SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) joined fellow lawmakers to pass a measure that would prevent the loss of hundreds of good-paying jobs across the state, including dozens in the Rockford area.

The legislation would reinstate a sales tax exemption for aircraft maintenance materials. Most other states offer this exemption, so Illinois needs it to remain competitive. Illinois neighbors Wisconsin, Missouri and Indiana all offer similar exemptions, as do major competitors like California and New York.

“Companies like Emery Air provide good-paying jobs in the Rockford-area,” Stadelman said. “We need to keep Illinois open for business and support these aviation jobs.”

Over the last four years, since the exemption expired, aviation repair companies didn’t charge any sales taxes along with their services. The Department of Revenue failed to identify or collect missing tax revenue. The legislation forgives the companies for unintentionally not collecting taxes.

“These companies shouldn’t be penalized for not collecting the tax when they didn’t know the tax credit had expired,” Stadelman said. “I’m urging the governor to reconsider signing this crucial legislation. Hundreds of Illinoisans’ jobs depend on it.”

House Bill 3902 passed the Senate 48-1-2, and it will now be sent to the governor, who has already pledged to veto the measure.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) voted on legislation today that would make daylight saving time the year-round standard.

The measure would eliminate the statewide practice of moving clocks forward in the spring and backward in the fall.

“Changing your clocks twice year is at best a hassle for most Illinoisans,” Stadelman said. “There are also many benefits that come with making this simple change to the way we keep our time in this state.”

Research has shown that switching to standard time in the fall is linked with a spike in diagnoses of depression as well as a mild spike in heart attacks.

“I have no doubt that in the past standard time served a purpose, but it’s simply no longer necessary for the world we live in today,” Stadelman said. “I hope federal lawmakers will come to a similar conclusion and do their part to remove this arbitrary system that burdens everyday people.”

Although the legislation would change state law to eliminate the time change, Illinois would still need approval from the federal government before implementing the measure. Until the federal government allows the change to occur, the current timekeeping standards will remain in effect.

The proposal passed the Illinois Senate 44-2-2. It will now be sent to the House of Representatives.

 SPRINGFIELD - Amid life-threatening increases in the cost of prescription insulin, Steve Stadelman, a State Senator and father to a diabetic son, voted with fellow lawmakers today to cap insulin copayments. The legislation will cap patients’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription insulin at $100 for a 30-day supply.

 “I have seen the struggle that diabetics face every day,” said Stadelman, a Rockford democrat. “Diabetes is a lifelong affliction for those who have it. It shouldn’t also be the cause of financial stress for their families.”

 There are currently over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. An individual with Type 1 diabetes, a lifelong condition that often begins at birth, will spend an average of $5,705 per year on insulin alone.

 “Without adequate insurance, many people with diabetes can’t afford the insulin they need to survive,” Stadelman said. “Rationing insulin leads to further health problems and more expensive health care costs in the long term. This legislation will provide medical and financial relief for thousands in the Rockford area and across the state of Illinois.”

 The price of insulin has tripled between 2002 and 2013, which has led to many patients rationing their insulin and sacrificing other daily needs to pay for the medication.

 Senate Bill 667 passed with a vote of 48-7 and would make Illinois the second state in the nation to cap prescription insulin co-payments.

State releases $14.7 million owed to Rockford airport

Money was delayed for years during Rauner administration

State Senator Steve Stadelman announced last week the release of  $14.7 million that has been held up for years for improvements at the Rockford airport.Making good on the state's funding commitment had long been a priority for Stadelman, who worked to include the $14.7 in this year's budget. 

“Our airport is major driver of economic development in the region," Stadelman said. "It is important the state honor its commitment, as the airport continues to expand operations and grow in prominence."

The funding had been promised for the airport's Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility, but never materialized after Bruce Rauner became governor and Illinois endured a paralyzing two-year budget impasse. The airport took out commercial loans to finish construction of the MRO at a cost of up to $100,000 in monthly interest payments.

Stadelman commends Gov. JB Pritzker for helping resolve the issue and Comptroller Susana Mendoza for releasing the funds.

Sexual harassment reforms, minimum teacher salary signed into law 
Stadelman co-sponsored workplace protections
Private-sector workers who experience sexual harassment and discrimination will have greater protections under the law thanks to a major piece of legislation co-sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman that recently was signed into law.

Stadelman called the legislation a "just and proactive" response to the many victims, advocates and members of the business community who offered testimony during the Senate Task Force on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment Awareness and Prevention’s hearings last year.

Among the reforms: 

• Limiting the use of contract provisions intended to prevent an employee from reporting sexual harassment, such as non-disclosure agreements, arbitration clauses and non-disparagement clauses for cases involving harassment, discrimination and retaliation
• Clarifying that it is illegal to discriminate against an employee who is perceived to be part of a protected class (e.g. gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity), even if they are not
• Allowing victims of gender-related violence to take unpaid leave from work to seek medical help, legal assistance, counseling, safety planning and other assistance
• Requiring hotels and casinos to provide employees who work in isolated spaces with panic buttons for use if they are sexually harassed or assaulted

Minimum salary increase first for teachers since 1980

Teachers will see an increase to their minimum salary under a new law supported by State Senator Steve Stadelman and signed last week by Gov. JB Pritzker, the first time Illinois has addressed base wages for educators since 1980. Stadelman said House Bill 2078 is one way to confront a serious statewide teacher shortage.

House Bill 2078 will raise the minimum salary for teachers to $40,000 over a four-year period from the current $10,000 for entry-level educators with bachelor's degrees. Wage increases will be tied to the Consumer Price Index and subject to annual review by the General Assembly review, beginning in 2020. Projected base salaries under the new law are: 

• $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year;
• $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year;
• $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year; and
• $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year.

Stadelman gets A+ on environment

Last call for basketball!