Governor signs bill authorizing Rockford casino and funding for passenger rail to Chicago

Gov. JB Pritzker today conducted a news conference in Rockford to tout legislation he signed Friday in Springfield that includes a Rockford casino and $275 million for restoring passenger rail from Rockford to Chicago as part of a $45 billion statewide construction program.

Pritzker commended State Senator Steve Stadelman for his diligence in negotiating the inclusion of train service between Rockford and Chicago in the "Rebuild Illinois" initiative, the state's first comprehensive plan for infrastructure investment in a decade. The governor also recognized Stadelman, State Senator Dave Syverson and State Rep. Maurice West for their roles in making sure Rockford was part of the mix in expanding gaming to include sports betting and six new casinos. He said it was important to "beat Beloit" and other border-state competitors to keep the money Illinois consumers spend on entertainment in Illinois.

Under Rebuild Illinois, the state not only will fix crumbling roads and bridges but also fund long overdue improvements on college campuses, including Rock Valley College, and make good on a $14.7 pledge toward construction of the jet repair facility at Chicago-Rockford International Airport, Pritzker said. The airport commitment, made late in the Quinn administration, was stalled for four years under Bruce Rauner -- as was a similar 2014 passenger rail initiative in which Stadelman had been a key player.  

Since the last construction plan in 2009, ratings groups have increasingly been raising red flags about the state of Illinois’ infrastructure, including AAA, which recently gave Illinois’ transportation infrastructure a D grade.

Pritzker said Rebuild Illinois will produce 500,000 new jobs statewide. Rockford's casino is expected to bring 600 construction and 1,000 permanent jobs along with as much as $8 million annually in municipal tax revenue.

Rockford Register Star Editorial

        

Stadelman measure combatting student credit card debt signed into law 

Key stakeholders will seek solutions for skyrocketing credit card debt faced by college students under legislation signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker. House Bill 1581, sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman, creates the College Student Credit Card Marketing and Debt Task Force.

The task force will include representatives from credit unions, banks and state universities and will study how credit cards are marketed to students, students’ payment history and several other related issues. The task force has until December 14, 2019 to submit its report to the Illinois General Assembly.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, 41 percent of students graduated with credit card debt averaging $3,000 in 2016.    

“Credit cards are needed in order to help young people build a credit score, but if misused can lead to a lifetime of debt,” Stadelman said. “Unfortunately, too many students are unaware of the interest rates they have signed up to pay.”

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Steve Stadelman is with Thomas McNamara.

June 29 at 8:29 PM · 

Amazing turnout for Fred VanVleet's Welcome Home Party!

228 LikesSteve Booth, Gwen Kahl Lashock and 226 others

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Kathy Dawson This is awesome! Thanks Fred.

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Michele Dobbs Let’s continue to bring positive vibes and showcasing that dreams can come true as long as you do the work along with rising each other up!

Stadelman-backed bill to crack down on human trafficking signed into law

A measure to fight human trafficking in Illinois by requiring more training on the issue and enacting stronger penalties has been signed into law by the governor.  State Senator Steve Stadelman voted in favor of the Lodging Establishment Human Trafficking Recognition Training Act, which requires hotels and motels to train their employees on how to recognize human trafficking and how to alert authorities.

Hotels and motels have been shown to be popular locations for human trafficking. 

Senate Bill 1890, which took effect immediately, also requires the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board to provide training for police officers to detect human trafficking and extends the statute of limitations for all offenses related to human trafficking to 25 years.

Stadelman commends governor for executive order to ensure full 2020 Census count

State Senator Steve Stadelman expressed his support this week for Gov. JB Pritzker's signing of an executive order that provides resources to ensure a full count in the upcoming 2020 Census.

The executive order, according to Stadelman, builds on a $29 million budget appropriation by the Illinois General Assembly by establishing a new Census Office within the Illinois Department of Human Services to administer grant funding and conduct outreach and education. Pritzker's order also creates a 12-member Census Advisory Panel that will advise the Census Office on how best to reach hard-to-count communities.

"The importance of an accurate and complete count cannot be understated," Stadelman said. "The census not only determines political representation but has a direct economic impact, and communities with high numbers of black and Latino residents are historically overlooked."

Illinois could lose up to two congressional seats and billions in federal dollars if there is an undercount. The 2020 Census officially begins on April 1, 2020. 

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Steve Stadelman is with Bethany Fiedler.

