SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) released the following statement after being appointed to serve as majority caucus whip for the 104^th General Assembly:

“I am honored to share that Senate President Don Harmon and my colleagues have chosen me as one of the Majority Caucus Whips. I look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of working and middle class families of the 8th District and across the state of Illinois in this new role.

SPRINGFIELD - To ensure nursing homes have the resources to be properly staffed, State Senator Ram Villivalam supported a measure that would make changes to the formula used for calculating per-diem add-on payments for nursing home staff.

“The 8^th Senate District has the highest number of nursing homes in the State,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “It is imperative I voted to ensure that our nursing homes have the resources to be staffed at the highest levels. It is a top priority to provide quality care for our resident and decent worker’s conditions.”

SPRINGFIELD - To enhance protections for people experiencing domestic violence, State Senator Ram Villivalam supported a measure that would allow for the apprehension of firearms, parts, and FOID cards upon the issuance of an emergency restraining order.

“No one who is seeking protections from a person who poses a threat should have to worry about being at risk for firearm-related violence,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “It is imperative that I voted to strengthen protections to further protect those who have sought an emergency restraining order.”

SPRINGFIELD - To enhance protections for those seeking to change their name, State Senator Ram Villivalam advanced a measure out of the Senate to eliminate the requirement to publish a name change with a local newspaper.

“When someone is seeking a name change, whether it is to protect themselves from domestic violence or to affirm one’s identity, everyone deserves the right to do so without the burden of the cumbersome and expensive publication process,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Additionally, by requiring residents to publish their name change, it relinquishes the privacy of such individuals and can be harmful to their safety or well-being.”