Rockford, Harlem schools awarded library grants

State Senator Steve Stadelman announced today that Rockford Public School District 205 and Harlem Community Unit School District 122 are set to receive nearly $25,000 in grants given out by Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s School Library Grant program.

“I’m grateful to hear that both Harlem and Rockford schools will receive these grants,” said Stadelman. “Libraries played an important role for me growing up, and additional funding will help our libraries to continue updating their collections for every student to enjoy.”

The grants were awarded based on a per-student formula. Rockford will receive $19,557 with Harlem getting $4,284. School libraries can use the funds to acquire fiction and/or nonfiction books, educational CDs and DVDs, library subscriptions to electronic resources or improve technology by purchasing new computers or improving Wi-Fi connectivity.

Lawmakers seek answers to abuse of seclusion rooms in schools

Members of the joint bipartisan Illinois Senate and House Education Committees met to examine the abuse of seclusion rooms in public schools. The committee heard testimony from the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Association of Social Workers, Equip for Equality and Illinois Education Association, among other key education stakeholders.

The testimony comes in the wake of a report released by the Chicago Tribune and ProPublica Illinois found that school officials disciplined misbehaving children by locking them in seclusion rooms alone, sometimes for hours, a practice found to be harmful to children’s well-being. Gov. JB Pritzker's administration responded by issuing an emerengy ban on the practice, and Senate Bill 2315 was introduced to permanently prohibute use of seclusion rooms as a punitive measure.

During the hearing, lawmakers discussed the need to address the alarming number of reported violations of the use of isolation by certify educators are well-trained in techniques and procedures and supported by proper staffing numbers. The ultimate goal of the committee, lawmakers said, is to keep students safe so they have opportuntities to be successful, which can't happen when misconduct occurs.

Illinois gives students ability to self-administer medication

Students are now allowed to self-administer prescribed medication while at school under a new law supported by State Senator Steve Stadelman. Parental permission must be in place and the medication must be doctor prescribed. Stadelman said the law, which took effect Jan. 1, is designed to give students control of their own health and greater ability to focus on school work while providing parents with peace of mind.

State's minimum wage increase beginning to take effect

Minimum wage earners statewide will see a $1 per hour increase their next paycheck under Illinois' move to increase the hourly mimimage pay rate to $15 by January 2025.

Stadelman backed the increase as a means to move more families toward a living wage and away from public assistance to fill the gap. Single parents making the previous $8.25 an hour qualified for food stamps, Medicaid and often housing benefits.

Illinois' minimum wage is scheduled to increase again to $10 an hour July 1 and another $1 an hour each Jan. 1 from 2021 through 2025. Workers under age 18 will receive more modest increases from $8 to $13 by Jan. 1, 2022.

On behalf of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus, we want to wish you a happy holiday season and a new year filled with health, happiness and prosperity. With the start of the new year comes more than 250 new laws.

Legalization of adult-use cannabis, an increased minimum wage and new regulations on kennels are just a few recently passed measures that take effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Read the full list of new laws here.

Watch our slideshow about the new initiatives here.

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Thanks to all the veterans groups and volunteers who organized today's free Christmas dinner
for vets at the VFW Post in Loves Park! Hundreds enjoyed a holiday meal and cheer.
They included 93-year-old Harlow Rosborough, who's a World War II veteran!

State makes good on financial commitment to Machnesney Park

State Senator Steve Stadelman announced this week that the state is reimbursing the Village of Machesney Park for a boat ramp built on the Rock River in 2015.

“This payment, of course, should have occurred long ago," Stadelman said. "But the release of the funds now proves Illinois is turning a fiscal corner and finally keeping its promises to communities like Machesney Park.”

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza issued a check for $200,000 to reimburse Machesney Park for a grant awarded in 2014 under the state's Boat Area Access Development Program but frozen after Bruce Rauner became governor in 2015. According to Machesney Park Mayor Steve Johnson, the ramp has lived up to the intent of the state's grant program, which was to improve access to Illinois' lakes and rivers. The ramp provides the added benefit of helping law enforcement respond more quickly to emergencies.

