Rockford – On Tuesday, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) announced that the state is finally reimbursing the Village of Machesney Park for the boat ramp built on the Rock River back in 2015.

“Frankly, this should have happened earlier,” Stadelman said. “This is proof that Illinois is turning a fiscal corner and is finally keeping its promises to communities like Machesney Park.”

The original state grant for the dock was announced back in 2014 and was built the following year. Unfortunately, the reimbursement for the grant was frozen by former governor Bruce Rauner.

The boat ramp has improved public access to the Rock River and helped law enforcement to 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,” said Steve Johnson, mayor of Machesney Park. “It would not have happened without the 50% grant funding by the State, and we appreciate Senator Stadelman’s help in seeing the final payment through to us.”

The dock was part of the state’s Boat Area Access Development Program, which aimed to improve access to Illinois’ lakes and rivers. According to local officials, the dock has change the way emergency personnel have been able to rescue people and prevent additional accidents on the River.

The $200,000 check from the office of Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza was officially issued last Thursday, December 5.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) joined fellow lawmakers to pass a measure that would prevent the loss of hundreds of good-paying jobs across the state, including dozens in the Rockford area.

The legislation would reinstate a sales tax exemption for aircraft maintenance materials. Most other states offer this exemption, so Illinois needs it to remain competitive. Illinois neighbors Wisconsin, Missouri and Indiana all offer similar exemptions, as do major competitors like California and New York.

“Companies like Emery Air provide good-paying jobs in the Rockford-area,” Stadelman said. “We need to keep Illinois open for business and support these aviation jobs.”

Over the last four years, since the exemption expired, aviation repair companies didn’t charge any sales taxes along with their services. The Department of Revenue failed to identify or collect missing tax revenue. The legislation forgives the companies for unintentionally not collecting taxes.

“These companies shouldn’t be penalized for not collecting the tax when they didn’t know the tax credit had expired,” Stadelman said. “I’m urging the governor to reconsider signing this crucial legislation. Hundreds of Illinoisans’ jobs depend on it.”

House Bill 3902 passed the Senate 48-1-2, and it will now be sent to the governor, who has already pledged to veto the measure.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) voted on legislation today that would make daylight saving time the year-round standard.

The measure would eliminate the statewide practice of moving clocks forward in the spring and backward in the fall.

“Changing your clocks twice year is at best a hassle for most Illinoisans,” Stadelman said. “There are also many benefits that come with making this simple change to the way we keep our time in this state.”

Research has shown that switching to standard time in the fall is linked with a spike in diagnoses of depression as well as a mild spike in heart attacks.

“I have no doubt that in the past standard time served a purpose, but it’s simply no longer necessary for the world we live in today,” Stadelman said. “I hope federal lawmakers will come to a similar conclusion and do their part to remove this arbitrary system that burdens everyday people.”

Although the legislation would change state law to eliminate the time change, Illinois would still need approval from the federal government before implementing the measure. Until the federal government allows the change to occur, the current timekeeping standards will remain in effect.

The proposal passed the Illinois Senate 44-2-2. It will now be sent to the House of Representatives.

 SPRINGFIELD - Amid life-threatening increases in the cost of prescription insulin, Steve Stadelman, a State Senator and father to a diabetic son, voted with fellow lawmakers today to cap insulin copayments. The legislation will cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply.

 “I have seen the struggle that diabetics face every day,” said Stadelman, a Rockford democrat. “Diabetes is a lifelong affliction for those who have it. It shouldn’t also be the cause of financial stress for their families.”

 There are currently over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. An individual with Type 1 diabetes, a lifelong condition that often begins at birth, will spend an average of $5,705 per year on insulin alone.

 “Without adequate insurance, many people with diabetes can’t afford the insulin they need to survive,” Stadelman said. “Rationing insulin leads to further health problems and more expensive health care costs in the long term. This legislation will provide medical and financial relief for thousands in the Rockford area and across the state of Illinois.”

 The price of insulin has tripled between 2002 and 2013, which has led to many patients rationing their insulin and sacrificing other daily needs to pay for the medication.

 Senate Bill 667 passed with a vote of 48-7 and would make Illinois the second state in the nation to cap prescription insulin co-payments.