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Happy Pride Month! This month is a reminder of the power of unity and acceptance. We are working hard in Illinois to be a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community to access the care and support they need, but we recognize there is more to be done. If you need information or support please contact The Trevor Project. At the end of a busy session, we passed a budget that works for the Illinois people. This budget continues the work of rebuilding Illinois’ fiscal house. While there is a lot of work still to be done, it wasn’t that long ago that Bruce Rauner left us teetering on the edge of junk status. A global pandemic and economic collapse added new uncertainty right after. By making smart financial decisions, we have paid down debt and earned our state eight credit rating increases in less than two years. Now we’re getting the state back to work for working families. Investing in Safer Communities We are making Illinois communities safer with hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to community-based violence prevention, and community providers that provide after-school programs, youth summer jobs, and enriching opportunities. We are giving police the resources they need to keep our communities safe, with over $100 million in training and resources for our first responders – including new funding for in-car cameras, non-lethal weapons, and two new State Police cadet classes. This budget reflects our commitment to getting guns out of dangerous hands by committing $1 million to raise awareness of red flag laws, and $2 million for safe gun storage initiatives. Improving Healthcare Access We’re modernizing reimbursement rates for caregivers and ambulance services in small towns to help keep providers in these often-underserved areas. We’re strengthening our commitments to behavioral health, mental health, and addiction treatment. Strengthening Our Education We’re creating the Smart Start initiative, a comprehensive plan to build one of the best early childhood education systems in the nation. Our investment will expand access to affordable childcare and strengthen funding for early childhood education, ensuring all students have a more stable foundation of care and early childhood education going into school. We’re continuing to ensure every student has access to a world-class education by committing $350 million in new funding for classroom education in this budget. We’re making college more affordable by making major investments in college financial aid including $100 million in new funding for MAP Grants, and expanding the AIM HIGH Scholarship. Giving Communities the Tools to Control Property Taxes This budget commits more than $100 million in new funding for cities and villages through the local government distributive fund, and $350 million in new funding for school districts. This funding means city governments and school boards now have more tools to get local property taxes under control. I also have a few bills that successfully passed the house and senate and are awaiting the Governor’s signature! As always it is my great honor to serve you as your representative in Springfield. Now that I am back home I cannot wait to meet you at community events or during my regular canvasses, I’d love to have a chat and work toward a stronger and better Illinois! Avelar Measure to Reduce Medical Debt Sent to Governor Cultural Competency Coalition Applauds Passage of HB2450
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