“The boating public and first responders have really appreciated the boat launch, as shown by the amount of use it gets,” ohnson said. “It would not have happened without the 50-percent grant funding by the state, and we appreciate Senator Stadelman’s help in seeing the final payment through to us.”

 Stadelman urges Goodwill grads to keep believing

Citing the early life and career disappointments of Abraham Lincoln, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney, Lucille Ball and Dr. Suess, State Senator Steven Stadelman commended young adults who earned their GED through Goodwill and encouraged them to continue to invest in themselves.

Lincoln famously failed in business and lost eight elections before becoming president, Stadelman noted, and Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Disney, Oprah and Lucy all were dismissed as no-talents early in their careers, and Dr. Suess saw his first book rejected by 27 publishers.

"Our lives are richer because they believed in themselves," Stadelman told Goodwill's fifth and largest GED class at Veteran's Memorial Hall. "Always believe in your abilities even when others don't. Our community is held back by its comparative low education level. Each of you, in bettering yourself, makes our commuity a better place to live."

Pictured below are three of the 22 graduates: Dylan Farr, Efrain Dominguez and Pricilla Outcalt, who worked toward her diploma for 30 years.

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Shoutout to Albert Cheeks Riley Jr. for the photos of the charity basketball game earlier this month. I had a blast and, just as importantly, didn't tweak a knee or ankle!

Enjoyed talking with ESL students at Rock Valley College! Thanks Bonnie Jensen for the invite!

Insulin cap awaits governor's signature

Diabetics won't be ravaged by out-of-pocket costs for life-saving prescriptions once Gov. JB Pritzker signs a bill co-sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman to cap the price of insulin in Illinois at $100 for a 30-day supply. Pritzker has expressed support, calling the legislation "a bold action to protect our residents' health" when the bill passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly last week.

"Illinois continues to be a leader in ensuring health care is a right and not a privilege," Priztker said. "This is an important step forward for lowering health care costs."

Stadelman, who has a diabetic teenage son, argued that capping costs to make insulin affordable will save money in the long run because diabetics won't be inclined to ration insulin, causing serious damage to their health from unstable levels of glucose in their blood.

Women's Wellness Fair another success

Women received influenza immunizations, massage and reflexology demonstrations and learned about health issues ranging from breast and cervical cancer to skincare and aromatherapy at State Senator Steve Stadelman's fifth Women's Wellness Fair at Riverfront Museum Park.

Thirty vendors provided services and information Saturday that focused on women, though men were invited to attend and did. Stadelman organizes the free event as an opportunity for women and men to access health care they may not otherwise be able to afford and to take time to pamper themselves before the holiday rush. Guests enjoyed refreshments and music by the harp and flute duo Emerald Wind.

Watch WIFR-23 news report

 Ethics reform bill would improve transparency in lobbying

State Senator Steve Stadelman is pushing for new ethics reforms in the wake of scandals surrounding numerous Springfield lawmakers in recent months, passing legislation in the Illinois General Assembly last week.

Senate Bill 1639, co-sponsored by Stadelman, takes aim at the practice of state lawmakers lobbying local units of government by requiring:
• state lobbyists to disclose any units of local government they also lobby,
• state lobbyists to disclose any elected or appointed offices they hold,
• lobbying firms that contract out other lobbyists to disclose who is lobbying for each business or other client,
• the Secretary of State to improve the Illinois lobbyist database, integrating new provisions and making the system easier to search and navigate.

The proposals now head to the governor for his signature.

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Hanging out and sharing snacks with 3,4 and 5 year olds at Nashold Early Childhood Center. Great to see how their teacher Andrew Fruth Andy Fruth and school staff help students every day. Obviously, the little boy in front (left photo) found something much more interesting than me. ?

Watch WIFR-23 news report