WAUKEGAN — Rep. Rita Mayfield, chair of the Illinois House Appropriations Public Safety Committee, said dozens of law enforcement agencies have contacted her to express support for House Bills 5750 and 5751, legislation that would provide $4 million for a critical state program to analyze cartridge casings recovered at crime scenes and casings recovered from crime guns. 

The NIBIN/ballistics grant program has provided $10 million in grants to local government public safety agencies in Illinois. The funding provides equipment and software that allow departments to access the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN stores and compares images of crime–related cartridge casings, allowing investigators to obtain critical information and advance their cases faster. Mayfield said, “Simply put, NIBIN is a program that quickly generates actionable leads linking shooting incidents.” 

House Bills 5750 and 5751 would renew the program by providing $4 million in fiscal year 2027 grants to the Illinois State Police and local law enforcement agencies for the purchase of NIBIN- related equipment and software. 

“There have been two mass shootings in Illinois in the last two weeks: one in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood last weekend and another two weeks ago in Chicago’s Washington Park,” Mayfield said. “On July 12, a targeted mass shooting in East St. Louis resulted in five fatalities among members of a single family. NIBIN is critical to these investigations, and police agencies are calling and writing to ask for immediate funding to purchase NIBIN technology and software services.” 

Among the agencies reaching out to Mayfield were the North Chicago Police Department and its Police Chief Laz Perez. 

“In 2025, North Chicago Police won a grant from the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) for $25,000 to buy ballistics detection equipment. However, with no funding guaranteed yet for this fiscal year, our ballistics imaging efforts might not be able to continue because the North Chicago Police Department needs to buy supplies and continue technology contracts for our NIBIN equipment,” Perez wrote. 

Champaign Police Chief Timothy Tyler said his department worked to address unlawfully possessed firearms in 2024, with officers seizing or recovering 193 firearms through proactive enforcement activity. 

“Each weapon was processed as evidence and entered into NIBIN, a shared system that helps law enforcement agencies across the nation to analyze ballistic information to determine whether a firearm was used in incidents across multiple jurisdictions,” Tyler said. “This technology has helped reduce gun violence in Champaign, and funding should be available every year, and the program should be made permanent.” 

In South Suburban Harvey, Police Chief Dale Mitchell said, “We will need additional software and equipment soon to support our NIBIN ballistics efforts. In the cash strapped South Suburbs, lives depend on your legislation, and we hope it passes immediately.” 

The Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Laboratory in Mundelein provides forensic services, including ballistic detection and imaging, to member law enforcement agencies in Lake County and across the region, which includes more than 1.6 million citizens. 

“Our laboratory urges you to revive the program,” Lab Director Peter St. Andre said. “This technology can help local departments solve gun crimes and reduce repeat shootings and should be more widely available to police departments throughout Lake County and across the state.” 

In 2025, the City of Peoria and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office received more than $300,000 in state grants through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to purchase NIBIN equipment. The grant program enabled Peoria County to become the first county in Illinois to operate NIBIN equipment machines thanks to this grant program. 

However, Peoria Assistant Police Chief Erin Barisch said the City of Peoria “urgently needs funding to purchase new equipment and supplies, and to upgrade existing software. We strongly support your legislation to provide $4 million in funding this fiscal year.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – With the spring legislative session adjourning Monday, state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, is highlighting her efforts to address the affordability crisis, increase consumer protections and support vulnerable communities.

“Our families are working around the clock to barely make ends meet, and that’s simply not right,” said Mayfield. “That’s why I’m committed to creating real solutions that tackle the affordability crisis affecting families in our neighborhoods and across the state.”

Some highlights of Mayfield’s affordability agenda include:

• Making groceries and everyday purchases more affordable by giving everyone access to digital coupons so that the price people see is the price they pay (House Bill 45),
• Creating new protections against artificial intelligence (AI) schemes that use personal data to raise prices (House Bill 4248),
• Delivering transparency requirements to crack down on hidden junk fees (House Bill 228),
• Creating a regulatory framework for hearing care organizations that promotes greater transparency for hearing care costs (SB 2838), and 
• Making everyday purchases more accessible by requiring retail establishments to accept cash payments for purchases under $500 (House Bill 4592).

