help more Illinois residents gain access to mental health resources, according to 84th District State Representative Stephanie Kifowit. She says House Bill 2847, which takes effect as of the new year, allows for one mental health evaluation at no cost, which will allow people to begin treating their mental health like their physical health with annual screenings.
"So the state regulated commercial insurance is required to cover one no cost, no diagnosis mental health and wellness visit per year from a behavioral health provider. So much like anybody can access annual physicals. So the new law covers many people on commercial insurance including state and local government employees. It goes from teachers to first responders. So, it’s a step in the right direction."
Kifowit says these appointments can be treated like a baseline test of one’s mental health to determine if there are any issues that need to be addressed through further treatment or medicine. She says a resource like this can be vital for young people, as mental health issues amongst teenagers and young adults continue to climb.
"And I personally think it’s important for our youth as well because, unfortunately, a total statistic is the amount of youth we are losing to suicide, it is is staggering. It’s like the second most common cause of death. So if parents start teaching mental health the same as physical health, and before some of the stressors of teenage years, before some of the stressors of, you know, growing up in this environment with social media and everything start building. And these young individuals might not have the coping skills they need."
Kifowit says this law was one of the most impactful laws set to take effect as of January 1st.
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January 1, 2025 at 05:57PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8u2D9KtizI
State Rep. Lance Yednock’s final term in Springfield ends Jan. 8. He was good enough to sit down with Tom just before Christmas to discuss his time representing the 76th District. The conversation was thorough w Pugh to warrant two parts. Here’s the first part. Watch for Part 2 soon.
Tom’s Take is sponsored by Kathleen Wayland of Wayland Financial in La Salle.
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December 26, 2024 at 08:16PM
As the return to Springfield gets closer for lawmakers, Plainfield-Oswego Democratic State Representative Harry Benton is getting to work on looking into clarifying some existing policies. One policy item he is looking into is helping families of students with school attendance issues due to unexcused absences for dentist and orthodontist appointments.
Benton says many schools deem those appointments as unexcused, which leads to attendance issues for students that have necessary appointments. He says an issue like this is more about cleaning up the policy’s language. Benton says he enjoys working on policy and trying to make legislation as efficient as possible for everyone.
Region: W Suburbs
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December 23, 2024 at 06:11AM
Plainfield-Oswego State Representative Harry Benton says the upcoming spring legislative session is going to be a busy time for lawmakers, as the new General Assembly begins introducing new legislation and continuing discussions on ongoing legislative topics. Benton says he is looking forward to being back in Springfield and putting together effective policy to help his constituents.
One piece of legislation Benton has been working on is House Bill 5882, which would amend the state’s vehicle code to increase the weight limit on vehicles that run on alternative fuels. He says one company in his district is looking at rolling out a hydrogen-powered vehicle as a transport between their facilities in Plainfield.
"Working with Diageo, that happens to be in my district, and they wanna put a quieter, nicer, better truck on the road just to go 1.8 miles. So they wanna go from their facility to their warehouse right down the street. So it’s gonna be quieter for all the residents when they run all the time And then, you know, the future once they start getting this range figured out, they wanna start putting these on the road. And it’s kind of a great concept because you don’t have that lag time. It gets traffic moving faster. I mean they’re ready to go."
Benton says he has other legislation currently in the works, but he also hopes to do some work on policy cleanup and clarification. The spring legislative session will begin in January following the swearing-in of the 104th General Assembly.
Local,Region: South Suburbs,Region: Joliet
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December 20, 2024 at 12:07PM
BELVIDERE, Ill (WREX) – State Representative Dave Vella is set to offer a free FOID and CCL application assistance clinic.
The assistance clinic is completely free and open to residents in the Belvidere area and will be held at Sips & Sprinkles located at 211 W. Locust Street in Belvidere.
Individuals who are interested are welcome to stop in any time between 11 A.M. until 2 P.M. on Saturday, December 18.
Food and drinks will be available for purchase for attendees. No appointments are needed. Standard Illinois State Police processing fees apply, $11 for FOID total and $151 total for CCL.
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December 18, 2024 at 09:51AM