Chicago Tribune speculates on renewed favor for passenger rail
Monday's edition of the Chicago Tribune quotes State Senator Steve Stadelman in an article speculating on the likelihood of passenger rail from Chicago to Rockford regaining steam now that Bruce Rauner has been voted out of the governor's office and following overwhelming support for train service in a local referendum.

"It's a popular idea in northern Illinois," Stadelman told the Tribune. " We have a new governor who talked about the importance of transportation infrastructure. I hope he's willing to take a look at the idea."

Stadelman was instrumental in obtaining funding to restore passenger service between Chicago and Rockford, but the project screeched to a halt when Rauner defeated Governor Pat Quinn in 2014. He emphasized in the Tribune column that resurrecting the project again would require both "political will and the financing."

Governor-Elect J.B. Pritzker remains committed to "working across the aisle" to approve a capital spending plan that could provide a source of rail funding, according to the Tribune, which also cited the success in Winnebago and Boone counties this month of a nonbinding referendum calling for passenger rail from Chicago to East Dubuque.

•    WIFR-23 News Report

Senate overturns Rauner vetoes in Week 1 of fall session
The Illinois Senate overrode the governor’s vetoes on several key measures last week, including an attempt to unfairly limit restitution for families of veterans who succumbed to a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak in a residential care facility in Quincy. The original legislation, which Rauner tried to block, removes a cap of $100,000 on payouts in civil litigation against the state veterans home.

Also overturned in the Senate was Rauner's rejection of Tobacco 21, which raises the age when people can purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21. Illinois joins six other states and 20 municipalities within Illinois in the effort to stop young adults from forming a deadly lifetime habit.

Senator Stadelman returns to Springfield after Thanksgiving weekend for the second and final week of the fall veto session.

Stadelman fields legislative pitches from government students
Students in Nicole Frazer's government classes at Jefferson High School pitched to State Senator Steve Stadelman ideas for bills they want to see introduced in the Illinois General Assembly.

After hearing oral presentations, Stadelman sat down with student teams to review their proposals and offer feedback on topics including college affordability, environmental protection and gun safety. He also toured the school and met over lunch with student ambassadors for the College and Career Academies.

"During reflection at the end of the day, the students gave the experience a 10 out of 10 and look forward to a return visit," College and Career Readiness Coach Charles Kluzak said.

In case you missed me on Facebook:

 Steve Stadelman

I very much appreciate being recognized for public service at the African American Resource Center at Booker annual dinner last night!

Steve Stadelman is at Veterans Memorial Hall and Museum.

Congratulations to 20 graduates of the YouthBuild program! They overcame many challenges to improve their education and job skills. I was pleased to present them with Certificates of Recognition from the Illinois Senate!

 Steve Stadelman

Mark your calendars for 1 - 4 pm SUN DEC 9!

Stadelman urges families to visit financial aid workshops

High school seniors, parents of students and prospective college students of all ages can make use of free workshops this October to help begin the 2019-2020 school year.

October is College Changes Everything Month, a project of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. ISAC this month is offering free workshops to students and their families at local high schools where they can receive hands-on instruction filling out college applications and their FAFSAs from college and financial aid experts.

In addition, Oct. 1 was the first day the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form became available for the following year’s fall semester. State aid, including the MAP grant, is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so students should complete their FAFSA promptly to have the chance to access as much financial aid as possible.

“Applying for college admission or financial aid can be daunting, especially for families going through the process for the first time. I recommend the ISAC College Changes Everything workshops as a helpful tool,” said State Senator Steve Stadelman, a member of the Senate Higher Education Committee.

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In case you missed me on Facebook...

Steve Stadelman is in Rockford, Illinois.

October 11 at 1:14 PM · 

As part of National Fire Prevention Week, I joined the Rockford Fire Department to increase awareness of a new smoke detector law. It requires people who live in a household or apartment built before 1988 (when homes were required to have hardwired alarms) to install a smoke detector with a 10-year sealed battery. Since batteries will not have to be replaced as often, that will not only saves lives, but will save homeowners money in the long run. In most fire deaths, smoke detectors were either not working or not present.

Senator Stadelman's Women's Wellness Fair

1 hr · 

SAVE THE DATE for our 4th ANNUAL EVENT from: 1-4 pm SUN DEC 9 @ Riverside Museum Park, 711 N. Main St., Rockford. Lots of free services from flu shots to chair massages, refreshments, live music and plenty of parking! STAY TUNED for details on a new SPEAKER'S SERIES as part of the program.

Stadelman measure aims to improve student loan debt
A new law sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman will prevent state licensing boards from suspending or revoking people's professional licenses and certificates if they default on their student loans. Senate Bill 2439 puts provisions in place to prevent individuals with student loan default from having licenses denied, revoked or suspended in 37 professions, such as occupational therapists, barbers, teachers, structural engineers, home inspectors and real estate agents.

“This sort of punitive action serves no good purpose," Stadelman said. "Taking away the source of someone's livelihood only compounds the problem and makes loan repayment all the more difficult. It's a vicious circle that benefits no one."

Student loans are the largest source of consumer debt in the United States, surpassing mortgages and credit cards debt, and the only type of debt that typically cannot be discharged in bankruptcy court.

Override of governor's wage gap veto urged by Stadelman
State Senator Steve Stadelman is among Illinois lawmakers urging colleagues to override Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a bill to protect working women and address the state's gender wage gap. Had it become law, House Bill 4163 would have prevented  employers from asking prospective employees about their salary history.

"The idea is to break the cycle of a woman being paid unfairly in one job and having that lower wage influence her pay at her next job and the job after that," Stadelman said. "Without this change, some women might never be able to earn the wage they deserve."

If an override succeeds in General Assembly during its fall veto session next month, the new law also would give victims of unfair or gender-based wage discrepancies a method to seek compensation, including the recovery of lost wages and reimbursement of legal fees.

Stadelman named 'Friend of Agriculture'

Senator Steve Stadelman accepted the Friend of Agriculture award this week from the Winnebago- Boone Farm Bureau. The honor is given to state lawmakers whose voting records in Springfield favored Illinois farmers at least 70 percent of the time.