CHICAGO – To help develop policies and best practices for combatting human trafficking in Illinois, state Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, has been appointed to the newly created Human Trafficking Task Force.

“Illinois is a national and international crossroads for goods and transportation. Unfortunately, that also makes Illinois a crossroads for human trafficking,” Buckner said. “As a member of the Human Trafficking Task Force, I will work to improve our response to human trafficking and ensure that the resources necessary for human trafficking prevention and survivor support are available.”

Buckner sponsored Senate Bill 1599, recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, to create the Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force will work to improve data sharing and collection between government agencies about human trafficking and study how the state can work with private and non-profit entities to prevent human trafficking and provide assistance to survivors. The task force will also identify best practices for reducing disparities in the treatment of missing persons cases based on gender and race.

The creation of the Human Trafficking Task Force builds on previous pair of measures supported by Buckner to address human trafficking in Illinois. In 2019 Buckner supported a law, Senate Bill 1890, to lengthen the civil and criminal statute of limitations on human trafficking and crack down on businesses that profit from sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude of women and children. The same year Buckner also supported a law, House Bill 3101, to require hotel and motel employees to receive training to recognize human trafficking and alert authorities.

“Illinois has made great strides towards building a survivor-centered, trauma-informed response to human trafficking. However, there is more we must do to ensure equal justice for survivors and to prevent human trafficking altogether. ” Buckner said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to improve our understanding of the depth of human trafficking in our state and finding new ways to reduce and prevent human trafficking in Illinois.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To boost the economic recovery of small businesses in his district, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is highlighting the announcement of the Back to Business Grants that will help rebuild small businesses from the devastating impact of the pandemic. 

“The severe damage to small business in the past year cannot be understated,” said Yingling. “We must ensure that struggling small businesses have a chance to bounce back from the loss of income, resources, operating costs, and much more. The Back to Businesses grants are essential to bring our economy back on track. ”

Yingling has made it a priority to protect and revitalize small businesses. He has helped to pass numerous measures that create avenues of support for small businesses, including expanding tax credits and voting to enact financial relief programs.

The Back to Business Grants are a follow-up to the last year’s Business Interruption Grants and will provide small businesses across the state with access to crucial resources they need to recuperate. For more information or to apply, please visit the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s website at illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Pages/B2B.aspx 

“As someone who grew up working for my parent’s local restaurant, it is important to provide relief to small business owners who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Yingling. “We cannot turn our back on them during this difficult time, and I will continue to work in Springfield to ensure that they have the resources they need to get through this pandemic and back on their feet.”

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. – As part of her efforts to be accessible to residents, state Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake, is hosting a ‘Coffee in Your Community’ event on Saturday, Aug. 21 at Elder and Oat in West Dundee. She is inviting community members to discuss key local issues and to share ideas and information about her legislative agenda.

“With many issues facing our community, it’s important that individuals have a space to come to their representative to discuss what they hope to see improved in state government,” said Ness. “I am excited to host this event as a casual way for locals to get to know me better, and to ask questions, or share concerns or feedback on the work that I am doing on their behalf. Let’s share a cup of coffee together and talk.”

‘Coffee in Your Community’

Saturday, Aug. 21

10:30 a.m.

Elder and Oat

124 W Main St.

West Dundee

Ness represents Illinois’ 66th House District which includes parts of Algonquin, Carpentersville, Crystal Lake, East and West Dundee, Elgin, Gilberts, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood and Sleepy Hollow.  Ness’ event is free and open to the public. For more information, or to RSVP, please contact Ness’ full time constituent service office by calling 224-484-8620 or visiting www.repsnessil66.com.

GURNEE, Ill. – Continuing her fight against climate change by growing renewable energy in Illinois, State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, co-sponsored legislation recently signed into law to help people in a homeowners association install solar panels on their house.

“Solar panels are a great way for homeowners to do their part in the switch to renewable energy as we continue to fight climate change,” said Mason. “As more and more people are considering placing solar panels on their homes, it is important that systems are in place to protect the interests of everyone involved.”

Mason co-sponsored House Bill 644 recently signed into law by Governor Pritzker. The Mason backed bill helps determine how groups such as home owners associations can work with home owners as they add solar panels to their house. The new law allows associations to create a policy regarding the location of solar panels as long as it does not interfere with their effectiveness. The Mason backed legislation passed both houses of the Illinois General Assembly with bipartisan support along with the support of the Illinois Environmental Council.

“Homeowners should not be prevented from installing solar panels on their property or be forced place them in a less optimal spot,” said Mason. “This law helps protect the rights of homeowners to have effective solar energy for their home.”

