SPRINGFIELD – From making public transit safer and more environmentally friendly to providing reduced fares and financial assistance for at-risk communities, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus are leading a comprehensive public transit plan, which they outlined at a press conference Tuesday.

“Public transit is essential to people’s lives and livelihoods,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. “Illinois must build an equitable future for public transportation that prioritizes all of our neighbors.”                                

The measure – spearheaded by Villivalam – would allow public transit agencies to suspend problematic riders if the rider commits or provides a reasonable apprehension of assault, battery, sexual assault, or violations of public indecency.

“HB1342 is a significant step to get our public transportation systems on the right track,” said Frances Orenic, Illinois AFL-CIO Coalitions Director. “Transportation operators have been under assault and are asking for solutions. This legislation provides operators with the resources they need to care for themselves, and to guarantee optimal conditions for riders by putting public safety first.”

To help survivors of domestic violence reclaim their autonomy, House Bill 1342 would also require RTA to distribute 25,000 pre-loaded $20 fare cards to domestic violence providers to assist victims and their dependents.

­SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam passed legislation that will provide employees with better access to their rights and more streamlined procedures from their employer.

“We are updating the codes to recognize the changing ways we do business,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This legislation is designed to streamline procedures for responding to rights violations that employees may encounter and make the process updated for modern times.”

House Bill 3733 makes changes to labor laws in order to provide updated and modernized procedures. This will require employers to provide copies of personnel records to employees by mail or email upon request, and will require any employer with remote or traveling employees to make information regarding labor rights available electronically.

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

"We have outstanding residents in Illinois who are ready to give and donate to those in need," said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “When someone goes to donate an organ for a person in need, it is crucial they are able to take time off to recover."

House Bill 3516 changes the Employee Blood Donation Leave Act to the Employee Blood and Organ Donation Leave Act to allow employees to take up to ten days of earned leave in any 12-month period to serve as an organ donor. The earned leave would apply to employees of any unit of local government, board of election commissioners, or private employer in Illinois with 51 or more employees.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure that allows townships to provide additional assistance to people in need of child care assistance, mental services, and more made its way through the Senate thanks to support from State Senator Ram Villivalam.

“We want to ensure that once people have served their time, they have the support of their community to get back on their feet,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This legislation ensures townships can offer their support to the community through funding healthcare and day care programs to help our residents get back to normal everyday life.”

House Bill 3424 expands the Township Code to allow all townships the ability to provide additional assistance to people with a prior conviction, and provides township boards with the ability to separately approve subsidized day care for the individual. The legislation also explicitly states that healthcare for which townships may expend funds includes mental, behavioral, eye, dental, and other miscellaneous healthcare needs. Townships will maintain the ability to adopt their own policy for how to distribute funds to community members.