Buckner Issues Statement Following End of House Spring Legislative Session

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, issued this statement following the end of the House’s spring legislative session in Springfield:

“The past several months have seen major legislative victories that will help build a better future for our community. Illinois’ balanced budget will fund significant childcare expansions and bring millions of dollars to historically excluded communities so we can make healthcare more accessible, end food deserts, and create opportunities for our youth.

“In addition to the budget, I was proud to stand with measures to preserve reproductive rights. Bodily autonomy is under attack from extreme partisan interest groups and an activist Supreme Court. However, we are doing everything in our power to keep Illinois a haven for human rights by cracking down on deceitful crisis pregnancy centers, making reproductive health medications more accessible and expanding access to emergency contraception.

“We have also taken substantial steps to combat the epidemic of gun violence that has hurt so many Illinoisans. While there is much work still to do, bills we passed to get weapons of war off our streets and hold gun manufacturers for the outcomes of hyperviolent advertising represent enormous strides will, simply put, make people safer.

“I passed legislation streamlining our property tax system by targeting gaps and closing loopholes in the property tax code that drive properties into long-term vacancy and abandonment. Instead of living up to their possibility for development, countless vacant homes in our community have been stuck in years-long cycles of foreclosure and tax sales. I’m pleased to play a part in ending those pointless and destructive cycles.

“As Illinois increasingly shifts towards alternative methods of transport, such as bikes and motorized scooters, it’s important we provide for the safety of people who aren’t commuting in cars. I passed a measure to ensure the Illinois Department of Transportation constructs improvements to our infrastructure that make riders of alternative vehicles and pedestrians safer. The safety of our community will always be a priority for me, and our approaches to keeping people safe have to change with changing times.”