SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A smart state budget that helps families meet rising costs, stronger youth employment protections, and better access to menstrual hygine products are among the major accomplishments state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is highlighting from the spring legislative session.

“Aurorans have sent me to Springfield to advocate for their interests, and once again, this year showed a lot of progress, including an efficient budget that works for families,” Hernandez said. “Illinois is building the best eduation system in the country, and that starts with hundreds of millions of dollars for expansions to high-quality early childhood education with hundreds of millions more to K-12 schools. A new child tax credit, investments in early childhood education, maternal health and cutting over $1 billion in medical debt will lend a hand to many families who need it.”

The fiscally and socially responsible state budget Hernandez helped craft creates a new $50 million child tax credit that will put more money in the pockets of modest-income families raising children under 12—helping working families who are struggling with rising costs at the grocery store. Hernandez also worked to put $350 million in evidence-based funding into public school classrooms, on top of the over $1 billion in the past four years. 

“New financial protections for temporary workers and children in the workplace will help keep vulnerable people safe from economic exploitation,” Hernandez said. “Whether fathers on a temporary visa working to feed their families, or kids working an afterschool job, far too often, families pay when people in positions of power decide to take advantage. Everyone deserves equal pay for equal work, and this measure brings us closer to that goal.”

Hernandez’s Senate Bill 3646 creates a new child labor law to keep children safe and free from exploitation in the workplace. In addition to reorganizing old regulations for clarity, it adds many new requirements, such as limitations on how many hours minors can work during a school week. She also put her support behind Senate Bill 3650, which brought in a number of new policies to support temporary workers and ensure they are compensated fairly for their hours.

“Another substantial step forward in healthcare was the progress we made expanding access to menstrual hygiene products,” Hernandez said. “Nonprofits need to be able to distribute these products to underserved communities without fear of a rare negative reaction bringing serious legal consequences. As long as best practices are followed, unlucky complications shouldn’t put a stop to the great work charities are doing in this area.”

Hernandez passed the Menstrual Hygeine Products Donor Immunity Act, House Bill 4264, which was carefully written to protect people and organizations who donate menstrual hygiene products in the unlikely event  of a negative reaction from someone using a donated product. 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, recently passed a measure to establish an educator preparation program that disberses stipends to students taking the curriculum, as well as teachers administering it.

“I was lucky enough to grow up in Aurora and attend East Aurora High School, where I had excellent teachers. Every student should be able to have an experience like mine,” Hernandez said. “Offering low-income students a stipend while they earn teaching degrees is a big step towards addressing Illinois’ teacher shortage, and makes it more likely that my high school experience becomes the norm for kids across Illinois.”

An initiative of the Illinois Education Association, House Bill 4652 tasks the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois State Board of Education with creating a stipend program for students pursuing a specialized educator curriculum and teachers administering that program. HB 4652 received strong bipartisan support in the House and will soon be in the Senate for consideration.

“Overcoming the current teacher shortfall is key to giving Illinois kids the future they deserve,” Hernandez said. “This program will also open up new opportunities in higher education to students who might not necessarily be able to afford it, and allow them to give substantive contributions back to their communities.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois will make cracking down on domestic abusers and supporting survivors a priority under legislation backed by State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, which creates a task force dedicated to creating and efforcing anti-domestic violence measures.

“Everyone deserves a home free of the threat of violence and I’m committed to ensuring that right for all Illinoisans,” Hernandez said. “Cracking down on domestic violence will help create stability for countless women and children who currently have to live under the threat of a violent guardian. Letting horrible behavior fester will not only cause suffering in the short-term, it will hamper the long-term growth of our children. It is past time we end these abuses.”

House Bill 3317 creates the Domestic Violence Task Force Act to identify gaps in domestic violence laws and make reccomendations about new policies that could better prevent domestic violence and keep victims safe from previous abusers. The task force will, among other things, review bail conditions for offenders in situations where their victims may be in danger. This legislation is dedicated to the memory of Colton Miller, an 18-month-old victim of domestic violence who lost his life in 2019.

“Too many women and children have been forced to endure the dangers and humiliations of domestic violence because we have not adequately protected them,” Hernandez said. “Banishing domestic violence from Illinois will require a multi-faceted approach, including expanding access to mental health treatment and creating stronger gun safety measures. However, this legislation is a critical move to creating the change that is so clearly needed.”

AURORA, Ill. – To help residents securely dispose of old documents containing private information, state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is co-hosting a free Community Shred Day with KTC Credit Union on Saturday, Oct. 5th from 9 a.m. to noon at the KTC Aurora Branch parking lot, located at 320 E. Indian Trail in Aurora.

“It is extremely important to properly and securely get rid of any documents with personal information on them to protect yourself from identity theft,” said Hernandez. “Confidential information should never just be thrown away in the trash, and I encourage residents to take advantage of this convenient and free method of disposal.” 

Residents can bring any type of document for secure shredding, including outdated financial information, medical and utility bills, receipts, and more. The event will happen in the parking lot of the KTC Credit Union building, where residents can pull up in their cars and documents will be shredded securely on-site. The first 50 cars will receive a free gift. Hernandez and KTC are also encouraging attendees to bring donations for the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry in Aurora. Items needed include canned foods, home cleaning supplies and kitchen garbage bags. Monetary checks are also accepted.

“I am excited to be working with KTC to offer this event for the community,” said Hernandez. “I hope to see residents of my district come and consider donating food to the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, while simultaneously ensuring that their private and sensitive information is protected and properly disposed.”

For more information about this event, please call Hernandez’s constituent services office at 630-270-1848 or email RepBarbaraHernandez@gmail.com. 

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