Legislation bringing regional parity to toll way board passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation that would require greater regional representation on the Illinois Tollway Board has passed the Illinois Senate.

“I think it’s fair to say that if you have a tollway in your community, then your community deserves a seat at the table,” State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) said. “This legislation corrects that problem for the Lake, Winnebago, Boone and McHenry County communities.”

The Toll Highway includes 294 miles in five tollways that run through 12 counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb, Ogle, Whiteside and Lee.

Senate Bill 764 was filed after none of the nine seats on the board overseeing the toll way were filled with members from Winnebago or Lake counties. It would require the governor to appoint one member from Lake County and one from either Winnebago, Boone or McHenry counties.

Senate Bill 764 passed the Senate unanimously and now goes to the House of Representatives.

Legislative update

Stadelman, Bush call for regional parity on Illinois Tollway Board

After none of the nine seats on the board were filled with members from Winnebago or Lake counties, State Senator Steve Stadelman and colleague Melinda Bush responded with a legislative proposal to require greater regional representation on the Illinois Tollway Board. Senate Bill 794, which would mandate the governor to immediately appoint one member from Lake County and one member from either Winnebago, Boone or McHenry counties, was approved today in the Senate and now advances to the House.

“Residents of counties serviced by the tollway ought to have someone on the board representing their interests,” State Senator Steve Stadelman said. “This bill guarantees that those very residents get that representation and aren’t forgotten.”

The Toll Highway includes 294 miles in five tollways that run through 12 counties: Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb, Ogle, Whiteside and Lee.

“We have a law that says no more than five members of the tollway board may be from the same political party,” said Bush of Grayslake. “There should be a law that ensures geographic diversity on the board as well. Lake County is one of the largest financial contributors to the tollway. I think it's fair to demand a local voice for Lake County residents on the tollway board.”

Stadelman stresses importance of accurate 2020 Census count
Senator Steve Stadelman has announced his support of legislative proposals aimed at getting a full and accurate count in Illinois during the 2020 Census, noting the consequences of an undercount could include the loss of billions in federal funding along with two congressional seats and two Electoral College votes.

• Senate Bill 1408 would appropriate $25 million to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to provide grants to community providers and local governments for the purposes of encouraging full participation in the 2020 federal census.
• Senate Bill 2053 would appropriate $25 million to the Illinois Secretary of State for grants to community providers and local governments for the purposes of encouraging full participation in the 2020 census, especially minority communities that are historically under reported.
• Senate Bill 1621 would makes changes to the Illinois Complete Count Commission to expand the census to address historically under-reported, low-income communities.

Stadelman believes these efforts are critical as the federal government attempts to conduct the count entirely online for the first time, a move that may increase efficiency but also presents a challenge for people without computers or easy access to the internet.

For more information on the 2020 census, visit www.census.gov.

Health-care professionals share views on state issues

State Senator Steve Stadelman and other lawmakers who represent the Rockford area met with medical experts to hear their thoughts on bills pending in Springfield. Topics ranged from marijuana use to health insurance at the forum organized by the Rockford Regional Health Council.  

In case you missed me on Facebook ...

Steve Stadelman

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Lily and Eli Freeman, of Winnebago, were my legislative pages for the day. Great to have them on the Senate floor! And thanks to their grandparents, Linda and Richard Hamlet, for bringing them to Springfield!

 

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Stadelman passes measure helping children of fallen officers afford college

SPRINGFIELD – The children of officers killed in the line of duty will be eligible for a scholarship to the University of Illinois under legislation passed by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) Thursday.

“When officers are killed in the line of duty, they’re families are often left with many burdens,” Stadelman said. “This legislation recognizes that and sends a message to those families that the state will do what it can to help.”

Under current law, each county in the state is entitled to one scholarship to the University for the children of veterans of certain wars and conflicts. Senate Bill 457 would add the children of fallen police officers to be to the list of eligible recipients.

The legislation was inspired by the death of McHenry County Sherriff’s Deputy Jacob Keltner, who was killed in early March while serving an arrest warrant at a hotel in Rockford. Keltner’s funeral was attended by about 3,500 people, including uniformed police officers from around the country.

The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and now goes to the House of Representatives.

Stadelman passes measure to give pharmacists leeway in providing low cost drugs

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation that would allow pharmacists to tell consumers about less expensive options for prescription drugs was passed out of the Illinois Senate by State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) Wednesday.

“A pharmacist should be able to tell you that $20 prescription could only cost you $8 if you pay by cash,” Stadelman said. “Needlessly charging Illinoisans more for their prescriptions by keeping them in the dark is not defensible.”

Senate Bill 1557 removes the so-called “gag rule” on pharmacists. The “gag rule” is usually a clause that is inserted into contracts by pharmacy benefit managers to prohibit druggists from telling patients they could save money on prescriptions by paying cash rather than using their health insurance, or using generic drugs.

“Unfortunately, your local neighborhood pharmacist can’t even tell you if there are cheaper alternatives available to you,” Stadelman added. “By freeing them up, we can hopefully save people some of their hard earned money.”

The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and now goes to the House of Representatives.