Mayfield also backed a responsible and compassionate state budget that puts working families first. Without raising taxes on working families, the spending plan prioritizes access to affordable housing, affirms public safety measures and increases support for affordable healthcare options. It also places a temporary freeze on the state gas tax which was expected to increase in July. With Washington continuing to cut back on health and human services, the state budget focuses on stepping in to fill the gaps left by their poor leadership.

“Our state budget is focused on serving the people of Illinois,” said Mayfield. “Our conversations were shaped by the idea that we would be passing a budget that prioritizes Illinoisans’ needs while defending ourselves against the chaos in Washington.” 

Mayfield this session remained dedicated to advocating for vulnerable groups throughout the state, passing legislation meant to support them and provide additional resources. She successfully passed Senate Bill 3196 which strengthens support for individuals aging out of the Department of Children and Family Services’ (DCFS) care by providing them with a greater voice in transition planning and improving access to important resources and information. The bill requires DCFS to work with a youth advisory board to improve transition programs, create individualized youth-driven plans and communicate available services and benefits.

“Every single individual has a different life path, and it’s our responsibility to support them,” said Mayfield. “We need to be providing people with the tools they need to succeed in life, no matter their starting point. More work remains, let’s continue to work together to build a stronger Illinois that offers greater opportunity and puts people first.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Protecting consumers from unfair costs for hearing care, state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, passed legislation that creates a regulatory framework for hearing care organizations that operate in Illinois. 

“No matter what health service someone is getting, they deserve full transparency for the costs and benefits,” said Mayfield. “Hearing care is no exception, and it is far past time that we created a clear framework that allows consumers to understand how much the care they’re receiving is going to cost.”

Under Mayfield’s Senate Bill 2838, hearing care organizations are prohibited from setting prices for noncovered services or for items provided by insurance companies, and they must be transparent about the benefits they provide. They will be required to communicate all the benefits in their plan, such as specific items or services, in writing to current and potential customers. 

Hearing care organizations must also explain the difference between a discounted hearing care benefit plan, similar to a membership program used to reduce costs for hearing aid care, and a funded insurance plan. A hearing care organization must also disclose if it’s owned by a hearing aid manufacturer. These measures are being implemented to ensure that customers are aware of the costs associated with their hearing care, so they will be able to make informed decisions. 

“Accessing information about hearing care costs should be simple, but right now it’s not,” said Mayfield. “That’s what this legislation is going to fix, so consumers can make informed decisions.”

The legislation received bipartisan support, and will head to the governor for final approval.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Working to strengthen consumer protections, state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, is leading legislation that requires service providers who offer repairs or installations to establish specific notification requirements. 

“We’ve all been in a situation where a service provider seems to be offering nonanswers about scheduling or when they’ll arrive,” said Mayfield. “With this legislation, we’re putting an end to this practice, giving consumers peace of mind when scheduling appointments with their service providers.”

Under the Mayfield-led Senate Bill 3066, service providers delivering work at a consumer’s property that requires entry must schedule an appointment with the consumer. The consumer must also be provided with reasonable notice of when the service provider will arrive.

If the service provider gives an arrival window over two hours, they must notify the consumer by telephone at least one hour prior to their arrival. If the service provider fails to meet these requirements, they cannot charge the consumer an additional fee if they are no longer present when the service provider arrives. 

“Consumer protection means protecting consumers during every step of the process,” said Mayfield. “It’s far past time we provided consumers with the support they need to work effectively with service providers, so they can finally feel confident about the work being done.”

Senate Bill 3066 passed out of the House Consumer Protection Committee, and is now on the House floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Committed to increasing passenger rail services for residents across the Midwest, state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, has introduced the Passenger Rail Planning Act to require the Illinois Department of Transportation to incorporate service frequency goals into the Illinois State Rail Plan. 

