Senator Stadelman's Weekly Bulletin - April 27, 2018

McNamara joins Stadelman on behalf of River Edge Tax Credit
 
Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara joined State Senator Steve Stadelman in the Illinois Senate Revenue Committee to testify in support of legislation to making investing in downtown Rockford easier for developers. Senate Bill 3527, introduced by Stadelman, adjusts River Edge Zones in Rockford, Aurora, East St. Louis, Elgin and Peoria to provide additional incentives for redeveloping these communities.
 
“These tax credits have a proven record of spurring economic growth in areas like downtown Rockford,” Stadelman said. “These additional changes will promote even more economic development in our communities.”
 
Under Stadelman’s proposal, developers would be eligible for a one-time 25 percent credit of the eligible expenses of the project. They would also be subject to additional oversight to ensure they qualify for the tax credits.
Stadelman's bill will now be heard by the Illinois House of Representatives, having been approved by the full Senate this week.

Stadelman proposal to educate students on college debt advances

College students would be able to make more informed decisions about financing their education under a measure State Senator Steve Stadelman passed this week. Stadelman’s proposal, Senate Bill 2559, creates a three-year pilot program that requires each public university and community college to send an annual letter detailing the current loan and annual repayment amounts to all students with college loans.

“Every year, thousands of Illinois students graduate from college and are faced with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. For many of these students, it’s the first time they completely realize the full expense of their education,” Stadelman said. “This proposal ensures students know up-front how much they will owe and gives them the information to make smart financial decisions early to save money in the long run.”

Student loan debt in the United States has skyrocketed from $833 billion to an all-time high of $1.4 trillion, according to recent studies. On average, college students graduate with more than $34,000 in debt, up 62 percent in the last decade.
In 2012, Indiana University began sending new and returning students a letter projecting the amount of debt they were expected to graduate with, along with what their monthly payments would be. After implementing this system, the university saw a decline in the amount of education loans taken out by students. The state of Indiana passed a similar law to cover all state universities and community colleges in 2015.

Stadelman’s bill passed the full Senate with a vote of 51-1. It will now move to be heard in the Illinois House of Representatives.

Stadelman delivers state honors for RAMI winners

For a fourth consecutive year, State Senator Steve Stadelman awarded Certificates of Recognition from the Illinois Senate to recipients of the annual Rockford Area Music Industry awards. Stadelman also presented RAMIs in the People's Choice category for Special Event and Artist of the Year, the later going to the band On My Six, whose members -- Stu Kuhlman, Rick Soeprasetyo, Joshua Creviston, Daniel Adams and Lucas Dwyer -- are pictured with Stadelman backstage.

Mayor McNamara joins Stadelman on behalf of River Edge Tax Credit

SPRINGFIELD – Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara joined State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) in the Illinois Senate Revenue Committee to testify in support of legislation that would make it easier for developers to invest in downtown Rockford.  
Stadelman’s proposal, Senate Bill 3527, adjusts River Edge Zones in Rockford, Aurora, East St. Louis, Elgin and Peoria to provide additional incentives for redeveloping these communities.
 
“These tax credits have a proven record of spurring economic growth in areas like downtown Rockford,” Stadelman said. “These additional changes will promote even more economic development in our communities.”
 
Under Stadelman’s proposal, developers would be eligible for a one-time 25 percent credit of the eligible expenses of the project. They would also be subject to additional oversight to ensure they qualify for the tax credits.

The legislation passed the Illinois Senate Revenue Committee with a vote of 6-0. It will now be heard by the full Senate.
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Stadelman proposal to educate students on college debt advances

SPRINGFIELD –College students would be able to make more informed financial decisions about their education under a measure State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) passed through the Illinois Senate today.

Stadelman’s proposal, Senate Bill 2559, creates a three-year pilot program that requires each public university and community college to send an annual letter detailing the current loan and annual repayment amounts to all students with college loans.

“Every year, thousands of Illinois students graduate from college and are faced with tens of thousands of dollars in student loans. For many of these students, it’s the first time they completely realize the full expense of their education,” Stadelman said. “This proposal ensures students know up-front how much they will owe and gives them the information to make smart financial decisions early to save money in the long run.”
Student loan debt in the United States has skyrocketed from $833 billion to an all-time high of $1.4 trillion, according to recent studies. On average, college students graduate with over $34,000 in debt, up 62 percent in the last decade.

