SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, has passed legislation out of the House designed to provide consumer protection by ensuring consumers receive advertised prices and have access to store promotions.

“For families across the state, money is tight and expenses are high,” said Yang Rohr. “People are looking for ways to save money, and that’s why I introduced this legislation. It will save consumers money by guaranteeing that they have access to digital promotions while in the store.”

House Bill 45 will require retail establishments to honor their digital promotions and make them more accessible in-store to eligible customers. Retail establishments may use several different redemption methods to comply, including automatic or point-of-sale discounts, barcodes or quick response codes. 

Certain groups have particular difficulty accessing digital promotions, such as those who are visually impaired, do not have access to devices, or that are not technologically adept–often senior citizens. With this legislation, they will now have more equitable access to discounts, giving them the same savings offered to all consumers. 

“Dealing with digital coupons can be a hassle. Trying to navigate the app, find the right deal, and electronically clip the coupon is frustrating – and that’s if you manage to get internet service in these big box stores,” said Yang Rohr. “With this legislation, we’re saving customers time and money by having retailers offer practical, non-digital redemption options that are easily accessible.” 

House Bill 45 received bipartisan support, and it now moves to the Senate.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, released the following statement after Governor J.B. Pritzker’s annual budget address on Wednesday:

“Today, we begin the process of developing a responsible and compassionate state budget that understands and advances the lives of working families across the state. 

“My priority has always been supporting funding needs and legislation my constituents have brought forward, and as I work through this budget, it will be no exception. I’m dedicated to finding opportunities to strengthen investment in key resident priorities, such as education, healthcare, public safety and more.

“Moving forward, we also need to continue to build on the state’s financial progress in recent years. Responsible fiscal stewardship has secured the state multiple credit rating upgrades, and we need to maintain financial flexibility to better tackle challenges as they arise.

“Sensible budget decisions will put us in the best position to succeed, and I’m focused on passing a plan that creates opportunity and invests in an affordable future. Let’s get to work.”

JOLIET, Ill. – Working to provide more relief for families facing high electricity bills, state Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, backed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act on Wednesday, a comprehensive energy plan that will reduce costs, create jobs and develop a modern electric grid. The legislation was signed into law earlier today. 

“Illinois’ high-tech economy is attracting industries, talent and job creators, but it’s also taxing our energy grid and shifting costs to working families already facing high costs of living,” Yang Rohr said. “This smart, forward-thinking legislation will expand our clean energy capacity, help to reduce the financial burden on our families and equip our grid to handle the energy needs of today and tomorrow.” 

The Yang-Rohr backed Senate Bill 25 puts Illinois on better footing to counteract rising energy prices through a variety of means, including: 

• • Capturing clean energy: By better capturing and redistributing energy already being produced, including from home solar panels, ComEd customers can see immediate relief on monthly costs.
  • Increasing battery storage: By building out our grid to increase the state’s battery storage, power systems will become more reliable and affordable to power millions of Illinois homes.
  • Investing in energy efficiency programs: Senate Bill 25 directly expands energy efficiency programs for residents, lowering electricity prices by reducing overall demand, and improves equity in programs by allocating a minimum amount of funds to support low-income customers.

Additionally, the measure will create up to 115,000 jobs, counteracting job insecurity and layoffs caused by federal cuts. 

“This fiscally and socially responsible measure shows that our goals of building up our clean energy abilities, supporting good-paying jobs and easing the burden families face are linked,” Yang Rohr said. “This measure will ensure that our energy independence, job growth and affordability goals continue to be aligned for years to come.” 

Yang Rohr said. “This measure will ensure that our energy independence, job growth and affordability goals continue to be aligned for years to come.” 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, backed a property tax reform package on Saturday to slash bureaucratic red tape, help seniors save on their property taxes and make government more efficient.

“My 41st District families see costs going up and are justifiably worried about their kids having a better future. I moved swiftly to make sure Springfield's legislative agenda reflected the urgency of this moment.”

Yang Rohr took action to raise the income threshold for the Low-Income Senior Citizen Assessment Freeze Homestead Exemption and tie benefits to the cost of living. The legislative package also cracked down on land developers holding vacant lots hostage for tax breaks and created an easier process for those with delinquent tax bills to pay them off, among other critical changes (Senate Bill 2156).

“Funding the vital programs people depend on cannot come at the expense of the peace of mind of taxpayers and seniors living on fixed incomes. Our property tax package takes bold, effective steps towards easing a burden borne by Illinoisans for far too long. This package is not the end, and I am committed to continuing these bipartisan, compassionate initiatives.

“While our state budget, legislative agenda and property tax reform efforts have concluded for this year, the work of positioning Illinois for continued success remains. Springfield can and must position our economy for growth, lower costs for families and make the American Dream attainable for more. I am dedicated to advocating for our community on these and other issues at every step of the way.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, passed dual measures to support students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), continuing her commitment to commonsense education reforms.

