Legislature passes sweeping equity reforms

In a marathon close to the 101st Illinois General Assembly last week, lawmakers considered four comprehensive bills to address equity in education, economic opportunity, health care and criminal justice. Work on the health care legislation continues while the three other bills were sent to the Governor. I want to give you an easy-to-digest overview of what I believe are the key points of these monumental, long-overdue reforms:

Education Equity

• helps ensure struggling young children get the resources they need to be ready for school and prepares all children for post-secondary education

• identifies more equitable ways to fund higher education

• expands and reprioritizes efforts to increase minority teachers

Economic Equity

• increases goals for minorities, women and people with disabilities to access state contracts

• protects consumers from predatory loans by capping interest rates

• evaluates discrimination in the state’s beauty supply industry

Health Care Equity

• evaluates the effectiveness of Illinois' managed care program

• grants a two-month stay on hospital closures

• creates a task force to undertake a review of health and human service programs with the goal of improving access and outcomes for all Illinois residents

Criminal Justice Equity

• increases police accountability, transparency and training

• promotes the use of co-responder models in a mental health crisis response

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford)     was sworn in to serve the 34th Senate District for another term Wednesday.

Stadelman, from the greater Rockford area, was originally elected   to serve in the General Assembly in November 2012. Previously,     he worked as a professional journalist and reporter in the Rockford area for two decades.

Over the past eight years, Stadelman has fought for education reform, to bring an Amtrak route to Rockford, to help upgrade local youth sports facilities, to protect Illinois’ consumers, to help abuse victims and to fight for college students.

“It’s an incredible honor to continue to serve the Rockford area,” Stadelman said. “I look forward to getting back to work to help the people of Rockford and the state of Illinois as we continue to face this public health crisis.”

Stadelman’s district office is located at 200 S. Wyman St., Suite 301, in Rockford. People can contact his office at (815) 987-7557, or at www.senatorstadelman.com. 

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) voted for a comprehensive measure to focus on achieving racial equity within education Monday.

“When you focus on making a more inclusive education system, everyone benefits,” Stadelman said. “This legislation will help even the playing field for students who may need additional resources.”

The overhaul of the state’s education system will require the Professional Review Panel to review funding adequacy target calculations, racial equity, and whether funding goals are     sufficient, among other things.

“There is no excuse for any child in the state to not reach their full potential solely because their ZIP code, socioeconomic background or the color of their skin,” Stadelman said. “Providing necessary services at an early age will ensure better educational outcomes for the entire state.”

The bill creates new programs to support education from early childhood to college. Students entering kindergarten would be more rigorously assessed for academic, social and emotional development skills. The state's standards for high schools would be revised to ensure more students are able to attend college. Other measures include a six-week summer program to help students in poverty and the creation of a task force to support equitable environments in Illinois schools.

The measure, House Bill 2170, has passes both chambers. It will now go to the governor’s desk for further consideration. 

ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) is reminding Rockford residents of the importance of early detection of radon and urges people to test their homes for this harmful gas during Radon Action Month.

“People are spending more time inside as the cold winter months and the public health crisis both continue,” Stadelman said. “Extended exposure to radon has the potential to cause lung cancer, so we must continue to raise awareness around this silent killer.”

Radon gas is one of the leading causes of lung cancer in the nation, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. Statistics show radon has been found in nearly 40% of homes tested in Illinois. Cities located in the central and northern regions, like Rockford, are shown to have higher levels of radon in the soil.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. This odorless, colorless, tasteless gas comes from the natural breakdown of the soil, and it enters buildings through small cracks in the foundation, sump pits, crawl spaces, floor drains and more. If not properly mitigated, radon gas can reach drastically high levels and cause major health concerns.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the American Lung Association in Illinois are hosting two statewide contests that urge students to use their creative talents to promote radon awareness. High school students are invited to submit a 30-second commercial style video, and middle school students can design a poster to urge residents to test their homes for radon. For more information and to enter, click here.

“Not only is this a great opportunity to raise awareness around radon exposure, but it also gives students the chance to be creative,” Stadelman said.

For more information about radon, visit www.radon.illinois.gov. Information is also available through IEMA’s Radon Hotline at 800-325-1245.