84th District State Representative Stephanie Kifowit has been working hard on getting legislation from the House to the Senate as the General Assembly enters the final five weeks of the spring session. Kifowit says she continues to fight to bring effective policies forward for residents in her district, especially active duty military and veterans.
One of those bills is House Bill 1362, which cleans up some technical language regarding the differential that is paid to active duty military members from their military pay compared to their regular wages in their other jobs. She says there was an error that would only offer 50 percent differential pay if a shift was split between two days versus a traditional one-day shift.
"They were getting shortchanged what’s called a differential. So, what it is is when they are called up on duty, if it’s active duty, they’re normally paid less than their salary. So what we do is give a little bit of a differential that difference between, let’s say your army pay and firefighter pay, and that differential goes to the employee so that their family doesn’t experience extreme hardship due to the service of their loved one."
Another bill that Kifowit got through the House was a bill that would ensure veteran organizations would get donations that are allocated when veterans are issued special license plates designating their veteran status.
Kifowit says as bills go from the House to the Senate, bills are making their way from the Senate to the House for consideration, so committees will begin meeting next week to go over senate bills for potential discussion on the House floor and possible action.
97th District State Representative Harry Benton says it continues to be a busy time for lawmakers in Springfield as they gear up for the final six weeks of the spring session. He says he had a few pieces of legislation pass through the House and are now in the Senate for further review.
One of those bills is House Bill 2967, which would amend the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act and require higher education institutions to conduct a sexual misconduct climate survey of all students biennially instead of annually among other changes.
"I ended up working on a reporting for universities for, sexual assault, to put on another board member, and then change the way that the reporting is done. That was somebody’s bill. We ended up having five that we could pass, so I helped out a colleague to try to move that bill forward."
Another bill Benton advanced through the House was House Bill 3444, which would offer potential exemptions for licensing of day care facilities that serve military families or are located on military bases. The bill advanced to the Senate after a unanimous vote in the House.
Benton says the rest of the spring session will continue to keep lawmakers busy, as the next big topic to tackle will be the state budget.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House passed legislation Thursday to allow former or currently incarcerated people to participate in higher education programs and receive financial aid.
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) said recent Prison Policy data show nearly 70% of incarcerated people have interest in getting a college degree, but only 3% have post-high school education.
Rep. Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) presented House Bill 2466 on April 10, 2025.
Her proposal would allow these prospective college students to receive MAP grant funding as they leave the Illinois Department of Corrections.
"Those who are incarcerate may not be paying taxes currently, but all of their family members are paying into the same pot that we’re trying to get them access to," Ammons said. "The estimated cost for this is insignificant to the state budget."
Ammons explained this change would only cost the state $3.2 million for the next fiscal year.
House Bill 2466 passed out of the House on a 72-39 vote. The plan now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
Scherer suffered a rib fracture and three small vertebrae fractures. A doctor said the injuries "would heal with time and did not require surgery," according to the crash report.
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SPRINGFIELD – Illinois K-12 schools may soon be required to pick new mascots to replace those that reference Native American names and imagery.
That would include logos, team names and mascots which 90 schools throughout the state use, such as the Mt. Zion Braves or the Cahokia Comanches, according to legislators. House Bill 1237 passed in the House on Thursday with a vote of 71-40.
The bill points out specific mascots and names like “Redskins, Braves, Chiefs, Chieftains, Tribe, Indians, or any synonymous term” as those being banned. It also applies to logos with Native American feathered headdresses or traditionally Native American weapons, especially if combined with feathers.
If signed into law, schools would have to have a new mascot chosen by July 1, 2026. Other big changes, that would cost schools money, have a slightly longer delay.
Instead of requiring schools to buy new athletic uniforms and other school materials with new iconography as soon as the bill passes, schools could keep using those old materials until Sept. 1, 2030, as long as the new names and logo designs have been picked out.
There is also an exception for any school whose mascot has a direct tie with a federally recognized tribe and the school gets permission from that tribe to continue using the mascot. That consent would have to be renewed every five years, according to the bill.
This isn’t the first year the bill’s main sponsor, Rep. Maurice West, D-Rockford, has tried to pass the Native mascot ban.
When West tried in 2020, members of the Native American Chamber of Commerce of Illinois asked him to push for teaching Native American history in schools first.
That education bill didn’t make it into law until 2023. Read more: Bill requiring schools to teach Native American history heads to Senate floor
“This is about the welfare and benefit of our students. It’s about not harming our students,” said Andrew Johnson, executive director of NACCI, during a March 20 committee hearing. “It’s also not about polls, popularity, contests, anecdotes, tradition, honor, DEI, wokeness or political correctness.”
Advocates said they wanted to focus on K-12 schools because they can choose not to be fans of professional sports teams like the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, but they can’t choose not to send their children to school.
This bill also does not apply to universities.
Educators and representatives said the bill would minimize children’s exposure in school to stereotypes about Native Americans.
“At one point, native mascots and logos were the most widespread education about native people in our state,” said Megan Bang, a professor at Northwestern University, during a committee hearing. “This year is our first time as a state to require teaching about native people.” Read more: Pritzker signs bills expanding protections for Native Americans
“The contradictions of both having educators teach about real Native people, but continue to perpetuate stereotyped images, sets up for educators to have harder times with young people, and sets in motion contradictory learning objectives for young people as well,” Bang said.
