Springfield, Ill. – Legislation sponsored by state Representative Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, granting local governments authority to give exemptions for businesses who wish to serve alcohol within 100 feet of a church, school, or other community establishment passed the House Executive Committee today.

“Under current law, business owners must contend with a long and exhausting procedure to serve alcohol in certain locations,” said Feigenholtz. “This legislation will put this issue in the hands of local government – where it belongs.”

Under current law, businesses seeking to serve alcohol near churches, schools, or other community establishments must receive permission from the General Assembly and Governor. Senate Bill 2436 changes this law by granting local governments control of the exemption process.

“By localizing control of this issue, the local liquor control commissioner and local residents will be empowered to decide which businesses are good for their communities, rather than requiring legislators from all corners of the state deciding the fate of a business hundreds of miles away,” said Feigenholtz. “This legislation cuts red tape while simultaneously giving local residents more control of what happens in their neighborhood.”

Earlier this year, Governor Rauner vetoed a bill which would have provided an exemption to a specific establishment in Chicago. His veto message stated, “Businesses should not have to secure exemptions to state law to acquire the licenses they need to thrive. Liquor licensure of this sort should be handled at the local level, where the impact of allowing a business to sell certain products is the greatest.”

This legislation has the support of a coalition of groups including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Restaurant Association, the Small Business Advocacy Council, the Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce, and the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, among others.

For full text of SB2436, click here. For more information, contact Feigenholtz’s Chicago office at 773-296-4141 or robert@staterepsara.com.

Springfield, Ill. – Legislation sponsored by state Representative Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, requiring companies doing business or receiving special tax credits with the state to have a sexual harassment policy protecting workers passed the House State Government Administration committee on Wednesday.

“Companies that we do business with are an extension of the state,” said Feigenholtz. “This legislation will ensure that companies that bid on contracts or receive tax credits play by the rules and have strong sexual harassment policies in place so that all men and women are treated with dignity and respect.”

Senate Bill 405 requires all companies that make a bid or offer for a state contract to have a sexual harassment policy in place. Additionally, the legislation requires companies that claim EDGE tax credits to include their sexual harassment policy in their annual report to the state.

The policies must contain the complaint process available through the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Human Rights Commission, directions on how to contact them to make a complaint, and details on how victims who come forward are protected against retaliation.

The House of Representatives Sexual Harassment Task Force is finalizing comprehensive policy solutions to address sexual harassment in Illinois.

“Victims of harassment have to know their options for seeking justice,” said Feigenholtz. “This legislation will send a message to corporations that want to do business with our state that we expect the same gold standard that we are trying to achieve at the Capitol.”

For full text of SB405, click here. For more information, contact Feigenholtz’s Chicago office at 773-296-4141 or robert@staterepsara.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In response to the Trump Administration not appointing a Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the State Department, a resolution sponsored by State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, calling on Trump to fill the office passed the State Government Administration Committee today.

“In the past year, the Jewish community has experienced a rise in incidents directed against them. Cemeteries, synagogues, and Jewish schools and centers were desecrated. Anti-Semitic slogans were shouted at Jewish college students and at peaceful marchers in protest rallies. The Jewish community around the world is also facing attacks,” said Feigenholtz. “Now is the time to increase resources both at home and abroad to combat anti-Semitism, not decrease them.”

The Special Envoy plays a key role in diminishing anti-Jewish hatred overseas, and it is mandated by law since the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004. This position has been important in fighting anti-Semitism and past envoys have made key accomplishments to fight hate abroad.

Trump does not have the ability to single-handedly eliminate the office. However, by leaving the post vacant he is effectively rendering the office useless.

“Anti-Semitic attacks around the world are on the rise and have wide-reaching ripple effects,” said Bill Silverstein, Chair of the Jewish Community Relations Council. “The office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism is an essential tool in the global fight against hate and bigotry, and should be filled without delay.”

For the full text of HR524, click here. For more information, contact Feigenholtz’s constituent services office at 773-296-4141 orsara@staterepsara.com. Please call 309-287-3243 after normal business hours.

CHICAGO –  State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, issued the following statement after Governor Bruce Rauner announced he will sign House Bill 40 into law:

“After repeated threats to overturn Roe vs. Wade by President Trump, today, Governor Rauner chose to protect Illinois women by agreeing to sign HB40 to keep abortion safe, legal and accessible to all Illinois women.

“Signing this legislation is necessary to safeguard a woman’s right to make decisions that affect her personal health in Illinois.

“I am grateful that Governor Rauner has finally realized how important this legislation is to women in the current political climate. Governor Rauner has decided to stick to his original promise, and his decision will help ensure women continue to have access to all reproductive care.”

For additional information, please contact Feigenholtz’s constituent service office at 773-296-4141email sara@staterepsara.com, or visit www.staterepsara.com.

HB2510 requires training to limit preventable life threatening food allergy encounters while dining out

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to reduce the number of preventable fatal food allergy reactions in Illinois, legislation that will require accredited food allergen training in Illinois restaurants and food service establishments became law on Friday.

The new law, sponsored by state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D- Chicago and backed by the Illinois Restaurant Association, amends the Food Handling Act to require food service establishments have at least one certified food service sanitation manager on hand during operating hours who has undergone training that follows nationally recognized industry standards for allergen safety and allergen awareness.

Statistics show the majority of fatal food allergic reactions occur outside the home and affect one in 13 children in the United States.

“Ensuring that customers are properly informed of ingredients before they order, and helping restaurants avoid cross contamination before food leaves the kitchen by implementing training, will increase safety for everyone,” said Feigenholtz, who worked with the Illinois Restaurant Association and other groups to craft the bill.

“Customer safety should always be the top priority of restaurants. It is our goal to increase confidence of the many families who suffer from food allergies and avoid dining out to avoid risk,” said Illinois Restaurant Association President Sam Toia.

The National Restaurant Association estimates revenue loss from food allergy families who don’t dine out at $45 million per week across the U.S.

Currently Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, Virginia and Maryland have also enacted laws to improve food allergy safety and awareness by requiring training for restaurants.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, allowing the City of Chicago to install a noise monitoring system to study the impact of vehicular noise along Lake Shore Drive became law on Tuesday.

“In order to address residents’ concerns, this law creates a first step in remediating the ambient noise problem along Lake Shore Drive,” said Feigenholtz. “Data collection will provide empirical evidence of this problem.”

House Bill 2361 allows the City of Chicago to enact an ordinance providing for a noise monitoring system upon any portion of Lake Shore Drive. The noise monitoring system would be capable of recording noise levels 24 hours per day and would be equipped with computer software capable of processing the data. The noise monitoring system would be similar in concept to the monitoring system used to measure jet noise around O’Hare International Airport.

The measure is widely supported by lakefront Alderman Tom Tunney, James Cappleman, Brendan Reilly, Brian Hopkins, Harry Osterman and Michele Smith.

For additional information, please contact Feigenholtz’s constituent service office at 773-296-4141 email sara@staterepsara.com, or visit www.staterepsara.com.

As of January 2017, the Secretary of State’s Office will be issuing new license plates free of cost to Illinois taxpayers. Plates that were manufactured between 2000 and 2001 will be issued replacements first. Residents will receive notifications for plate replacement by mail. Once drivers pay their 2017 registration fee, they will be issued a temporary yellow renewal sticker. Plates will then be mailed within 60 days with a permanent registration sticker for the 2017 year.

If you are not eligible for a new license plate, drivers can obtain new plates for a fee of $29 from www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

For questions or concerns please contact the Secretary of State’s office at 800-252-8980 or Rep.Feigenholtz’s Constituent Services office at 773-296-4141.