ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, received the Leadership Award from the Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees (IAHSE) for her unwavering commitment in advocating for the Latino community.

“I’m honored to receive this award for my commitment to public service and advancing equity within the Illinois state government,” said Avelar. “I take pride in my work as a state representative who’s devoted to passing legislation that helps bring justice and affordability to our Latino communities. It’s an honor for me to help represent our community in our government and work alongside motivated Latino staff in various state government agencies.”

Avelar was presented with the Leadership Award at the IAHSE 38th Annual Training Conference on Oct. 2, where she also spoke with attendees to discuss the importance of legislative advocacy. 

Avelar received the award for her strong advocacy and contributions in addressing the needs of the Latino community and through her commitment to public service, workforce equity and the advancements of Latino state employees throughout Illinois. 

“I’m thankful for IHASE for presenting me with this award and for their commitment to advocate for and assist Latino state employees,” said Avelar.

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, will host a Spooky Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Lockport, Illinois.

“From used motor oil and pesticides, to paint thinners and non-alkaline household batteries, each of these items can cause accidental poisonings, skin burns or fires in your home,” said Avelar. “That’s why it’s important to safely store and dispose of household hazardous materials to prevent harming yourself, your family or local wildlife.” 

Acceptable household items to dispose at the event are: oil-based paints, non-alkaline household batteries, used motor oil, paint thinners, herbicides, lawn chemicals, insecticides, solvents, pesticides, antifreeze, old gasoline, hobby chemicals, pool chemicals, aerosol paints and pesticides, cleaning products, fluorescent lamp bulbs, mercury, drain cleaners, acids and corrosives. 

The Spooky Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event is by appointment only. To book an appointment, visit https://bit.ly/3UWr4VU. For more information call 815-372-0085 or email Avelar’s district office at info@repdagmara.org. 

WHO: State Representative Dagmara “Dee” Avelar

WHAT: Spooky Household Hazardous Waste Disposal event

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

WHERE: Shiloh Baptist Church, 18101 W. Oak Ave, Lockport, IL 60441

SPRINGFIELD, Ill.- State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, supported a balanced budget that imposes no new taxes on working people and delivers needed relief to Illinois communities. 

“Our main goal in Illinois is to pass a balanced budget that avoids increasing debt and helps working families make ends meet,” said Avelar. “At a time when federal cuts are threatening essential services like healthcare, education and SNAP benefits while driving up everyday costs, Illinois is focused on making these necessities more affordable and accessible.”

This session, Avelar sponsored legislation that will make everyday necessities affordable for all Illinoisans, including: 

• House Bill 45 will make groceries more affordable by making digital coupons accessible to all and ensuring that the advertised price is the price a customer pays; 
• House Bill 4456 is making utilities affordable by helping more families qualify for home energy assistance to ensure they have electricity and gas; 
• House Bill 642 is expanding property tax relief for seniors by expanding the fixed-income eligibility requirements to ensure that more seniors are eligible for relief and save money; and
• Senate Bill 3910 to impose a state gas tax freeze and holiday sales tax freeze during back-to-school season for school supplies, hygiene products and clothes. 

Additionally, Avelar championed the FRESH Act — included in this year’s state budget – which provides a one-time food assistance relief payment to qualifying families whose SNAP benefits were reduced or eliminated due to the federal government’s new SNAP cuts. 

Avelar also passed Bill 5390 to streamline the financial assistance process and make it easier for patients to apply for hospital discounts and aid regardless of citizenship status or assets. Additionally, House Bill 4698 requires healthcare providers disclose fees upfront, helping protect patients from unexpected medical bills.

“This session, I worked to strengthen our schools, expand access to affordable healthcare, create more job opportunities and protect families from harmful federal actions,” said Avelar. “We will always stand up to Washington when its policies threaten our communities. I will always do my part to ensure Illinois families have the support they need.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Protecting consumers from unfair costs for hearing care, state Rep.  Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, passed legislation that creates a regulatory framework  for hearing care organizations that operate in Illinois.  

“Many times, Illinoisans are faced with surprise costs for hearing aids after hearing care  organizations failed to disclose important information,” said Avelar. “This has cost hardworking  people extra dollars that they could be saving if they had all the information to make a decision.”  

Under the Avelar-backed 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.  

“This legislation is an important step toward greater transparency and accountability in hearing  care,” said Avelar. “By requiring hearing care organizations to clearly communicate the benefits  they offer and explain the difference between plans and insurance coverage, consumers can now  make informed decisions about their hearing health and better understand the costs associated  with their care.”  

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

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, 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 is a step in the right direction as it strengthens law enforcement’s tools to help bring an end to cold cases and give families answers,” said Avelar. “Families will finally be able to help find their missing loved ones and even bring them closure by expanding the accessibility of DNA sampling.”

Senate Bill 2949 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.

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 has passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support and heads to the governor’s desk for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, is delivering new financial safeguards for families seeking affordable travel options by advancing legislation cracking down on fraudulent online hotel booking sites that withhold critical information from shoppers.

“Many times, I have seen listings that show a discounted hotel room price that is actually false or no longer available and have even caused issues when booking and checking in,” said Avelar. “Many Illinoisans go through this everyday and as the highest vacation season approaches us, we want hardworking people and families to feel secure when booking.”