In 2012, Indiana University began sending new and returning students a letter projecting the amount of debt they were expected to graduate with, along with what their monthly payments would be. After implementing this system, the university saw a decline in the amount of education loans taken out by students. The state of Indiana passed a similar law to cover all state universities and community colleges in 2015.

Stadelman’s bill passed the full Senate with a vote of 51-1. It will now move to the Illinois House of Representatives to be heard for consideration.
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Senator Stadelman's Weekly Bulletin - April 20, 2018

Stadelman stands up for hungry students

In school districts across Illinois, students who are unable to pay for lunch can be stigmatized with a special wristband or hand stamp and even denied lunch. To stop this practice known as “lunch shaming,” State Senator Steve Stadelman passed Senate Bill 2428 through the Illinois Senate Education Committee this week.

“Lunch shaming punishes kids for the mistakes of their parents,” Stadelman said. “All students, no matter what their background or parents’ income level, deserve to eat. In some cases, this may be the only hot meal a student eats all day.”
 
Under Stadelman’s proposal, every school will be required to provide a meal to a student who requests one. While the school can contact the parents directly to request they pay for children’s lunches, the school cannot throw out meals, force students to wear wristbands or otherwise stigmatize them.  If parents owe $500 or more and a reasonable effort to collect the debt has been made, the school district can request the Illinois Comptroller withhold tax refunds to parents to pay off the debt.
 
“The top priority of our schools is to educate our children,” Stadelman said. “Forcing hungry children to sit through class makes it nearly impossible for them to focus and could have a long-term impact on their education.”
 
Stadelman's bill passed in committee on a vote of 9-2-1 and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.

Senate passes Equal Rights Amendment
 
After a nearly 50-year-long battle, the Illinois Senate took a historic vote to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and solidify equal rights for all.  Introduced in Congress in 1923 and sent to the states for ratification 46 years ago, the ERA declares that equality of rights will not be denied by the United States or any state on account of sex.

"In voting to ratify the ERA, Illinois lawmakers are listening to and standing up for women across the state who are demanding action that is long overdue," State Senator Steve Stadelman said in support of the measure.  "The ERA cements legal protections for women that otherwise are subject to shifting political winds in the White House and on Capitol Hill."

Several advancements for women's rights, such as the Equal Pay Act and Title IX, could be repealed by a majority vote in Congress. The Executive Branch could also reduce enforcement of these acts.

Currently, 36 states have voted to ratify the ERA, with Nevada being most recent. To be ratified to the Constitution, 38 states must approve the amendment. Illinois' legislation now moves to the House for further consideration. For Illinois to ratify the ERA, three-fifths of House members must vote in support.

The Illinois Senate Women's Caucus also gave the Equal Rights Amendment its support at a press conference before the vote, the first piece of legislation to earn the bipartisan group's backing. Watch the press conference HERE.
 
Stadelman bill to increase transparency on car rental agreements advances
In response to the proliferation of cashless tolls, State Senator Steve Stadelman has advanced a proposal that offers protection for rental car drivers. After returning a rental car, many drivers may be surprised to find they were charged additional fees for a tollway collection device, similar to an I-PASS. Stadelman won committee approval this week for legislation to allow drivers to opt-out of using these devices.

“Drivers deserve to know up front what they are paying for, instead of finding out when it is already too late,” Stadelman said.

Under Stadelman’s proposal, rental car companies must allow renters to opt-out of the tollway collection device. The company also must post the terms and conditions in the rental agreement and in a visible location in the business. If a company fails to offer a customer the ability to opt-out, the fees are capped at $2 per day that the device is used, in addition to the cost of the tolls.

 “Many people may not be aware they can avoid these costly fees by using their own transponders, paying cash or paying the fees online,” Stadelman said. “This additional level on transparency can only benefit consumers.”

Stadelman’s proposal, Senate Bill 2522, passed through the Illinois Senate Commerce and Economic Development Committee with a vote of 7-2-1. It will now head to the full Senate.

•    Video of Senator Stadelman commenting on legislation