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.

SPRINGFIELD – To uphold the rights of working people, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) introduced a Constitutional amendment that would ban “Right to Work” legislation in Illinois.

“Workers in all industries should have the right to organize and bargain for better wages and conditions,” Villivalam said. “Illinois is one of the last bastions of the labor movement, and we must act to preserve and protect it.”

SPRINGFIELD – To better serve undocumented and immigrant communities, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Illinois Senate that would allow municipal ID cards to be used to access state services and facilities.

“All residents of Illinois, regardless of immigration status, should be able to receive essential state services,” Villivalam said. “Allowing municipal IDs to be used for this will allow the most vulnerable among us to get the assisstance they need.”

SPRINGFIELD – To protect the wellbeing of public school employees, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) passed legislation in the Senate Labor Committee 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.”