Villivalam law provides employee leave for organ donors

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SPRINGFIELD – To help ensure that saving a life does not come at the cost of employment, State Senator Ram Villivalam championed a new law to give employees up to ten days of paid leave for serving as an organ donor.

"Our state is made up of amazing people who are incredibly giving and care deeply for their neighbors," said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “When someone donates an organ to help a person in need, it is important they are able to take earned leave time off to recuperate."

Under Villivalam’s law, employees can take up to ten days of earned leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ donor. The earned leave applies to employees of any unit of local government, board of election commissioners, and private employer in Illinois with 51 or more employees.

"There is nothing more important than saving a life," said Villivalam. "We are grateful for our residents who donate organs to help save lives and this legislation helps ensure their ability to do so.”

House Bill 3516 was signed on Friday and takes effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Villivalam laws to provide for safer, more affordable transit

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam’s comprehensive public transit plan and commuter benefits legislation were signed into law Friday.

“As we work on a comprehensive solution to address the funding challenges that our major public transit agencies are facing, these laws are critical first steps to making our public transit operations more accessible, equitable, environmentally conscious, transparent and safer,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “These laws will significantly assist the hundreds of thousands of riders who use Illinois transit every day and encourage more residents to do the same."

House Bill 1342 allows public transit agencies to suspend riders if the rider commits assault, battery, sexual assault or violations of public indecency toward an employee or another commuter. It also provides for a formal appeals process.

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Villivalam laws support labor rights and protect employees

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam’s legislation was signed into law on Friday to protect workers who are exercising their rights.

“Employees exercising their rights can be impeded by malicious and abusive employers, and this law will address those issues,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Many labor activists have stressed the importance of protecting workers fighting for their rights. This legislation supports that goal.”

To support employees that are protesting, House Bill 3396 makes changes to the Labor Dispute Act so that any person who places any object in the public way with intent to interfere with, obstruct, or impede a picket or other demonstration or protest, would be committing a Class A misdemeanor with a minimum fine of $500 and a sentence of imprisonment of less than one year.

House Bill 2907 provides that, in any labor dispute, a court cannot grant an award for monetary damages except in the case of damage to an employer’s personal property as a result of conduct prohibited by law.

To further support public employees, Senate Bill 214 requires disability benefits to be provided to police officers, firefighters, and paramedics who become ill in the line of duty due to a disease or condition present in the community that is covered by a declaration of emergency by a municipality, county, or state.

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Villivalam commends fiscal progress and support for working families in signed FY 24 budget

CHICAGO –State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the governor signed the Fiscal Year 2024 budget into law:

“I am excited to see the FY 24 budget signed into law. With this budget, we are taking steps to build on the fiscal progress we have made and ensure working families have the assistance they need.

“This balanced budget assists families who need access to affordable child care, increases access to quality home care for our senior residents, and provides grant opportunities for our small businesses and entrepreneurs across the state to prosper.

“Along with these strategic investments in this balanced budget, we have worked to eliminate the backlog of bills and save for future emergencies through the Rainy Day Fund. I was proud to vote for these necessary steps to continue our historic fiscal progress.”

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