“We should be doing everything we can to make college more affordable for students and their families, including making the process of applying for financial aid easier, less costly and efficient,” Yang Rohr said. “By both designating a school staff member as a FAFSA contact and opening up the form and format of FAFSA resources on campus and during school hours available to students, we are making an arduous process that much easier. For families who are confronting the high costs of sending their children to college, making this complicated process more accommodating to them could make all the difference.”

The Yang Rohr-backed House Bill 3096 requires school administrators to designate a staff member as a FAFSA contact starting in the 2025-2026 school year. This contact would serve as a resource to students as they navigate the financial aid process as well as a liaison with the State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The designee would be required to complete additional training to ensure they are capable of providing the best, most accurate information for students, agency leaders and fellow staff.

Yang Rohr’s House Bill 3097 clarifies that current administrative support to students completing FAFSA paperwork will include providing assistance during school hours and not requiring a student to be excused from regularly scheduled class time. The legislation maintains flexibility by allowing schools to work with ISAC on the form and format of the assistance they are meaningfully able to provide.

House Bill 3096 passed out of the House overwhelmingly and out of the Senate unanimously. House Bill 3097 passed unanimously out of the House and Senate. Both pieces of legislation
now await the governor's signature for final consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, and the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) are announcing their work together to expand opportunities for student athletes to compete in local and national sporting events, based on their work on the Right to Play Act (House Bill 3037).

“Through this measure, we are helping to connect youth in our communities to further opportunities, such as college scholarships, and allowing them more time to play a sport they enjoy before they graduate,” said Sen. Villivalam. “I am grateful for the continued collaboration between Representative Yang Rohr, IHSA and advocates who are working to address the concerns of many athletes.”

Currently, IHSA by-laws prevent in-season IHSA student athletes from competing in the same sport for a non-school team or event during the high school season, with exceptions made for competing for that sport’s national team (e.g., Team USA in basketball).

House Bill 3037, known as the Right To Play Act and sponsored by Sen. Villivalam and Rep. Yang Rohr, would provide more opportunities for non-school participation for high school students during their IHSA season.

“We recognize that IHSA by-laws require occasional modifications,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “We appreciate Senator Villivalam and Representative Yang Rohr’s focus on serving their constituents. Their willingness to incorporate feedback from IHSA coaches and stakeholders and work within the existing IHSA framework was equally important, as the IHSA has been governed by member schools for over 100 years.”

A proposed IHSA by-law update would address the issues raised by student-athletes by expanding the number and type of special events in which a student-athlete would be able to participate. Each November, administrators from IHSA member schools attend Town Hall meetings to provide feedback on by-law changes submitted by fellow schools. The IHSA’s elected Legislative Commission then votes on each proposal, putting those that receive majority support onto an all-school ballot, where each member school has one vote.

“High school athletes and their families from across the state have raised their voices about the challenges they face,” Rep. Yang Rohr said. “IHSA’s guidelines help prevent overuse injuries and support high school sports, while also giving student-athletes more flexibility. I appreciate Sen. Villivalam and IHSA representatives for their work to create solutions that work for parents, schools and communities.”

The IHSA is a private, not-for-profit organization headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois. The Association was founded in 1900 and has grown to include over 800-member high schools in Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep.’s Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, Dagmara ‘ Dee’ Avelar, D- Bolingbrook, Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, and Will Davis, D-Homewood, will join the mother of a victim of the Parkland 2018 mass shooting and other gun safety advocates in the Capitol Blue Room on Wednesday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. to urge the legislature to pass House Bill 1072, which cuts emergency response times through the expansion of mobile panic alert systems in Illinois schools.

“I am honored to be joined by dedicated gun safety advocates like Lori Alhadeff to urge the House and Senate to pass this bill,” Yang Rohr said. “We have seen time and again how delayed emergency responses have led to greater loss of life during school shootings, natural disasters and major medical emergencies. As we face a growing gun violence epidemic, we cannot afford to wait when we have solutions we know can and will save lives. Kids shouldn’t be worried that law enforcement won’t get to them in time, when life-threatening emergencies take place. Alyssa’s Law will address this issue.”

“Now more than ever we must prioritize a solution that protects our children and families from traumatic gun violence that has become a norm in our communities,” said state rep. Dagmara Avelar, D-Bolingbrook. “We cannot waste more time. Giving our classrooms safe access to emergency responders will save lives, because time equals life in these situations. Alyssa’s Law is a vow to that, and is a big first step in addressing the senseless tragedies happening in schools and the places we call home.”

“Requiring more comprehensive preparations in our schools to be ready for emergencies like natural disasters and gun violence is a building block of both a better education system and a safer Illinois,” said state Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine.  “Alysa’s Law represents the immediate progress on these issues that Illinois kids deserve, and it is a privilege to fight for its passage.”