When the bill was discussed on the House floor, Republicans were united against the bill in their votes after they came back from an hour-long meeting they took during the bill’s debate.
“If there’s bad actors, absolutely let’s get rid of them. And I will also just leave you with this question,” Travis Weaver, R-Edwards, said. “This group of people were oppressed, but is oppressed and forgotten better?”
Aaron Golding, member of the Seneca Nation Beaver Clan and member of the Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative, said in March that Native Americans’ input and concerns are often dismissed.
“Our voices and expertise on these issues are ignored,” Golding said. “See, when people are taught about our history prior to 1900 only, without an understanding of our contemporary experiences over the most recent 125 years – and ‘recent’ is pretty loosely said there – it’s easy to dismiss us as ghosts of the past whose needs don’t matter today.”
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
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Longtime Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) is home recovering after a serious car accident last week that left her with broken vertebrae in her back.
According to a release from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Scherer, who has served in the House since 2013, was involved in the crash April 1 at 8:17AM at the corner of Wyckles Road and Park Road in far northwest Decatur.
Scherer allegedly drove into oncoming traffic and was hit by another car.
According to the police report, Scherer said at the hospital she didn’t remember what happened. Later, she told police she looked at the intersection and didn’t see any traffic.
When we reached out to Scherer Monday on a separate issue, her daughter responded by text that she had been injured in a car accident. We did not seek further information.
The report states Scherer suffered a rib fracture and “three small vertebrae fractures that the [doctor] stated would heal with time and did not require surgery.”
A House Democrat spokesman issued a statement on behalf of the entire caucus:
“Rep. Scherer’s colleagues are glad to know she is on the road to recovery and look forward to welcoming her back when she is able.”
We’re told Scherer is home and recuperating from the accident. Her district encompasses most of Decatur and east and downtown Springfield, with a small strip of territory connecting the two.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — On Tuesday, the Illinois House passed a bill that would prohibit schools from using a name, logo, or mascot that is derogatory or representative of a disabled individual or group.
House Bill 3527 was introduced by Rep. Maurice West (D-Rockford) in response to a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights by the activist group Mascots Matter, which accused Freeburg High School’s mascot, the “Midgets,” of offending people with dwarfism.
“Mascots should uplift, not discriminate, while creating a supportive environment for all students,” said West. “Harmful and outdated mascots from Illinois schools, including those that perpetuate harmful stereotypes, have no place in our state. This bill is a critical step toward ensuring our schools foster a more inclusive, respectful future for all in Illinois. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the state senate to pass this bill into law.”
If passed by the Senate, the law would require schools to adopt a new mascot by September 1st, 2028.
West is also behind House Bill 5617, which would amend the school code to prohibit school use the likeness of any person, animal, or object associated with Native American culture.
State representative Stephanie Kifowit was recognized Monday, March 31, as one of the 25 Illinois Women Veteran Leaders of 2025 during a celebratory ceremony at Malcolm X College. The annual honor highlights women veterans across Illinois who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, service, and commitment to their communities.
Rep. Kifowit, a proud United States Marine Corps veteran, has built her career on service—first to her country, and now to her residents. As a legislator, she has been a tireless advocate for veterans’ rights, access to healthcare, and mental health services, as well as increasing state-level support for women who have served.
“Being a U.S. Marine is a lifelong honor, and it shaped the person I am today,” said Kifowit. “I carry those values with me every day in Springfield, fighting for veterans to get the care, respect, and opportunities they deserve. To be recognized alongside these incredible women, who have also worn the uniform, is deeply meaningful to me.”
The 25 Illinois Women Veteran Leaders award shines a light on trailblazing women whose impact reaches beyond their military service, celebrating those who continue to lead and uplift others in their civilian lives. Rep. Kifowit’s selection reflects her unwavering commitment to those who’ve served and her ongoing legislative leadership on behalf of veterans across Illinois.
For more information about the event or to participate, please visit the official event page or contact Rep. Kifowit’s office at 217-782-8028.
Oswego Democratic State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit is asking homeschool families to keep an open mind about a proposal that would regulate homeschooling in Illinois.
House Bill 2827 has cleared committee and is now being debated in the Illinois House.
Kifowit says the goal is to make sure there are some basic guardrails in place for children.
"The basis of the bill was certainly not to punish or to infringe upon any of the good homeschoolers again some of them I know. Their kids did well in a homeschool environment and and I appreciate that," Kifowit said.
"But it is really getting to the individuals who are just bad actors and they use homeschooling as an excuse to keep their kids out of school and continue the cycle of abuse. And I I hate to say I personally know, two adult individuals that went through this and I have gotten emails, from now adults that said the only reason I was homeschooled was because I was abused and neglected and my parents did not wanna be found out."
Among other provisions, the bill would require homeschool guardians to notify the public school their child would otherwise attend.
Republican State Rep. Jed Davis of Newark is opposing the bill, saying it creates too much government oversight into people’s lives.
Working for Illinois Caucus 