Originally published in Daily Herald on March 22, 2021.

SPRINGFIELD -- Less than a week after a deadly attack on Asian Americans in Atlanta, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and members of the General Assembly's Asian American Caucus spoke out against the murders and against discrimination generally toward the Asian American community.

"I do not pretend to know the pain of this moment, for those who look at the Atlanta victims and see their own mothers, daughters and sisters, or themselves," Pritzker said at a news conference Monday in the Chinatown neighborhood in Chicago. "But I want the (Asian American Pacific Islander) community in Illinois to know that I see you, and I see the fear and anxiety that these events have forced into your lives and the lives of your loved ones, and I want you to know that Illinois is your home. You are our friends and our neighbors and our family members, and I will do everything in my power as governor to protect you and to welcome you."

Pritzker was accompanied by members of the Asian American Caucus, including Democratic Reps. Theresa Mah of Chicago, Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville, Denyse Wang Stoneback of Skokie, and Sen. Ram Villivalam, a Democrat from Chicago. Pritzker was also joined by representatives from Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community and the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum.

CHICAGO – After a deadly, racially motivated shooting spree in Atlanta, Georgia, and an arrest outside of the U.S. Naval Conservatory, current home of the first Asian American Vice President, State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago) is calling on his colleagues to pass public safety measures to help prevent another tragedy.

“We can’t wait for the next tragedy to act on gun violence,” Villivalam said. “Our communities are under attack. We need to enact common sense gun violence prevention policy to improve public safety for every community, especially those communities that are being specifically targeted.”

Originally published on Herald & Review on March 15, 2021.

SPRINGFIELD — Advocates and lawmakers have reintroduced legislation that would end a special gas utility surcharge that allows companies to raise customer bills in order to pay for infrastructure development with limited regulatory oversight.

The gas utility surcharge, known as the Qualified Infrastructure Plant, became law in 2013 after similar formula rate legislation that benefited utility giant Commonwealth Edison was passed.

House Bill 3941, sponsored by Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, and accompanying Senate Bill 570, sponsored by Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, would phase out the surcharge by the end of 2021. It is otherwise not set to expire in 2023.

Co-authored by State Senator Ram Villivalam (Chair, Senate Transportation Committee) and Kevin Artl, President and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies. Also published in Chicago Tribune on March 16, 2021.

Illinois is the crossroads of the nation in the most literal sense. Our 15,969 state highway miles, 9,982 miles of railroad, five international airports and international ports serve as the hub for coast-to-coast logistics and delivery. The nation’s supply chains rely on the capacity of our transportation network so rail operators, cargo shippers and truckers can deliver goods where they are needed most.

Each of these systems rely on the Department of Transportation and its essential role in working in conjunction with industry in planning, designing and construction of Illinois’ surface transportation network.