SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Rick Ryan is helping law enforcement close cases and keep communities safe by ensuring that vital identifying information of a missing person is promptly shared across police agencies.

“This legislation will help victims, police, and families by making sure that important missing person information is shared quickly. Time is key so we don’t let these cases go quiet after the report is filed, and also that law enforcement are able to use very specific biological markers to search for missing people.”  

Ryan voted for Senate Bill 2949, which helps law enforcement identify missing persons and potentially solve crimes by uploading dental records into the state LEADS database within 30 days after a missing person report is filed, and into a national database 60 days after the report is filed. This added information seeks to better assist investigators who can analyze dental records of missing persons for a potential match or identification.

“I’m proud to support this,” Ryan said. “I’m a strong supporter of any measure that will promote safe communities and bring justice to families who need it.”

The bill also expands materials that can be used to assist in the search of missing persons. If no biological samples are available from the missing person, Senate Bill 2949 states any biological relative can give a biological sample, expanding previous law limiting samples to immediate family. 

The bill passed both the House and the Senate and awaits signing by Governor Pritzker.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill.— State Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, will join FX’s The Bear actor Corey Hendrix on Wednesday, May 20, at 12:45 p.m. in the parking lot between the Capitol and Howlett Building to celebrate the ongoing work designating the Italian Beef sandwich as the official state sandwich of Illinois, including the passage of House Bill 4669 and House Resolution 910.

“There is a rich history behind the Italian beef sandwich,” Ryan said. “It’s our state’s most famous sandwich, brought to the United States by working class Italian immigrants who found resourceful ways to make meals stretch and ends meet. And it is still extremely popular today.”

Ryan sponsored House Bill 4669 to officially name the Italian beef sandwich as the state sandwich of Illinois. The measure passed out of the House and awaits a vote in the Senate. House Resolution 912 declaring Saturday, May 23 as Italian Beef Day in Illinois was also introduced and plans to be heard later this week for adoption.

Coincidently, the global hit Chicago-based show “The Bear” helped reinforce the cultural impact of Italian food and specifically, the Italian beef sandwich. Chicago native Corey Hendrix will also join Ryan at the press conference. Hendrix stars in FX’s The Bear as “Sweeps,” a longtime employee of The Bear. Hendrix grew up in the North Lawndale neighborhood in Chicago. FX’s The Bear returns for its fifth and final season on June 25 on FX and Hulu.

“We’re thrilled to have members from The Bear and the film industry joining us as we celebrate,” Ryan said. “The show has combined culture and entertainment and encouraged viewers to enjoy some of the delicious meals that they’ve seen be prepared on the set.”

Please be advised that, weather permitting, the press conference may change locations.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill.—State Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, is seeking to remove the two-year foreign language requirement Illinois high school students must complete to receive a high school diploma.

“Schools are facing a shortage of qualified teachers who can teach foreign languages,” Ryan said. “And that gap is only growing. Students should still be able to graduate even if their school is unable to secure an instructor for these subjects, which is why we’re working to have that requirement removed.”

Schools are struggling to find foreign language teachers for high school classes. The two- year foreign language requirement, which also includes American Sign Language, has been expressed by school principals as difficult to maintain. House Bill 4334 would remove the two-year requirement.

The Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Business Officials and the Illinois Association of School Boards all support the move.

“This change would also give schools a chance to be more flexible with their academic planning,” Ryan said.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill.—State Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, is expanding legal assistance for Illinois drivers charged with driving under the influence (DUI) with a new measure that will allow public defenders to represent DUI clients in both criminal cases and civil hearings. 

“If a driver charged with DUI requires a public defender to help with their criminal case, then there’s no reason that the same lawyer shouldn’t be able to assist their client in the civil part of the case,” Ryan said. “We want to make sure that the system is offering all defendants equitable services.”

Under the current law, public defenders are assigned to represent defendants who need free services for criminal cases. But, defendants are not given legal assistance for Statutory Summary Suspension (SSS) hearings, where drivers with DUIs may have their licenses revoked and suspended. House Bill 4217 would amend this to allow public defenders the choice of extending this representation. 

“Many defendants can’t afford a private attorney to help with the civil portion of their case,” Ryan said. “It’s not fair that they should have to try to find that assistance when other defendants can easily afford help. The free option should at least be available for defendants who need it.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As the prices of everyday essentials continue to rise across the country, state Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, is working to provide some immediate relief to Illinois customers by passing a new measure to ensure the price people see is the price people pay.

“We’ve been working hard to lower costs for Illinoisans across the board,” Ryan said. “This bill addresses just one issue that customers have been having with expensive and unreliable prices.”

Grocery stores, drug stores, and other businesses increasingly entice customers with advertised savings that require apps and digital coupons, which are often unreliable and require smartphone access. In some cases, customers have faced difficulty locating and “clipping” advertised deals on the app, connectivity issues in large stores, and technological barriers for consumers without smartphone access.

In order to reduce these barriers to savings, Ryan passed House Bill 45, which requires retailers to honor all advertised savings, even if customers cannot access their app or operate their digital coupons.

