ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is pleased to announce the Illinois secretary of state’s announcement of the opening of a drive-vehicle registration facility in Rockford, beginning Tuesday.

“I’d like to thank the Secretary of State for including Rockford in the first stage of his reopening plan,” Stadelman said. “Access to facilities like the DMV are a necessary part of moving forward and getting back to some semblance of normal, everyday life.”

The facility will only be offering drive-thru services for vehicle registration sticker transactions. According to the Secretary of State’s office, the opening of the facility is the first step of a reopening plan that will be announced in the coming days. The plan will include guidance on how to properly protect customers and employees.

“My commitment is to do everything we can to help protect the health and safety of our residents, while providing services to the people of Illinois,” said Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White. “This first step in a reopening plan adheres to this commitment.”

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ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is encouraging residents to participate in the Citizens Utility Board’s (CUB) ongoing Virtual Utility Bill Clinic to potentially save money during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As more people spend time at home, energy usage has gone up, which means monthly utility bills are going up as well,” Stadelman said. “Families already have additional financial burdens in this uncertain time. I encourage residents to use CUB’s online clinics to help them reduce their bills.”

To participate, residents should send a copy of their most recent electric, natural gas and telecom bills to CUB at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject line “Attn: Virtual Utility Bill Clinic.” Participants can remove personal information, but their documents should include the account holder’s name.

A CUB specialist will evaluate the bill to determine if you are signed up with an alternative supplier or if you are paying for unnecessary products or services. CUB will also let you know if you are eligible for money-saving programs, like financial assistance, and share information about energy-efficiency programs.

Stadelman encourages residents to take advantage of CUB’s free utility bill clinics so to help keep their utility usage and costs in check. For more information on the program, please visit www.citizensutilityboard.org.

ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) encouraged Winnebago County residents to fill out the 2020 Census, protecting their representation in government and share of federal funding.

“The census is an incredibly important tool that the federal government uses to determine how much money will be given to the Rockford and surrounding areas,” Stadelman said. “Filling out the census is easier than ever before with the new online questionnaire option. For a family of six, it took me 10 minutes to fill out.”

In 2010, Winnebago county had a final response rate of 72.5%. So far this year, Winnebago’s response rate is down, currently only at 67%. More than half of the county’s residents’ responses have been submitted online.

“If the Rockford area is undercounted, we will receive less money, less representation and less influence across the state and country,” Stadelman said. “It’s up to us to be counted, or we will be counted out.”

Although online is the quickest way to fill out the questionnaire, there are three ways you can respond: online, by phone or by mail. Stadelman also pointed out that higher self-response rates mean fewer individuals are likely to receive visits from census surveyors to be counted in-person. This year, census surveyors are putting the health of themselves and their families at risk from COVID-19.

If you haven’t filled out your census questionnaire yet, you can visit 2020census.gov, where you can find the online questionnaire and additional information about the census. To see local responses rates across Illinois and the entire nation, visit www.censushardtocountmaps2020.us.

ROCKFORD - Under the state’s new modified Stay at Home Order that went into effect today, 60 state parks in Illinois will reopen for recreational outdoor activities, including Rock Cut State Park.

Last week, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources released an initial list of just 25 parks that were set to open. Concerned about the absence of parks within a reasonable travel distance for families in Winnebago County and surrounding communities, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) began discussions with The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Pritzker administration to include Rock Cut State Park.

The Pritzker administration today announced it amended the new Stay at Home Order to include Rock Cut, among other parks.
“Getting outside and enjoying nature is one of the best ways to combat the uncertainty and ease the stress that families are currently under. We need to ensure that every family across Illinois is afforded that same opportunity,” Stadelman said. “I’d like to thank the IDNR and the administration for their good faith discussions and ultimately reopening Rock Cut State Park in Winnebago County.”

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