BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — Another balanced budget is now law thanks to state Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, who helped pass a budget prioritizing direct relief for Illinoisans and investing in the resources Washington is trying to slash.

“Our budget is focused on filling gaps created by federal cuts, just as it was last year,”said  Chung. “We have again managed to offset federal costs while maintaining our high standard of resources and access here in Illinois.”

Chung’s work this legislative session concluded in passing a fiscally and socially responsible budget that relieves the cost-of-living crisis while making key investments in food security and other state services at risk of federal funding losses or total elimination. 

The budget takes a number of smart steps to help families make ends meet, including:

• Nearly $100 million to help families afford groceries and put food on the table after Washington slashes nutrition assistance for more than over 100,000 Illinoisans.
  • Creating the new FRESH Program, which provides a one-time credit of up to $500, giving families a lifeline while they work with providers to reactivate benefits, 
  • Expanding free and reduced-cost school lunches ensuring children affected by SNAP cuts have a sustainable meal, and
  • Funding the Illinois Grocery Initiative to expand access to fresh food in food deserts. 

• Making back-to-school shopping more affordable by cutting the state sales tax on clothes, supplies, and other essentials for students, families, and teachers beginning in August.
• Freezing the gas tax to give families a break at the pump.
• Restoring property tax relief grants for schools so communities statewide can see property tax relief. 
• $500 million focused on affordable homes for working families sometimes known as the “missing middle” who do not qualify for traditional assistance but struggle to find quality homes in their price range.
• Fully funding safety net hospitals and $10 million dedicated to support Federally Qualified Health Centers for the most vulnerable families.
• Strengthening public safety initiatives including homelessness prevention and community-based violence prevention.

“Budgeting is precarious under this administration, finding creative ways to fill federal funding caps while continuing to invest in state priorities like education,” said Chung. “I’m proud to say we’ve passed another balanced budget, though I know there is more work to be done to ensure our community can access affordable resources.”

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BLOOMINGTON, Ill. —  State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, is hosting a Summer Reading Challenge open to all students grades kindergarten through eighth across the 91st district, running from Monday, June 15, through Monday, Aug. 17. 

“I want to invite all children in our community to participate in my Summer Reading Challenge, and win some awesome prizes,” said Chung. “If you need some suggestions, my kids and I really loved the Mindy Kim series. As Korean Americans, we love to find media that represents us.”

Participants who read ten books by the deadline will receive a $10 gift card to Carl’s Ice Cream, one pass to Miller Park Zoo and a signed certificate from Representative Chung. The program is open to all students in the 91st district from kindergarten to eighth grade.

“Reading is so important to our development as students and as people. We learn important lessons and morals from books, and despite being in a digital age, we need to keep encouraging our kids to read,” said Chung. “Enjoy your summer, but keep your brains stimulated with this fun challenge. Happy reading!”

Students can register to participate here, or pick up a physical application at Chung’s district office, located at 216 N. Center St. in Bloomington.

As a reminder, Chung’s district office serves her constituents seeking assistance in any state government-related case, unemployment, FOID cards, state licenses and more.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.— Working to make life easier and lower everyday costs for Illinois families, state Rep. Sharon Chung, Bloomington, helped pass another fiscally smart budget, creating no new taxes on working families and no severe service cuts, while advancing her own legislation.

“After countless hours of hard work and collaboration, we have finally passed another budget and we close out another legislative session,” said Chung. “These are some of the most important and impactful, yet long and stressful days of the year. All the late nights and tough conversations are worth it when we see a balanced budget that truly helps everyone in our community.”

Because of chaos in Washington, families across the state are struggling to make ends meet while facing a growing list of social concerns. Chung continues to advocate for her community by demanding intentional investments to solve the problems Illinois households are experiencing daily.

This year’s budget fully funds:

• Safety net hospitals, providing care regardless of health insurance status,
• After school programs, supporting working families, and
• The Local Government Distributive Fund, creating more tools for local governments to deliver property tax relief.

Highlights of the budget include investments in:

• The Fresh Act, giving Illinoisans who lost SNAP benefits a one time SNAP credit,
• State social services by reducing government operational costs to make up federal funding losses, and
• Families and students by supporting a Back to School Tax Relief program and investing in affordable school lunches.
• Working class people by temporarily freezing the gas tax, beginning in July

In addition to budgeting to create stability in Illinois despite chaos in Washington, Chung is sending several of her initiatives to the governor to be signed into law.