“When customers are shopping in a store with coupons in tow, they expect those lower prices to be honored. That’s why I voted to change the law so consumers can continue to shop within their budget without needing to pre-download or screenshot faulty app coupons that may not work at checkout,” said Ryan. “Savings shouldn’t be determined by whether or not a consumer can pull up an online coupon. Stores should be able and willing to honor those no matter what.”

House Bill 45 now moves to the Senate.

EVERGREEN PARK, Ill.— State Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, is sponsoring a bill to expand assistance for Illinois seniors and residents who have a disability by lowering the income eligibility threshold for certain state services at reduced fees.

“This is an excellent program that makes registering your vehicle or taking public transportation more affordable, and we want to make sure that the people who need it can be served by it,” Ryan said. “No one should have to go without these critical resources because they’re making too much money on paper while still being very much in need of these services.”

The Benefits Access Program, under the Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities Property Tax Relief Act, provides reduced vehicle registration fees and free transit services for senior citizens and individuals who have a disability. 

The Ryan-backed House Bill 4157 proposes to change the current law to lower the income eligibility amounts for reduced vehicle registration fees.

Under the measure, the threshold limit will be raised to less than $50,000 for a household of one, less than $66,344 for a household of two and less than $82,683 for a household of three. This reflects an increased limit of at least $20,000 or more for each household size. 

House Bill 4157 awaits hearing in the House where it has been referred to the Rules Committee.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, is cracking down on junk fees that cost consumers an estimated $3,000 every year, with a new measure that holds businesses accountable for charges added on top of advertised purchase prices.

“Companies have taken advantage of consumers for far too long,” Ryan said. “The hidden fees on purchased products and services that people buy often lead to them spending way more than they initially intend, which obviously makes saving money or even affording certain purchases that much harder. We have to put a stop to that.”

The Ryan-backed House Bill 228 would require businesses to display all mandatory fees and charges they are adding on top of a purchase price. The bill also gives the attorney general’s office more authority to hold businesses accountable for not disclosing surprise fees — cracking down on these “convenience” or “processing” fees that many businesses use to charge more for everyday retail purchases and services including hotels and rental cars.  

The bill was passed out of the House Consumer Protection Committee and now moves to consideration on the House floor. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.— To help police do their jobs safely and effectively with updated equipment, state Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, is supporting legislation to create a revolving loan program to help local governments purchase squad cars.

“It’s tremendously important that our law enforcement officers have reliable vehicles to do their jobs,” Ryan said. “The community relies on them to show up quickly in times of need, and we want to make sure that local governments won’t be strapped for cash and have to forego any necessary tools to keep us all safe.”

The Ryan-supported House Bill 1567 empowers the Illinois Finance Authority and Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to jointly create a squad car revolving loan program. This would help local law enforcement agencies purchase the squad cars they need to handle emergencies and address crime in their communities.

Ryan has been a tireless advocate for keeping his community safe. Last year, Ryan helped pass a responsible state budget that invested in law enforcement equipment upgrades, training and cutting-edge strategies (Senate Bill 2510).

For more information, please visit ILGA.gov.

CHICAGO — Following the budget address delivered by Governor Pritzker on Wednesday, state Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen, is prepared to begin the long process of securing an affordable budget that will lower the cost of living for Illinois families and improve safety in the community. He released the following statement:

“Starting the budget preparation for this year, we came to Springfield knowing that the numbers people think about the most are the ones regarding their household spending. Living expenses have gone up drastically, and people are worried about how they’ll be able to afford everyday essentials like groceries, home energy, or healthcare. Right now, new policies from the federal government have increased costs for families and individuals. For example, employer-based insurance will cost families an additional $600 in 2026, while private insurance premiums and deductibles are doubling and increasing by as much as $10,000 per person.

“It’s extremely concerning that the prices of these crucial services that we rely on to live have skyrocketed. I know that we deserve a better future. That’s why in these coming months, I’ll be meeting with my colleagues in Springfield to secure a budget that is smart, responsible, and makes living more affordable.

“I’ll be fighting for affordability by investing in education to create opportunity for students. I’ll be working to include programs that will keep our public safety services funded. And I’ll be going through our budget to make sure that we create an outcome that moves our state forward. The Governor’s address was the first step. I’m ready to begin the real work.”

CHICAGO — State Rep. Rick Ryan, D-Evergreen Park, has secured funding for the construction of a “queue jump” bus lane in Evergreen Park on 95th St. and Western Ave. that will allow buses a seven-second start at stoplights ahead of other lanes.

“I’m thrilled that this has been included in the projects we’re bringing to this community,” Ryan said. “The queue jump lane will do the much needed job of relieving the congestion in that area and make public transportation on the Pace bus lines more efficient. I’ve worked to improve public transit and this is one encouraging result.”

Last summer, Ryan met with Douglass Sullivan of Pace Bus to discuss the need for a queue jump lane for buses running on that line. Funding for the lane has been included as part of the budget in the recently-passed federal fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill.

The exact timeline for the construction of the lane is still being decided.