As families struggle with rising costs, those looking to travel over the summer season are increasingly turning to discount hotel sites promising deals. However, big tech companies are steering shoppers to partner sites that can contain misleading rates, withhold competitor options, and potentially even offer rooms that are not available. According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association, these sites generate ad revenue for tech companies, but actually contribute to rising hotel costs across the industry.

The Avelar-backed Senate Bill 2013 creates the Stop Online Booking Scams Act, which brings new transparency to these unaffiliated sites. Third-party booking platforms will now clearly disclose that they are not affiliated with the hotels they are offering bookings for, empowering shoppers to verify rates and seek out alternatives.

“When costs are high, families deserve transparency to make every dollar count,” said Avelar. “This legislation helps ensure travelers are getting the most honest, transparent information and fair prices when booking a hotel stay. By cracking down on deceptive online booking practices, we’re putting consumers first and bringing greater accountability to the marketplace.”

The bill has been approved by both chambers and now goes to the governor’s desk for final approval.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Understanding the difficult nature of their work, state Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, passed a measure to expand insurance coverage for mental health counseling services for medical examiners and coroners.

“Our first responders face traumatic and emotionally demanding situations every day, and they deserve access to mental health care without unnecessary barriers,” said Avelar. “By expanding this coverage to include medical examiners, coroners, and their deputies, we are recognizing the vital work they do for our first responders and communities.”

Currently, municipalities and counties that oversee employee health insurance coverage must provide mental health counseling to first responders – such as firefighters and police officers – without a deductible, co-insurance, copayment or other cost-sharing requirement. The Avelar- backed Senate Bill 2770 expands the definition of "first responder" to include medical examiners and coroners, as well as their deputies.

“This legislation is a step in the right direction to further protecting our communities and the people who protect and save us,” said Avelar. “We need to ensure that those treating our first responders also get the mental healthcare they need to help them continue their essential work with the support and dignity they deserve.”

Senate Bill 2770 passed with bipartisan support out of the House on Thursday and awaits final approval by the governor.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Representative Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, passed legislation in the House that encourages language proficiency by offering pay incentives for bilingual individuals seeking employment. 

“The Illinois tollways are meeting points for differing people and communities all over Illinois,” said Avelar. “It’s important that we find a way for Illinois State Tollway employees to be able to communicate with everyone. By offering pay incentives for different languages and ASL, we ensure the public has access and information they need when interacting with tollway employees while providing extra income for bilingual individuals. This legislation incentivizes those that make the effort to learn more than one language or those that have been multilingual since childhood.”  

House Bill 5071 allows the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to offer special pay supplements for positions that require a spoken, written, or signed language besides English including American Sign Language. The bill seeks to both attract multilingual employees to this line of work and also encourages current employees of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to become fluent in another language besides English.

“Language is a matter of accessibility, and we need to make sure all facets of Illinois life, including toll highways, are accessible to all,” said Avelar. “When we offer incentives to those who know more than one language and encourage individuals to learn another language, we are creating opportunities for employment, compensation and integration into diverse communities.”

This bill has passed the House and is now moving to the Senate for further consideration. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, is cleaning up abandoned gas tanks that can leak chemicals into our drinking water and hold back neighborhood development by passing legislation to promote the removal of abandoned, underground storage tanks containing fuel or hazardous chemicals. 

“Often, underground storage tanks left over from old and abandoned stations rot and leak hazardous chemicals into the soil and groundwater, presenting a real risk to public health,” said Avelar. “While negatively impactful for the environment, they’re unfortunately also expensive to remove. This legislation will help eliminate that barrier and foster a closer connection between our communities and the promise of a more sustainable future.” 

Avelar’s House Bill 5317 gives cities and towns the ability to step in, clean up these abandoned tanks, and get reimbursed for the cost. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will fund up to five cleanups a year, helping communities tackle sites that would otherwise sit polluted for decades to comply with the requirements of the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program. 

Orphan tanks are underground storage tanks that do not have owners or operators and are considered abandoned. 

“Across Illinois, old gas stations and abandoned properties still have underground tanks with no owner responsible for cleaning them up, leaving communities stuck with pollution risks and stalled development,” said Avelar. “When tanks leak fuel and waste into our soil and groundwater, they contaminate local ecosystems, water supplies, and ultimately our drinking water. This legislation will help create cleaner neighborhoods, safer water, and transform abandoned properties into spaces that generate jobs and opportunity. It’s a meaningful step toward protecting our communities and future generations.”

This bill has passed out of the House unanimously and goes to the Senate for further consideration. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Romeoville, 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.

“Every year we find that new hidden fees are being added to every transaction that eventually add up and cost hardworking people a lot of money,” said Avelar. “It is time that we crack down on these businesses and the excessive fees they charge. The price that is displayed is the price that people should be charged, plain and simple. Springfield’s top priority continues to be helping hardworking individuals and families make ends meet and save for the future. This measure will help us do that and make companies more accountable and transparent to their customers.”

The Avelar-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 House and moves to the Senate for further consideration.