Mayfield Prioritizes Communities of Color and Working Families

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, issued the following statement reflecting on the Illinois House of Representatives’ spring legislative session:

“This year, we took two steps forward after taking a step back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first step was one towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The second step was one towards dismantling years of systemic barriers faced by black and brown communities across our state every day.

“The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus worked tirelessly to enact meaningful criminal justice reforms; advance education and workforce development measures; promote economic access, equity, and opportunity; and strengthen access to lifesaving health care and human services. All four of these legislative items channel calls for justice and equity by putting the needs of our families and communities first.

“I also supported legislation to protect and support our immigrant communities, including the Illinois Way Forward Act that would prohibit law enforcement agencies from inquiring about a person’s immigration status or place of birth. I also backed legislation to create the Illinois Immigrant Task Force to examine what our state is doing to recognize, help, and support immigrant communities. Immigrants are members of our community and contribute to our state’s success. As we continue to look forward and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have an obligation to ensure that no community is left behind.

“And finally, our state will have a budget that will not hike taxes on middle-class families or slash funding for the most vulnerable in our committees. We closed corporate loopholes that have been abused for decades by companies that laid off our friends and families, hoarded relief money meant for small businesses, and still were able to post record profits in the midst of a global pandemic. This past year many of us have had to make sacrifices, it’s time multibillion dollar corporations do the same.