Chung focused on constituent-led legislation, passing measures to:

1. Improve workplace safety measures for nurses,
2. Ensure full-time public media staff have true freedoms of speech and press
3. Support local clinicians and specialists with the Transparency in Downcoding Act, and more.

“This year, I was proud to run bills almost exclusively brought to me by constituents,” said Chung. “I’m even more proud to have passed eight of those bills in both the House and the Senate, and I look forward to each one becoming law. Now, it’s time to head back to our district for the summer to find out how I can best support our community.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Fighting to reduce the cost of living for Illinois households, state Rep. Chung, D-Bloomington, is advancing a series of bills to the governor’s desk cutting costs on everyday purchases and utilities, banning gimmicks that raise prices, and requiring businesses to fairly compensate consumers.

“Despite so many contributors to the unfathomable high costs we’re seeing being at the national and international level, I’m doing what I can to make an impact in our community and across the state,” said Chung. “These bills are a first step in making life more affordable in our community.”

Chung worked to pass the following cost-cutting measures:

• House Bill 45: Expands access to savings by requiring retailers to honor all advertised sales or coupons, even if customers cannot access an app or operate digital coupons.
• House Bill 228: Cracks down on junk fees and hidden costs by requiring businesses to disclose all mandatory fees and charges added on top of an advertised purchase price.
• House Bill 4044: Strengthening consumer rights by banning no-return policies that limit customers to store credit for unused, unopened items for most purchases. 
• House Bill 4514: Allowing residents to voice opposition to general rate increases by requiring public utility companies fully inform residents of their rights prior to a rate proposal. 
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All four measures successfully advanced through House and Senate chambers. They await governor consideration before being signed into law.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Working to protect access to objective news, state Rep. state Rep. Chung, D-Bloomington, led a bill ensuring that media outlets affiliated with colleges and universities are not subject to editorial control by administration.

“Public media is under attack at the federal level,” said Chung. “We’re so lucky to have a thriving media landscape in our communities, so this is just one way to protect those keeping us informed.”

Many National Public Radio and public television affiliates across Illinois broadcast from college campuses, and their reporters and editorial staff often work as school employees. In order to ensure these partnerships don’t stifle journalists’ ability to report fairly and accurately, House Bill 4420 affirms free press and speech protection including all full time employees working in public media at state-funded institutions of higher education. 

Chung’s measure makes free speech and press coverage explicit, to ensure that all employees in public media at college and universities can express themselves without the burden of needing prior university review or approval. 

The bill also grants immunity to public media employees from lawsuits over expressive content, allowing these employees to have the same rights as any other journalist. 

“College students already had explicit coverage from state oversight, so this legislation specifically protects full time college media staff,” said Chung. “Full time staff must be protected as they work with and teach students the crafts of radio and newspapers.”

Chung’s House Bill 4420 passed in both the House and Senate and is waiting to be signed into law by Governor Pritzker.

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. –  State Rep. Chung, D-Bloomington, supported legislation allowing qualified speech-language pathologists to diagnose autism spectrum disorder (ASD) if the child is under age three and has no co-occurring medical conditions. With more evaluators, more evaluations can be conducted and more diagnoses given.

“Screening children for autism spectrum disorder at an early age can be life changing for some families to ensure their child is getting all of the support and accommodations they need,” said Chung. “As parents, we’re willing to do whatever it takes to help our kids, and this is one way to tend to our kids’ needs as soon as possible.”

House Bill 5225 would allow a qualified speech-language pathologist to diagnose ASD, so long as the child is under age three and has no pre-existing medical conditions, such as seizures, gastrointestinal problems or sleep disorders. The licensed speech-language pathologist would need to have an active autism evaluation credential issued by the Illinois Early Intervention Program, and the diagnosis must occur as part of the program.

Following diagnosis by a qualified speech pathologist, children must be referred to appropriate medical personnel for further evaluation or management for services outside the scope of practice of a speech-language pathologist.

“An ASD diagnosis is life changing for many reasons, but as a parent it means we can start to understand our children and their needs better,” said Chung. “With this bill, we’ll not only see earlier ASD diagnoses but also care and support plans that are developed much earlier in the child’s life.”

House Bill 5225 passed the House with bipartisan support and heads to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –  Working to protect access to objective news, state Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, introduced and passed a bill ensuring that media outlets affiliated with colleges and universities are not subject to editorial control by administration.