“A question that I’ve been constantly asking myself, is why don’t we have more passenger rail running throughout the Midwest,” said Mayfield. “Chicago is one of the major rail hubs of the country, and it’s time that we took further advantage of our positioning. This measure would encourage the development of high-frequency passenger rail services with Chicago acting as the anchor.”

House Bill 4279, The Passenger Rail Planning Act, would help lay the groundwork for trains to more frequently visit communities across Illinois. It would direct state planners to include target service frequencies for trains originating from Chicago to destinations in Illinois, other Midwestern locations and the broader country.

Communities across the state, from East St. Louis to Rockford, would be targeted for hourly passenger services, along with additional trains to out-of-state destinations including Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis and Madison, among others.

“By calling for more frequent passenger rail services, we can boost the entire region’s economic growth,” said Mayfield. “People will be able to move across the region with greater access, allowing for further job opportunities, community development and regional cooperation. When we develop our rail systems, we’re promoting dynamic, interconnected communities that can better support the people of Illinois.”

For more information, please contact 60thdistrict@gmail.com. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.— Affordable public transit, relief from rising costs, and new protections safeguarding Illinoisans’ due process rights were top priorities for state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D- Waukegan, during a highly productive fall session focused on making life easier for working people and seniors.

“The goal is for everyone to be able to pay their bills without having to choose between one or the other, to walk the streets without fearing they won’t return home to their families, and to get to work on time without missing their train,” Mayfield said. “If we continue taking steps toward accomplishing our goal, our communities will thrive as the quality of life for resident’s flourishes.”

Mayfield passed Senate Bill 25, which is aimed at lowering energy costs for families affected by rates that have risen sharply in recent years. It does this by making transformative investments in capturing clean energy, increasing battery storage and improving energy efficiency.

She also passed House Bill 1312, a bold measure that seeks to inject more accountability into federal law enforcement operations by creating new protections against the Trump Administration’s warrantless raids at hospitals, daycares, and institutions of higher learning, and courthouses.

She also passed Senate Bill 2111—transformative legislation designed to save and reform public transit, both in Chicago and across Illinois, without new taxes on food delivery, without new taxes on real estate, without new taxes on streaming services, and without funding more bureaucratic mismanagement.

Finally, she passed Senate Bill 642, a measure that updates existing legislation that helps older adults reduce their property tax liabilities by freezing their rates. This bill helps more seniors remain eligible for the existing property tax assessment senior freeze program by raising income eligibility cutoffs to better account for inflation.

All four measures now move to the desk of Gov. J.B. Pritzker for final action. Together, they represent major progress on priority issues for Mayfield and her colleagues, as they stand with residents who are struggling to make ends meet and vulnerable Illinoisans confronted by authoritarian policies and an administration that continually abandons democratic and constitutional norms.

“We acknowledge that this is only the first step in a broader mission to address and undo the hardships our communities have endured,” Mayfield said. “My colleagues and I look forward to returning to the drawing board in January to create new solutions that will help our families and communities flourish.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – This week, state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, helped lead the effort to pass the Clean Slate Act, an automatic record sealing approach for certain, previously incarcerated individuals. 

“The hardships that previously incarcerated individuals face upon their return, such as mental health concerns and difficulties with employment and housing, contribute greatly to poverty and recidivism,” Mayfield said. “This legislation is a step in the right direction to ensuring that they live fulfilling lives following their return from prison because it will expedite the process of acquiring a job, house and other important resources by automatically sealing records of certain offenses.”

The Mayfield-backed Senate Bill 1784 transitions the sealing process for certain criminal and petty offense records from a petition-based process to an automatic one. It does not fully guarantee that a record will be sealed, but it starts the process for qualified cases. Specific cases, such as, but not limited to, bodily harm and murder, sex offenses, no contact orders, robbery and class x felonies are unqualified for sealing. 

Senate Bill 1784 specifically deals with sealing records, not expunging them. Law enforcement and prosecutors will still be able to access records, if necessary, in the future. 

