DeLuca Highlights Session Work, Efforts to Help Working Families

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As spring legislative session concludes, state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, is highlighting his work to help area families, invest in law enforcement and attract new business investment to the region.

“A lot of families are still hurting from the pandemic, it’s important that we have their back,” DeLuca said. “This session we took needed action to attract jobs to our area, invest in our classrooms and ensure our law enforcement has the tools they need to safely and effectively do their job.”

Included in the budget package, DeLuca led efforts to increase the amount of money local governments will receive from the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF), enabling communities to better focus their spending on first responders, local roads and critical community programs. Additionally, DeLuca also supported an increase in public safety funding, a suspension of the grocery tax and a freeze of the state gas tax.

Beyond the budget, DeLuca personally led passage of:

• Senate Bill 3189, which creates the Southland Reactivation Act intended to create jobs, lower property taxes and incentivize local commercial and industrial redevelopment in the south suburbs with underutilized properties;
• Senate Bill 3893, which helps to address teacher shortage issues by increasing the number of days a substitute teacher can work, from 90 days to 120 days; and
• House Bill 4688, which approves bonding authority for Manhattan School District 114, with referendum, to assist their efforts with investing in a new school building to meet increasing enrollment.

Looking ahead, DeLuca is continuing to push the Senate to support his House Bill 642, which would institute leadership term limits in the General Assembly – particularly needed in the wake of Michael Madigan’s indictment.

“I’m encouraged that we were able to pass a responsible, fiscally-disciplined budget that provides relief for families and protected critical community services,” DeLuca said. “It’s going to help a lot of people, but more work remains. I look forward to engaging with area residents on how I can continue to best represent them in Springfield.”