16 hrs · 

Congratulations to the Rock Valley College women's softball team after winning its 6th straight NJCAA Division III national championship! We've seen back-to-back and 3-peat champions in the sports world. But 6 in a row?! ???????????? I was honored to present each player and coach with an Illinois Senate Certificate of Recognition during a celebration this afternoon.

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Steve Stadelman is with Jo Minor.

June 11 at 4:50 PM · 

It was my privilege today to present to Jo Minor and Claire McIntyre a Senate proclamation marking the 100th anniversary of Illinois ratifying the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote. Illinois, along with Wisconsin and Michigan, were the first states in the nation to grant women suffrage.Congratulations to Jo for recently assuming the presidency of the League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford from Claire and thank you to Claire for her service!

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Barbara Verni-Lau Yes! Thank you both for all the work you do on behalf of women! 
Thank you Sen Stadelman for recognizing their work!

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Stadelman: Budget and infrastructure plan contain big wins for Rockford

Casino approval, passenger rail and airport funding prevail in final day of spring legislative session

For the second year in a row, the Illinois Senate has voted to approve a bipartisan budget -- and this time there’s funding for passenger rail service to Rockford, a casino for Rockford and funds for the Rockford airport included. State Senator Steve Stadelman, after voting Sunday to approve the balanced budget, expressed excitement over the developments and infrastructure Rockford is slated to receive.

“I think this budget is another step in the right direction of creating a fiscally stable Illinois,” Stadelman said. “Additionally, the jobs and revenue created by a casino will not only help keep that budget stable, but will see some much needed growth come to Rockford.”

Stadelman fought for a larger expansion of gaming that included casinos in Chicago and five border communities over a more basic plan to only would have made sports betting legal in Illinois.

"This is really an effort to stop people from crossing state lines and spending their entertainment dollars here," he said.

• WTVO-17 report on gaming expansion 

In the final hours of an extended spring legislative session Sunday, the Senate also approved a comprehensive infrastructure package that will see $45 billion dollars invested into local communities for projects such as roads, bridges and community development.

“I don’t think there is one person who would say we don’t need to make huge investments in fixing our roads,” Stadelman said. “This package will help us modernize and rebuild our state.” 

Included in the infrastructure package is s $275 million for passenger rail service to Rockford, a longstanding priority of Senator Stadelman.

“Getting fast, reliable rail service to Rockford can only serve as a benefit to the local economy,” said Stadelman, who worked to obtain funding to restore passenger rail between Rockford and Chicago under Gov. Pat Quinn in 2014. When Bruce Rauner succeeded Quinn as governor in 2015, however, he blocked the funding.  Amtrak wants to conduct a new market study, Stadelman said, and open questions include which existing freight route or routes would be upgraded and whether passenger service would extend from Rockford to Dubuque, Iowa.  

"Passenger rail for Rockford is back on track," he said. "At this juncture, it's a work in progress. What the project looks like will be up to local and state leaders and other stakeholders."

• WREX-13 report on passenger rail funding 

   The budget also funds a previous commitment to the Rockford airport for a new aircraft maintenance facility. The airport had to borrow $90,000 a month to pay back private loans after former Gov. Rauner failed to release the state's contribution to the project. 

SPRINGFIELD – For the second year in a row, the Illinois Senate has voted to approve a bipartisan budget, and this time there’s funding for passenger rail service to Rockford, a casino for Rockford and funds for the Rockford airport included.

State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) voted with his colleagues to approve the balanced budget and says he’s excited to see the developments and infrastructure Rockford is slated to receive.

“I think this budget is another step in the right direction of creating a fiscally stable Illinois,” Stadelman said. “Additionally, the jobs and revenue created by a casino will not only help keep that budget stable, but will see some much needed growth come to Rockford.”

The Senate also voted on a comprehensive infrastructure package that will see $45 billion dollars invested into local communities for projects such as roads, bridges and community development.

The budget also includes $275 million for passenger rail service to Rockford, a long standing priority of Senator Stadelman.

“I think getting fast a reliable rail service to Rockford can only serve as a benefit to the local economy,” Stadelman said.

That budget also includes state funds promised in past years to repay the Rockford airport for a new aircraft maintenance facility. The airport has had to borrow $90,000 a month to pay back private loans after the previous administration failed to send the funds.

“I don’t think there is one person who would say we don’t need to make huge investments in fixing our roads,” Stadelman added. “This package will help us modernize and rebuild our state.”