SPRINGFIELD – To ensure that all residents have access to good-paying work, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would prohibit employers from discriminating against an applicant based on their current federal work authorization status.
“Those authorized to work in the United States should not face employment discrimination,” Villivalam said. “All residents of Illinois deserve access to good work that pays living wages.”
SPRINGFIELD – To allow students of all faiths to practice freely, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation out of the Illinois Senate that would provide them with up to five days of excused absences for religious holidays.
“Illinois is a diverse state with several religious communities,” Villivalam said. “Our school calendar should reflect the diversity of our state and allow students of all faiths the flexibility to practice according to their religious calendar.”
SPRINGFIELD – To protect the wellbeing of public school employees, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would offer the same terms and conditions as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.
“Illinois should expand access to family and medical leave for working families,” Villivalam said. “Our educators and school staff work on the frontlines every day to provide a quality education for our youth and deserve their leave with no strings attached.”
Illinois would be the first state in the country to require a unit on Asian American history in public schools
SPRINGFIELD -- May 25, 2021 -- The TEAACH Act, a bill that would require public elementary and high schools in Illinois to incorporate a unit on Asian American history, passed out of the Illinois State Senate with a unanimous vote of 57-0 on Tuesday.
HB376, the TEAACH (Teaching Equitable Asian American Community History) Act, would create the first state requirement of its kind in the country, ensuring that Illinois public school students learn about key topics in Asian American history, such as the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The bill is spearheaded by the nonprofit organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Chicago in part in response to the sharp rise in hate incidents against Asian Americans in 2020 around the country.
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