SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ram Villivalam passed a measure Wednesday supporting water safety instruction incorporated into school curriculum from preschool through sixth-grade following a recent tragedy that occurred in the 8^th District.

“With water safety instruction, more of our youth and families will be equipped with the tools to protect themselves and others,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “This legislation is an important step toward saving lives and ensuring better water safety education across the state.”

Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children age 5-14 after car accidents, and at age 15, drowning rates triple. For every fatal child drowning, another eight children receive emergency care for non-fatal drowning injuries. Villivalam’s measure seeks to prevent as many of these deaths as possible by beginning water safety instruction in preschool.

“Drowning is the number one reason a child will die before kindergarten and the number two killer for all of childhood,” said Halle Quezada, a teacher and mother who lives in the district Villivalam represents. “When my four-year-old had fire safety in school, she was eager to make sure our whole family knew how to survive a fire. With this bill, we hope Illinois families will have water safety plans too and we can finally reverse these terrifying statistics.”

MORTON GROVE – State Senator Ram Villivalam joined Pace and local officials Friday to celebrate the launch of the newest addition to Pace’s growing rapid transit network, the Pulse Dempster Line, which offers passengers a fast and reliable service. The service began daily operations on Sunday, Oct. 29.

“Our public transit system is the lifeblood of our economy, from the suburbs to the city, and beyond,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “I am grateful to the leadership and staff of Pace for their work in taking another major step to ensure that our public transit system is reliable, accessible, affordable, and environmentally conscious for all our residents.”

“Ridership is already up approximately 7% compared to last year, a promising statistic which shows that faster, more frequent service is a key part of bringing riders back to transit and attracting new passengers,” said Pace Chairman Rick Kwasneski.

CHICAGO – State Senator Ram Villivalam applauded news Monday that the Regional Transportation Authority has provided 25,000 transit passes loaded with $20 each to The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence, an Illinois membership organization advocating to end domestic violence through training, education and policy advocacy.

“Access to safe and reliable transportation is one barrier that victims and survivors of domestic violence face on a day-to-day basis. This program will provide access and allow them to safely travel throughout the region to access essential services and opportunities to move forward,” said Villivalam (D-Chicago). “As Chair of the Senate Transportation committee, ensuring that public transportation is accessible, equitable and reliable for all riders is one of my top priorities, and this program helps us achieve those goals.”

This initiative is the result of House Bill 1342, Villivalam’s public transportation package that was signed into law earlier this year and includes several initiatives aimed at addressing some of transit’s most pressing challenges. Villivalam and Buckner worked closely with The Network and the RTA along with transit operators CTA, Metra and Pace to craft the legislation.

Last week I met with advocates for after-school funding and stood with them in support of $50 million going toward our after-school programing. I say that it’s time to prioritize and value after-school programing. Two schools I represent serve primarily low-income and minority families and students who rely on these programs. It is imperative that we secure this funding for our working-class and middle-class families.