“Freedom of speech and press are First Amendment rights, and this bill affirms this is the case for all public media employees at state universities,” said Chung. “We’re maintaining the free speech protections college students already have, and simply ensuring our full-time university public media staff have freedom of press as well.”

Many National Public Radio and public television affiliates across Illinois broadcast from college campuses, and their reporters and editorial staff often work as school employees. In order to ensure these partnerships don’t stifle journalists’ ability to report fairly and accurately, Chung championed House Bill 4420, which affirms free press and speech protection including all full-time employees working in public media at state-funded institutions of higher education. 

Chung’s bill makes free speech and press coverage explicit, to ensure that all employees in public media at college and universities can express themselves without the burden of needing prior university review or approval. 

“Full-time college journalists and media employees have rights to freedom of press like everyone else,” said Chung. “I was proud to introduce, defend, and pass this bill, and now I’m excited to see my colleagues in the Senate bring this home!”

The bill passed the House floor and now advances to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, passed a bill creating the Higher Education Student Support and Academic Freedom Act, protecting the rights and freedoms of college and university students.

“I’m proud to represent students attending Illinois State University, Illinois Central College, Heartland Community College and my alma mater Illinois Wesleyan University,” said Chung. “These students are our future leaders, teachers, engineers and inventors, and I’m proud to protect their freedom in higher education.”

House Bill 4304 creates the Higher Education Student Support and Academic Freedom Act, guaranteeing students that their safety on campus will be a priority, their academic freedom and ability to speak freely will be protected, and their financial interests will be maintained. 

Additionally, as the cost of a college education becomes more and more of a challenge, universities and colleges will be required to disclose tuition, fees, and any other material financial obligations to students for true cost clarity.

This bill responds to federal attacks on higher education funding and students’ freedom of speech, ensuring that Illinois students of higher education can exercise their freedom of speech and opportunity.

“The current administration has attacked higher education and college students through financial and social penalties,” said Chung. “I take my job to represent these students seriously, whether they’re from our community or have chosen to spend their college years, and exciting times in their lives, with us. Students should be empowered to invest in themselves through education, not penalized or silenced.”

House Bill 4304 heads to the Senate for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Sharon Chung, D-Bloomington, helped pass a bill encouraging and expanding access to youth civic engagement by requiring high schools to provide voter registration opportunities and information, inspired by the life and legacy of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr.

“This bill continues the important work that some schools have already started, encouraging civic engagement at a time when democracy is being tested,” said Chung. “Our civic duty as legislators is to ensure our young people are aware of their civic duties and have the ability to register to vote before they graduate from high school.”

House Bill 4339, establishing the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. Young Voter Empowerment Act, ensures that all public high schools offer students of voting age the opportunity to register to vote. Registering to vote can be complicated, especially for first-time voters. This bill will give high schoolers a safe space to learn, ask questions, and take steps towards civic engagement.

This bill honors Rev. Jackson, Sr. and his dedication to equal rights and public service, who passed away earlier this year after a storied career marching alongside Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., developing the Rainbow Coalition based in Chicago, among other significant accomplishments.

“I am a staunch supporter of the young people of our state being civically engaged and am proud to support legislation supported by civil rights giant Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.” said Chung. “Giving the next generation the opportunity to register to vote is crucial because every voice matters, and every Illinoisan’s voice should be heard at the ballot box.”

House Bill 4339 was passed unanimously by Democrats, with 24 Republicans voting against and nine not voting, and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Following a series of winning seasons for Illinois State University (ISU) Athletics teams, state Rep. Chung, D-Bloomington issued the following statement:

“I’ve been outspoken about my pride in our ISU athletics program, and as a fan I’ve enjoyed watching these teams compete. Our football and basketball teams have found such success this season through hard work, togetherness, and grit. I’m so proud of all our student athletes.

“Redbirds football ended their 12-5 season placing second in the FCS National Championship, in what was probably the best football game I’ve ever seen.

“Our Men’s basketball team went 23-13 over the season, making it to the Final Four in the National Invitational Tournament.

“The Women’s basketball team placed second in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament to close out their 20-13 season.

“I want to give a special shout out to the Big Red Marching Machine, ISU’s outstanding marching band, for being the true embodiment of Redbird pride! As a musician I am so impressed by you all– you’re the unsung hero of Redbird Athletics!

“I’m so proud of what our Redbirds have accomplished so far, and can’t wait to see our baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s track and field teams follow in their footsteps!”