Sound of the State

State Senator Doris Turner has announced the beginning of a submission period for anyone interested in proposing a new design for the Illinois flag. Get more on that story and more, in this edition of the News Brief.

A new law to reduce the amount of plastic waste in Illinois is highlighted in this edition of the Majority Report, as well as one benefiting military members attending college classes. 

In this edition of the News Brief, State Senator Doris Turner reacts to the 1908 Race Riot National Monument designation for Springfield, plus new laws from Senators Mary Edly-Allen, Javier Cervantes, and Adriane Johnson are highlighted.

State Senator Dave Koehler and Shreya Nallamothu, the high school student who helped develop this legislation, discuss Illinois' newly-enacted Kidfluencer law and how it protects young people from exploitation on social media.

From the water we drink to the people we love, lawmakers are marking proposals laws that will update the state's water plan, safeguarding communities and wildlife, as well as a plan to bring faster access to life-changing treatments for Alzheimer's patients and their loved ones and an in-depth reivew of the state's property tax system that could mean real relief for working families.

New laws increasing insurance coverage for cancer screenings and protecting Illinois families from unexpected medical billing, as well as enhancing the security of their earnings, are featured in this edition of the News Brief.

State Senator Doris Turner's legislation to hold the death care industry to higher standards when it comes to handling human remains has been signed into law. Learn more about that, plus new laws championed by State Senators Laura Ellman, Michael Hastings, and Willie Preston, in this edition of the News Brief.

New laws sponsored by State Senators Natalie Toro and Meg Loughran Cappel enhancing workplace discrimination laws and addressing the teacher shortage in Illinois are featured in this edition of the News Brief.

Newly signed laws protecting reproductive care are highlighted in this edition of the News Brief from the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus.

As anti-choice action threatens reproductive health care across the country, State Senator Celina Villanueva led two new laws to protect that care and associated records. Learn more, in this edition of the News Brief.

More new laws from the spring legislative session are featured in this episode of the News Brief, including one from State Senator Steve Stadelman which ensures funds set aside by Illinois families for higher education do not go to waste even if those costs end up being less than anticipated.

Led by Senate Democrats, Illinois has taken additional steps to safeguard reproductive health rights through a new law sponsored by State Senator Cristina Castro. Learn more, in this edition of the News Brief.

Child labor laws in Illinois will be updated to reflect modern times, thanks to newly-signed legislation sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters. Learn more, in this edition of the News Brief.

Illinois Senate Democrats celebrate investments into advanced technology in the state which will position it as a leader in quantum computing. Learn more about those investments, plus efforts to combat maternal mortality rates, in this edition of the News Brief.

Learn more about the latest hearing of the Senate Transportation Committee, led by State Senator Ram Villivalam, regarding public transit in and around Chicago, plus news from State Senators Dave Koehler, Celina Villanueva, and Willie Preston, in this edition of the News Brief.

More bills sponsored by Illinois Senate Democrats have been signed into law, including one to address the shortage of nurses in the state, sponsored by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton. Learn more, in this edition of the News Brief.

Bills championed by State Senators Linda Holmes, Celina Villanueva, Steve Stadelman, and Sara Feigenholtz were among a number of new laws signed on Friday. Learn more, in this edition of the News Brief.

State Senator Laura Fine reacts to the signing of her bill to regulate carbon capture and sequestration projects, plus State Senator Mark Walker applauds new federal investments into quantum technology in Illinois and State Senator Doris Turner reacts to charges being filed in the death of Sonya Massey at the hands of law enforcement.

Illinois recently became the first state in the nation to guarantee appropriate compensation for child influencers, thanks to a law championed by State Senator Dave Koehler. Learn more about that, plus new Rebuild Illinois investments in the Metro East, in this edition of the News Brief. 

State Senator Julie Morrison championed a measure during the legislative session to ease financial burdens for diabetes patients which has now been signed into law. Learn more about that, and other stories, in this edition of the News Brief.

State Senators Robert Peters and Laura Fine react to Governor JB Pritzker signing the Healthcare Protection Act into law, plus State Senator Ram Villivalam leads the first of a series of meetings driving a conversation regarding the possible merge of several Chicago-area transit authorities into one agency - those stories and more, in this edition of the Majority Report.

Senators Robert Peters and Laura Fine react to the signing of the Healthcare Protection Act into law, plus Senator Mike Simmons applauds the signing of a law to ease medical debt burdens for Illinoisans. Those stories, and more, in this edition of the News Brief.