Illinois

New Law Requires Post-Trip Inspections, Two-Way Radios

November 17, 2009 -- CHICAGO - November 17, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today signed a bill into law that will significantly improve the safety of Illinois’ students riding school buses.

The law amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to require all school bus drivers conduct comprehensive posttrip inspections to ensure that children, and other passengers, are not left unattended on a bus. The new law also requires all school buses be equipped with two-way radio systems designed to alert drivers to incoming communications, requests or alerts from school districts or emergency service providers.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the United States Senate has approved $82,257,000 in federal funding for military construction projects in Illinois.

The Fiscal Year 2010 Appropriations Bill for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs includes funding for the following Illinois projects:    » read more »

WASHINGTON, DC (November 14, 2009) -- Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-IL, released the following statement in response to proposals that Guantanamo Bay deatainees will be relocatoted to a prison in Illinois.

“The Guantanamo Bay facility is a recruiting tool for Al Queda and a mark against the morals of the United States. In closing ‘Gitmo’ and moving some detainees to Illinois, we strengthen our national security, create thousands of jobs, and bring long overdue justice to those who have committed atrocities against the United States.

"Our American criminal justice and penal systems are fuIly capable of handling these individuals. In fact, today there are 340 domestic and international terrorists in U.S. prisons, including 35 in Illinois.    » read more »

New Law will Help Jump-Start Job Creation, Construction Projects

November 12, 2009 -- PEORIA – November 12, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation that provides a statebacked guarantee supporting construction of energy efficiency projects that will create jobs across Illinois. The backing expands a law Governor Quinn signed in July that created the same guarantee for renewable energy and clean coal projects in Illinois.

“This legislation boosts Illinois’ investment in energy efficiency projects that reduce our carbon footprint and create jobs,” said Governor Quinn. “I am proud to sign this law that will help continue to protect our environment while developing new green jobs for the twenty-first century.”    » read more »

Agreement Will Aid Region’s Riders During Tough Economic Time

CHICAGO – November 11, 2009. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today announced an agreement with the Chicago region’s major transit agencies that will prevent fare increases for the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace paratransit services in 2010 and 2011. The agreement was made between the State of Illinois, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace.

“Access to affordable and reliable public transportation is imperative for Chicago-area transit riders,” said Governor Quinn. “Today’s comprehensive agreement will stabilize public transit and will hold the line against any CTA fare increases for the next two years.”    » read more »

November 10, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Roland W. Burris today announced that $98,351.00 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are being allocated to the State of Illinois to combat and reduce health care associated infections (HAIs). HAIs are infections some patients acquire when they are in a health care setting such as a hospital or outpatient clinic.

Senator Burris and the Democratic-led Congress passed the 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act that was signed into law by President Obama in February.    » read more »

Illinois Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association Donates $50,000 to Important Fund as Veterans Day Nears

November 8, 2009 -- CHICAGO - November 8, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today joined with representatives from the Illinois Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association to accept a $50,000 donation to the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund.

“I salute the Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association for supporting this important cause for more than three years,” said Governor Quinn. “When our brave men and women answer the call to duty, they should not have to worry that their families are suffering financially at home. All of us in Illinois can help our military families by donating to the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund this Veterans Day.”    » read more »

New Law Reforms Cook County Board Voting Practice

CHICAGO – November 7, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today signed a law that reforms the Cook County Board’s veto override power by making it more responsive to the people and a stronger force for democracy.

The new law enables the Cook County Board of Commissioners to override a veto by a County Board President with an affirmative vote of three-fifths of its members, instead of the previous four-fifths necessary to override.

“The Illinois Constitution has a three-fifths requirement for the Legislature to override a veto of the Governor. It is standard in our constitution and in other constitutions,” said Governor Quinn. “I believe it is also a good model for Cook County.”    » read more »

November 5, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that the Senate has approved $3,250,000 for projects in the state of Illinois in the Commerce, Justice and Science spending bill.

The Fiscal Year 2010 Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations Bill includes funding for the following projects in Illinois:

Department of Justice

* CeaseFire at the University of Illinois, Chicago. $500,000 in funding for the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention to expand Ceasefire, an accelerated community-based prevention, intervention, treatment and advocacy initiative. The funding will support Ceasefire’s youth violence prevention efforts in Chicago.    » read more »

Fund Would Provide Greater Aid to Military Families Nationwide

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 4, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will endorse a bill that would provide aid to military families in all branches of the armed services at a National Press Club Newsmakers press conference at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 2009. The press conference will be in the Zenger Room on the 13th floor of National Press Building, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20045.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced today that the City of Naperville will receive $10,994,000 in Recovery Act funding for energy grid modernization technologies that will spur the nation’s transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system. Earlier today, President Obama and the Department of Energy announced $3.4 million in Smart Grid grants nationwide that are expected to create tens of thousands of jobs and a stronger more reliable energy grid.    » read more »

ARRA Funds Support Plans To Improve Drinking Water Quality in Evanston, Aurora, and McLean, Kendall, and Sangamon Counties

October 19, 2009 -- Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director Doug Scott announced grants and loans for environmental projects to improve wastewater quality in Illinois, using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The Recovery program was authorized earlier this year by the United States Congress and President Barack Obama.    » read more »

Covers Second Semester Funding for 138,000 Illinois College Students

CHICAGO – October 18, 2009. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today signed legislation to cover critical second-semester MAP funding for nearly 138,000 eligible students. Senate Bill 1180 appropriates full funding for the need-based student aid program, allowing both students and colleges to plan for the Spring 2010 college term.

“I salute the General Assembly for their swift response to what could have been a serious setback to students across the state who rely on MAP funding for their education,” said Governor Quinn. “I look forward to continuing to work with the legislature to find revenue to support this critical program.”    » read more »

October 16, 2009 -- CHICAGO, IL – Fifty thousand unemployed workers in Illinois will lose their unemployment benefits by the end of the year if legislation to extend those benefits isn’t approved by Congress, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today.

The extension would provide benefits for an additional 14 weeks for jobless workers in all 50 states, and would add six weeks of insurance for jobless workers in states with unemployment above 8.5%, which includes Illinois. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation authorizing the extension, and the Senate will continue debating the legislation next week.    » read more »

October 16, 2009 -- Washington – Senator Evan Bayh today announced that Evansville will receive more than $1.2 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) awards from the Department of Energy.

The city of Evansville will receive the funds to help communities improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and create green jobs locally. The EECBG Program was funded for the first time by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.    » read more »