$33 million state investment fuels Rockford mass transit terminal expansion

The governor visited Rockford today to celebrate the start of construction to expand and modernize the Rockford Mass Transit District downtown terminal. Thanks to a $33 million state investment -- the largest of its kind in Illinois -- the project will include battery charging infrastructure for new electric and hybrid buses and additional garage space for the growing RMTD fleet.
"Rebuild Illinois has been the most robust infrastructure plan in our state's history and one of the governor and General Assembly's biggest accomplishments," Stadelman said of the historic, multi-year capital spending legislation he voted for in 2019. "We've been able to improve our highways, rails, bridges and transportation facilities like this one.
Projects like this," he said, "mean Rockford-area residents will be able to travel more efficiently and safely. Not only are we improving bus service, we have passenger rail service coming between Chicago and Rockford in the near future as well."

Rockford nonprofits to benefit from nearly $1 million in Illinois clean energy grants 

Eligible nonprofit organizations in the Rockford region will receive nearly $1 million in solar energy installations as part of Illinois' landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, State Senator Steve Stadelman announced today.

Greenlink Energy Solutions of Rockford is partnering with Zion West Enterprises to identify and fund start-up and pre-development costs for renewable-energy projects for nonprofits that serve low-income and historically disadvantaged communities. The state's $964,270 investment is expected to result in $3.5 million in local projects for nonprofits and also pay for training for local workers to install solar equipment.

Rockford is one of 12 communities statewide benefitting from $10.3 million in grants under CEJA through its Equitable Energy Future Grant Program.

"The goal is to help remove barriers to projects in communities that have been historically left behind due to lack of available capital," Stadelman said. "The economic benefits of clean energy should touch every zip code." 

Qualified entities for the Equitable Energy grants included contractors, non-profits, co-operatives majority-governed by equity eligible persons and businesses or nonprofits with a proposed project that meets equity building criteria. Grants under two additional CEJA programs were also announced, for a total of $57 million in state funding to 88 recipients.

Stadelman bill would ban devices used to conceal license plates

With other states reporting influxes in drivers concealing or switching their license plates to avoid legal repercussions, State Senator Steve Stadelman is working to ensure Illinois law explicitly bans so-called license plate flippers.

“Devices like flippers allow drivers to evade tolls and law enforcement, creating unfair and unsafe road conditions for everyone,” Stadelman said. “This measure reinforces the importance of accountability on our roads by making it clear these devices are illegal.”

A license plate flipper is a device that allows drivers – with the push of a button – to obscure their license plates, often used to avoid identification when committing traffic violations. Senate Bill 1883, which passed the Senate Transportation Committee this week, builds on current law by clarifying that the use of tape or flippers on any license plate and any other evidence of registration issued by the Illinois Secretary of State is illegal. 

If approved by both chambers of the General Assembly, Illinois would join the expanding number of states in outlawing license plate flippers.

Stadelman works to keep preventative care affordable

In an effort to contain the cost of preventive health care, State Senator Steve Stadelman is sponsoring legislation to eliminate facility fees.

“There’s no reason for hospital-owned health facilities to charge extra fees, especially if it’s a greedy facility fee,” Stadelman said. “Health care is already expensive enough as is, and we have a responsibility to make it more affordable for Illinoisans.”

Senate Bill 2182 would make it illegal for a health care facility to charge a facility fee for preventive services provided to a patient at any associated clinic. A facility fee is a charge imposed by hospitals and health facilities for the use of their space, equipment and administrative services, separate from the fees charged by doctors or other health care providers.

“Patients don’t deserve unexpected costs when they seek routine health care,” Stadelman said. “We need to put patients over profit, especially when it’s preventive health care.”

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Steve Stadelman
March 20 at 5:12 PM

Members of the Rockford-area state legislative delegation gathered for a group photo with Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau officials in Springfield during the Illinois Farm Bureau's annual Government Affairs Leadership Conference. Keynote speakers were former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and Inside Elections Editor and Publisher Nathan Gonzalez.