The Mayfield-backed measure received bipartisan support, and has returned to the Senate for concurrence.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – At least 30 cities and counties, including North Chicago, have applied for important grants from the state that are designed to solve firearm crimes and reduce gun violence in communities, thanks to the work of state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan.

“These ballistics detection grants are being used by urban communities to scan fired bullet cartridges at the scene of a crime, and this scanning technology is often critical to catching assailants,” said Mayfield, who won a “Violence Prevention Hero” award in 2024 for her work. “These grants have allowed police, sheriffs, and state’s attorneys to more quickly gather key evidence and determine the type of weapon, the number of shooters, and other key information, such as whether a particular firearm is a ‘multiple use’ gun that has been used in different gun crimes that law enforcement may have not otherwise known were connected.”

Mayfield, who chairs the House Appropriations-Public Safety and Infrastructure Committee, worked to provide $2 million in the state’s budget for these grants. Mayfield started the program three years ago by directing funding through the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. The funding was intended to not only support the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, but to also explore the best and most cost-effective ballistic technologies and to encourage the sharing of gun crime intelligence amongst law enforcement in order to reduce gun crime in the state of Illinois.

Kankakee County State’s Attorney Jim Rowe praised the program.

“We believe that proactive intervention is crucial in addressing the issue of gun violence,” Rowe said. “Our goal is to empower law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to solve gun crime cases faster, ultimately saving lives and making our communities safer.”

“I urge all communities to apply for this important grant program. I hope the program can continue past June 30,” Mayfield said.

Information on how to apply is available at https://www.ptb.illinois.gov/resources/grant-information/

SPRINGFIELD, IL. – State Rep. Rita Mayfield, D- Waukegan, issued the following statement after Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave his annual budget address:

“I have always said that our state should never have to choose between responsibility and compassion. Gradually, we have addressed the issues so many families face on a daily basis starting with cutting costs, protecting their communities, providing them with opportunities to thrive, expanding access to healthcare, and ultimately moving them forward. With all the uncertainty in Washington, it is more important than ever that they know lawmakers in Illinois will not rest until some of their pressures are even more alleviated. We are committed to lifting them up and making sure they have a seat at the table.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  State Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, condemned the cruel, destructive and unlawful orders President Donald Trump has issued during his first weeks in office, passing a series of formal resolutions aimed at calling out Trump’s extremism and moving Illinois in a fundamentally better direction.

“Trump’s entire campaign was centered around ‘making America great again,’ but so far that has been to no avail. He has put fear in lower and middle-class Americans’ hearts by signing several executive orders that attack their livelihoods the most. Under his administration, many Americans won’t have affordable access to healthcare, living, and even groceries. Beyond that, marginalized communities may face several obstacles when it comes to applying for and keeping a job that they are qualified for,” Mayfield said. 

The Mayfield-backed resolutions call out Trump, his extreme allies in Washington and the special interests supporting him. These measures also highlight efforts Illinois has taken to move in a better direction by prioritizing efforts to help families make ends meet, reduce the cost of living, and protect access to lifesaving services.

Mayfield voted to:
– Calling out President Trump for pardoning the confessed and convicted criminals charged for their actions on Jan. 6, 2021, including those who beat and killed police officers in the U.S. Capitol.

– Challenge the administration’s immoral efforts to block lifesaving services for people in need and for working families, jeopardizing the economy and the services people depend on for everything from food assistance, to healthcare, to housing assistance, and more.

– Oppose the dangerous Trump trade agenda, which will raise costs on everything local families purchase, increase housing costs, raise the price of home energy, and dramatically increase inflation pressures on families’ budgets.

– Rebuke the president’s efforts to double down on a broken immigration system, and his unconstitutional order to strip away citizenship protections in the United States Constitution.

– Fight against Trump attacks on workplace protections, equal pay, and longstanding policies enhancing opportunity for all cloaked in anti-DEI rhetoric.

“On day one in office, Trump showed us that he has absolutely no regard for our constitution,” Mayfield said. “It is concerning but unfortunately this is our reality for the next few years. Here in Illinois, we are committed to alleviating some of those concerns and protecting policies that make Illinois and our country flourish.”