Working for Illinois Caucus

Recently Illinois State representative Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) successfully advanced a bill designed to protect the historical graves of our Nation’s veterans. HB 4934, an initiative stemming from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), seeks to amend the Human Remains Protection Act to provide enhanced protection for those wishing to maintain and preserve our veterans’ graves.

“I am honored to champion HB 4934, a bill that reflects our unwavering commitment to honoring the legacy and sacrifices of our veterans,” stated representative Kifowit.

“As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran myself, ensuring the dignity and respect of our fallen heroes is a cause close to my heart. This legislation serves as a critical step towards preserving the memory of those who have served our Nation.”

HB 4934 proposes amendments to the Human Remains Protection Act to address the protection and maintenance of graves belonging to veterans who passed away more than 100 years ago. If identified as a veteran’s remains, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will permit veterans’ organizations, such as the VFW, to place markers on these graves. Additionally, in the unfortunate event of damage or destruction to these graves, the veterans’ organization may undertake necessary repairs or replacements after making a good faith effort to contact the next of kin.

“Honoring a veteran’s grave should never be reduced to placing a flag on a pile of dirt and rubble on Memorial Day,” said Naperville VFW Post #3873 senior vice commander, Staci Boyer.

“Witnessing this process that represented 35 veteran graves ignited the Adopt a Veterans’ Grave Project, uniting communities to honor our heroes. Collaborating with Naperville cemetery officials, and community businesses we have navigated legal complexities while ensuring respect for burial rights.

Through HB4934, we seek to grant our veteran service organizations authorization to help navigate refurbishment hurdles and honor those who served. Together, let’s ensure no veteran’s sacrifice is forgotten. Thank you for considering our mission.”

The VFW has been instrumental in advocating for this initiative, particularly through their “adopt a veteran’s grave project.”

However, one of the significant challenges faced has been locating next of kin to obtain permission for the maintenance of these historical graves. HB 4934 aims to address this hurdle by granting veterans’ service organizations the authority to intervene and maintain these graves when warranted.

With the successful passage of HB 4934 out of the House, the bill now awaits consideration by the Senate before it heads to the governor for his signature.

—Illinois State representative Stephanie Kifowit

The Illinois House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation on Tuesday that would have Illinois recognize June 27th as National PTSD Awareness Day. House Bill 4928 is sponsored by State Rep. Harry Benton of the 97th district in Plainfield.

Benton says that people across the state suffer from PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder, and his bill aims to promote better recognition of the effects that it can have on individuals. Benton says that it is also important to recognize those who provide assistance to PTSD patients, including friends, family and other caretakers.

Millions of Americans suffer from PTSD, which can affect individuals who were a part of or near a traumatic event. Many PTSD cases involve veterans, assault victims and first responders.

After passing the House, the bill now heads to the Senate.

PLAINFIELD, IL — A Plainfield state representative and former village trustee helped pass a bill to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Democrat Harry Benton’s House Bill 4928 aims to promote greater recognition of the effects that PTSD has on people, according to a Thursday news release. The bill is moving through the Illinois House of Representatives to have the state recognize June 27 as National PTSD Awareness Day.

"Anyone can experience a traumatic life event," Benton said in a statement. "What’s important is that after traumatic events we are struggling to cope with, we can count on care and support from our family and community. Part of making sure people across Illinois dealing with PTSD are supported is increasing awareness and understanding of this condition, which I’m hopeful this bill will play a part in doing."

Although anyone who experiences or was near a traumatic event can develop the disorder, certain groups of people, including veterans, experience PTSD at a higher rate.

About 6 out of every 100 people, or 6 percent of the United States’ population, will have PTSD at any given time, and about 13 million Americans had the condition in 2020, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

"People across this state, from veterans, to first responders, to assault victims struggle with PTSD," Benton said. "This condition not only affects those who live with it, but also their friends, family and other caretakers, and it can be really stressful and overwhelming for them too. That’s why it’s so important for us to acknowledge the people battling this condition, and to take steps to help ensure they are all seen."

Millions of dollars in state funding is available to reimburse Illinois municipalities that provide aid to asylum seekers.

The aid can include food, shelter and transitional housing support, clothing and wraparound services such as case management and translation, transportation, early childhood education, school enrollment, legal assistance and health and wellness services to address the trauma and stress of relocation.

"Illinois believes in the morality of all human lives. That’s what it means for us to be a welcoming state," said state Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford.

More:What happened the night a plane filled with asylum seekers landed in Rockford?

In the first round of Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services Grants, Chicago received $30.25 million; Elgin, $1.27 million; Lake County, $1 million; Urbana, $250,000; and the Village of Oak Park, $400,000.

On March 28, the Winnebago County Board approved a resolution outlining the county’s response in the event of a crisis where asylum seekers are abandoned in Winnebago County without means of transportation to the landing zone in Chicago.

Per the resolution, the county will only use resources and expenditures related to the cost of transporting asylum seekers to the landing zone in Chicago and any essential care needed prior to travel, including temporary shelter, food, water, and necessary medical care.

The state defines asylum seekers as "an individual who crossed the Mexico/U.S. border on or after August 1, 2022, with the intent to stay permanently, and who does not possess any permanent or interim U.S. legal status."

In round two, $11 million in funding has been made available to municipalities outside of Chicago.

Only municipal governments receiving or willing to receive asylum seekers are eligible to apply.

A total of $165 million has been set aside by the state to reimburse municipalities for services rendered, West said.

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star general assignment reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrstar.com and X @chrisfgreen.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, has been selected by Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to lead a legislative working group formed in order to focus Illinois’ response to widespread difficulties with teaching vacancies.

“I approached Speaker Welch about forming this working group because teacher turnover continues to increase and districts are struggling to fill vacancies,” Stuart said. “We have taken some small steps in recent years, and districts are doing all they can to attract talent, but the problem still exists, so it’s time to step up our efforts.”

Stuart is a former educator and career-long advocate who has an extensive history of advocating for public education. She says she hopes the working group will be able to turn an assortment of related and often overlapping or intersecting bills into a coordinated and effective policy response.

“Our priority has to be what’s best for our students, and that means what’s best for our teachers,” Stuart said. “There are a lot of groups out there trying to address these issues in a lot of different ways, and they all have agendas and plans and priorities. But, at the end of the day, what we need to achieve is to fill vacancies with qualified teachers so that Illinois families can once again rely on their kids having access to the world class education that should be the birthright of every American child.”

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