Villanueva: Student parents must have child care to graduate

• Education
• Higher Education

SPRINGFIELD – To help student parents focus more time on their education, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) advanced a measure from the Senate Higher Education Committee to inform student parents of child care and other assistance programs available to them.

“Student parents must have access to child care to graduate on time and build a better life for their children,” Villanueva said. “Making child care and other assistance programs readily available will ensure that our most vulnerable students have the resources needed to have a fulfilling educational experience.”

Senate Bill 3149 requires the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to notify student parents of the Child Care Assistance Program when disbursing information on Monetary Award Program grants. The measure also gives institutions of higher learning the ability to create a student parent liaison to assist with applying for public benefits programs.

Nearly 100,000 students in Illinois are parents or have dependents, however child care availability on college campuses has declined nationwide. The Child Care Assistance Program is available to student parents that meet income requirement and are actively enrolled in a high school, trade school or undergraduate college.

Senate Bill 3149 passed the Senate Higher Education Committee and awaits further consideration before the full Senate.

Villanueva fights to increase worker protections

• SB 3146

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) argued for stronger penalties against employers in violation of the One Day Rest in Seven Act by introducing Senate Bill 3146 in the Senate Labor Committee Wednesday.

“The One Day Rest in Seven Act is one of many invaluable protections for workers in the state,” Villanueva said. “We have to make sure the expectations of employers everywhere are standard at all levels of operation.”

The One Day Rest in Seven Act is an existing law that protects workers’ right to one 24-hour period of rest in each week and one 20-minute meal break per 7.5 hour shift. Villanueva is the chief sponsor of SB 3146, which would update existing penalties to be more consistent with other labor and employment laws. Certain sections of the One Day Rest in Seven Act have not been updated since 1972, which spurred the changes in the measure.

The initiative came from the Illinois Department of Labor and Arise Chicago, a community-based organization that fights workplace injustice through organizing and advocating for public policy changes. The collaboration of these two agencies will be vital as the measure moves forward in the legislative process.

“Increasing the penalties makes labor violations consistent with Illinois law,” Villanueva said. “Enforcing these provisions becomes easier when there isn’t conflicting law, which in turn makes it easier to protect the hard workers of our state.”

SB 3146 passed the Senate Labor Committee and awaits consideration before the full Senate.

Villanueva: Budget proposal provides a good foundation

• Budget Address

SPRINGFIELD – In response to the governor’s annual budget address Wednesday, State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) issued the following statement:

“It’s clear that certain communities have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, demonstrating the need for a comprehensive plan to expand access to health care and public health resources while also working toward a more equitable society. One of our top priorities has to be ensuring the safety and wellbeing of immigrant communities, who continue to struggle finding access to supportive resources.”

“Working-class and immigrant communities have been the backbone of our state throughout this pandemic, and it’s clear that the governor has made an earnest effort to prioritize their safety and wellbeing by investing in community organizations that support local residents. Though this proposal is a good start, I would like to see more active consideration of the populations in my community that still need support services and increased resources.”

“Making sure our residents have the resources they need is what fuels our state and allows us to be a leader in worker protection, public safety and social equity.”

Villanueva announces recovery assistance to local libraries

• Grant

CHICAGO – Local libraries in Stickney will be given nearly $39,000 in grants to provide assistance for pandemic recovery thanks to support from State Senator Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago).

“Libraries, like many of our businesses and homes, have been disrupted greatly by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” Villanueva said. “Despite these challenges, our local libraries have provided resources to job seekers, educators and the general public, and our support to them should be a reflection of all they do for our communities.”

The goal of the initiative is to respond to the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing funding for libraries to modify their services, transform their spaces and develop more resources for their local recovering workforce. These funds will also ensure all operations can be provided safely and effectively as the pandemic continues.

“These projects focus on ways to invest in the hard-working families in our communities that have done all they can to thrive despite the pandemic,” Villanueva said. “Libraries are a source of innovation, and I am honored to continue to serve them while they continue to serve our communities.”

A full list of libraries receiving a grant can be found here.