“While we can’t pinpoint or predict exactly where or when a dangerous situation will arise in our schools, we can choose to be prepared the next time it does,” said state Rep. Will Davis, D-Homewood. “As gun violence continues to become more common in our schools, our young people cannot afford to wait a moment longer. Let’s get Alyssa’s Law passed, and start saving
lives today!”

Working closely with Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education committee chair David, Yang Rohr, Avelar and Syed are advocating for House Bill 1072, which would create a
mobile ‘Alyssa’s Alert’ panic alert system installed in Illinois schools to cut response times during emergency situations. The legislation is named after Alyssa Alhadeff, a victim of the Marjorie Stoneman Douglass High School mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. in 2018. Her mother, Lori Alhadeff, will join legislators at the press conference and stand before the House Appropriations-Elementary & Secondary Education Subject Matter Committee at 4 p.m. in Rm. 114 to advocate for the legislation.

Texas, New York and Florida are among several other states who have implemented similar threat response systems.

For more information, visit ILGA.gov or contact info@repyangrohr.com.

Who: State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, State Rep. Dagmara ‘Dee’ Avelar, State Rep. Nabeela Syed,
State Rep. Will Davis, Lori Alhadeff
What: Advancing Alyssa’s Law Press Conference & Subject Matter Hearing
When: Wednesday, April 23; 3:30 p.m., Hearing at 4 p.m.
Where: Capitol Blue Room, Capitol Rm. 114

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, will join state Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, for a Shred Event Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m. to noon at the 95th Street Library in Naperville.

“Protecting your personal information and safely disposing of old documents shouldn’t be another added cost on families; that’s where our event can be of service,” Yang Rohr said. “I’m excited to join Senator Ellman to help families keep their information secure and prevent paper from ending up in a landfill. I hope the community comes out and takes advantage of this opportunity.”

Yang Rohr and Ellman’s Shred Event will accept up to three boxes of documents per car. Acceptable documents include bank statements, tax returns and medical records, among others. The event will last as long as there is capacity in shredding trucks or until 12 p.m. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

For more information, visit repyangrohr.com.

What: Shred Event
Who: State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, State Sen. Laura Ellman
Where: Naperville Public Library, 95th Street; 3015 Cedar Glade Rd., Naperville
When: Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, rallied support for a measure to crack down on the growing trend of bullying that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create and disseminate sexually explicit materials. The bill passed the House on Wednesday and now moves to the Illinois Senate for consideration.

“Students these days have unfettered access to the world of artificial intelligence, and many are feeling the effects of this with rising rates of cyberbullying and the use of AI to create sexually explicit materials,” Yang Rohr said. “As our conversations continue on how we utilize AI for good, we also have to act now to reverse this more destructive trend and hold students accountable for their actions online and in the classroom. My legislation does just that, ensuring that every student can learn and reach their full potential.”

Yang Rohr's House Bill 3851 expands the definition of cyberbullying and capacity for school districts to respond to cases involving sexually explicit materials of their students created by generative artificial intelligence programs. The legislation is a response to growing reports nationally and locally of these types of AI programs being used to create vulgar, demeaning and
harmful materials.

House Bill 3851 passed out of the House Floor and the Cybersecurity, Data Analytics & amp; IT Committee unanimously and is supported by ACLU Illinois and the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

For more information, visit ILGA.gov.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, is working to help Illinois students succeed by advancing new legislation creating additional paths for students seeking to expand the scope of their education, and empowering advanced middle schoolers to get a head start on their high school coursework. 

“The global landscape is forever changing, and our students need to be prepared to meet those challenges,” Yang Rohr said. “The Global Scholar Certification allows students to do just that, and appreciate the global nature of their passions. My legislation will create more opportunities for students to pursue an education that positions them to succeed, innovate and lead in a global job market.”

Yang Rohr’s House Bill 3250 gives students more options for completing the Illinois Global Scholar Certification by expanding their ability to use digital badges and online micro-credentials to meet criteria for their capstone project. These methods allow for more affordable ways for students to verify that they have met Global Scholar requirements. This bill received bipartisan support in committee and now awaits consideration before the full House. 

Yang Rohr also advanced House Bill 3039, which allows students in 7th or 8th grade taking high school-level courses to receive high school credits if they pass the end-of-course exam at the high school granting credit. This expands credit-earning opportunities, which are currently limited based on a teacher’s certifications or a student’s physical attendance at the high school. 

Currently, students can receive high school credit during middle school, if the course is offered by the high school the student would otherwise attend, and the course is taught by a teacher who holds a valid teaching license and is endorsed in both the content area and grade level for the course. 

“School officials in my community came to me with a problem: acing every exam for high school courses isn’t a guarantee you’ll receive credit for that course. But House BIll 3039 provides a solution,” Yang Rohr said. “My legislation would allow these students more opportunities to pursue coursework that interests and challenges them. Illinois students are bright and driven; our state needs to support that and eliminate barriers to their success.”