SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, is pushing for a measure to support the families of first responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty, legislation which just passed the House.

“Families of first responders who have lost their lives bear a huge burden on behalf of the people of Illinois which I cannot imagine, and the least we can give them is financial stability as they process the sacrifice their loved ones were forced to make,” Halpin said. “The 100 Club of Illinois is an organization committed to providing necessary assistance, and the measure we just passed creates an easy way for the people of Illinois to lend a hand with that effort.”

Halpin co-sponsored House Bill 4161, which creates an option for Illinoisans to donate money to the 100 Club of Illinois by checking a box on their income tax returns. The 100 Club will use these donations to provide for the families of first responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Similar options exist for other causes, such as homeless assistance and Alzheimer’s research. This legislation passed the state House with strong bipartisan support, and the state Senate will now consider it.

“I am absolutely committed to giving our first responders the support they need,” Halpin said. “Hopefully, they will be more comfortable and effective at performing their duties with the knowledge that, if the worst should happen on the job, their families will have the financial stability they deserve.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, issued this statement following the end of the 2021 spring session:

“Despite the challenges of COVID-19, we have taken big steps towards our goals. I’m proud of the work I’ve done bringing our community’s economy back to pre-Covid strength, working for more affordable health care, and protecting our workers from corporate attack. Thanks to our public health community’s effective vaccine distribution program, Illinois will begin to return to normal as the pandemic finally fades, and this progress will remain.

“If anything, COVID-19 showed us that making health care accessible is more important than ever. People need their doctors and their medicines, and they should not be forced to pay skyrocketing prices or clear miles of red tape to get them. This session, I worked to pass numerous bills to curtail big insurance and pharmaceutical companies’ efforts to pad their profits by overcharging working families, and I’m proud of the progress made.

“A significant part of rebuilding our local economy following the coronavirus is ensuring unions remain strong. I pushed for a constitutional amendment to secure the rights of workers to unionize. Powerful corporations have been working to prevent legislation like this from passing for years, but we overcame their efforts to maintain the rights of Illinois workers. This success will have huge benefits for our community immediately and in the long-term.

“I will always advocate for our community during my time in Springfield, and I firmly believe that the work I have done will help us prosper. More than that, facing challenges that may seem too difficult to overcome, as we have done this past year, becomes easier when we face them together and don’t stray into partisan bickering. Our community has done that and we should all be proud of that accomplishment.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, recently voted to give law enforcement the tools they need to combat cybercriminals and crack down on offenders who exploit women and children online.

“I take law enforcement professionals’ ability to do their job very seriously,” Halpin said. “They need our laws to fit new and changing crimes so they can catch today’s criminals. The rapid advance of computer technology has created opportunities for bad people to commit a wide range of offenses that would be unheard of just a few years ago, and Illinois’ legal system needs to keep up.”

Halpin voted to pass House Bill 2133, which changes the Illinois Criminal Code to expand and clarify the definition of a computer and specific computer crimes. These offenses include identity theft, illegally hiding an identity and tampering with another person’s computer to commit fraud. Halpin’s bill also widens the definition of computer-based crimes to include online gambling, non-consensual distribution of personal images and indecent communication with a minor.

“The safety of the people living in our community is always my primary concern,” Halpin said. “I won’t let criminals walk free because a bureaucratic technicality prevented law enforcement from acting. This bill allows the police officers, prosecutors, and other agencies tasked with protecting us and our children to do their job.”