CHICAGO – A new law supported by state Rep. Justin Slaughter, D-Chicago, will require every public K-12 school in Illinois to provide students instruction on the contributions of Asian Americans. 

“Illinois is one of the most diverse states in the country, and I believe that it is past time for our education system to catch up to this fact,” said Slaughter. “Our state and our nation’s history is not black and white, and our children deserve exposure to the full range of experiences of ethnic and cultural groups in our country’s development.”

The Slaughter-backed House Bill 376 will amend the Illinois School Code by requiring every public K-12 school in the state to provide students with a unit of instruction on the history of Asian Americans. This instruction will inform students about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the many contributions of Asian Americans toward the development of the United States. House Bill 376 was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and will take effect during the 2022-2023 academic year.

“We must continue to create a future where diversity and tolerance are just as valued as talent and hard work,” said Slaughter. “These values start in the classroom and I believe that we are one step closer to realizing this future.”

WAUKEGAN, Ill. – A new law spearheaded by state Rep. Rita Mayfield, D-Waukegan, will prohibit local governments from signing contracts with the federal government to detain immigrants and will institute protections for immigrants to ensure law enforcement personnel and resources are not being deputized by the federal government for immigration enforcement.

“Local sheriffs and police should be focused on their community, not engaging in work for federal immigration authorities,” Mayfield said. “I am proud to see Illinois take another step in becoming a state that treats immigrants as people and rejects the costly and inhumane detention apparatus operated by ICE.”

The Mayfield-backed Senate Bill 667 builds on the TRUST and VOICES Acts to protect immigrant families by prohibiting state and local law enforcement from inquiring about or investigating the citizenship or immigration status of an individual in police custody. The bill also prevents state and local law enforcement from entering into or renewing agreements to house people charged with federal immigration violations. Additionally, the new law empowers the Attorney General to conduct investigations into violations of the state’s guidelines related to immigration. 

Mayfield served as one of the lead sponsors of the legislation, which was signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker this month.

“Too often in recent years we have seen politicians inflict hardship and suffering amongst immigrant families to score cheap political points,” Mayfield said. “Illinois is stronger because of its immigrant population, and I am grateful for the continued work from advocates to ensure we are creating communities that respect all residents regardless of background.” 

AURORA, Ill. – A bill sponsored by state Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, to include mental health days in students’ excused absences was recently signed into law. 

“It’s critical that schools are offering support to students who struggle with their mental health,” said Hernandez. “Just as we would allow a student with a cold or a fever to stay home from school, students should be able to have the same treatment for days where they need a break for their mental health.”

Hernandez sponsored Senate Bill 1577, which expands excused school absences to include mental or behavioral health, allowing for students to have up to 5 mental health days without needing a medical note. This measure passed unanimously through the House and Senate and was signed by the governor last week.

Throughout her time in the General Assembly, Hernandez has been a strong advocate for increasing awareness of mental health struggles among children and teens. This past session she also helped pass a bill to create a mental health task force to help determine methods and programs for K-12 students to receive mental health care. She supported a measure to urge Illinois schools to provide education for all students in grades six to 12 on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of addiction and mental illnesses, as well as provide instruction for how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.

“Students of all ages can experience struggles with their mental health, and the pandemic has likely exacerbated that for many,” said Hernandez. “By allowing students to take a day off from school to take care of their mental health, we are not only giving them the support they need, but also validating their feelings and showing them that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of physical health.”

CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. – As part of her commitment to reduce property taxes, state Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake, supported a measure to make it easier for seniors, veterans and persons with disabilities to access property tax relief.

“As families are still overcoming the financial hardships brought on by the pandemic, increasing property taxes place an additional burden on working families, particularly on those living on a fixed income,” said Ness. “We must do more to provide property tax relief to those who need it most, so this session I helped pass legislation to ensure that individuals who are eligible for property tax exemptions are able to receive that relief in full.” 

Ness helped pass House Bill 3289, which will allow chief county assessment officers to automatically approve 2021 homestead exemptions for those who received the exemption in 2020, including veterans and residents with disabilities and senior citizens. House Bill 3289 received bipartisan support and was recently signed into law by the governor. 

“As I meet and talk to residents in our community, high property taxes are consistently an area of top concern,” said Ness. “This measure is a good step in ensuring that our more vulnerable residents are receiving the property tax relief that is available to them, but the work cannot end here. I will continue to work across the aisle and support legislation to bring the needed property tax relief to families in our community.”