Inside:
- Alpha-gal education bill passes House
- House passes firefighter credit bill
- Illinois drivers still failing Scott’s Law
- 182nd Airlift Wing Open House
Alpha-gal education bill passes House
A bill I am sponsoring which would provide educational materials regarding alpha-gal syndrome on the website of the Department of Public Health passed the Illinois House on Monday night.
Alpha-gal syndrome is spread by tick bites and presents as a red meat allergy. I have a very close personal relationship with alpha-gal syndrome: my mom has alpha-gal and it is a very serious situation. If she is at a diner or a restaurant and she is served beef or if the chicken she ordered has been on a grill where beef was prepared, she will have a severe allergic reaction.
The legislation, House Bill 1754, passed the House 106-0 and is now headed to the Senate for further consideration. The action could not come a moment too soon as the numbers are increasing. We need to start a strong educational campaign.
House passes firefighter credit bill
On Tuesday the House passed a bill I am sponsoring to require institutions of higher learning to create a policy for awarding academic credit for training conducted as a firefighter. The bill, HB 1149, came from an idea presented to me by a group of volunteer fire chiefs.
This bill allows a career or volunteer firefighter to complete their fire training and then take that firefighter training to a local university or community college and apply for credit hours for that firefighter training. Similar credit opportunities exist for military personnel and emergency medical technicians.
The bill passed the House 115-0 and is now on its way to the Senate for further consideration.
Illinois drivers still failing Scott’s Law
For almost 25 years Illinois has had a law on the books requiring drivers to move over and slow down when they see a vehicle on the side of the road with emergency lights activated. Yet some drivers still do not take this basic safety precaution, and Illinois state troopers are paying the price.
This article, from Capitol News Illinois, tells the story of a state trooper who was struck by a vehicle on an Illinois interstate in 2019, one of 26 troopers involved in Scott’s Law crashes that year. Sadly, there have been over 100 more since then. Last year there were 27 such crashes, including one just before Christmas which took the life of a state trooper.
Last year I worked with Lucy Kuelper, a student from our district and the founder of the Move Over Project, to change the Illinois driver license exam to make education about this issue more prominent. We have to make drivers more aware of the law, but also the danger posed to first responders by vehicles which do not slow down while they are doing their dangerous job alongside our roadways.
182nd Airlift Wing Open House
Last Friday the 182nd Airlift Wing of the Illinois National Guard in Peoria hosted an open house for local mayors and legislators. COL Ballard, Wing Commander, provided a briefing on the 182nd’s manning, mission and capabilities. Afterwards, we flew in a C-130 Hercules transport plane.
We then talked with military personnel, heard about updates to communications equipment and handled some of the newer weapon systems. It was a great morning.
Thank you COL Ballard and to those who serve in the 182nd Airlift Wing.
It’s National Library Week
During National Library Week, take a moment to appreciate the resources, knowledge, and opportunities our local libraries provide! Whether you’re borrowing a book, researching a new topic, or simply finding a quiet place to think, libraries are here to support curiosity and lifelong learning.
Watch this space in the coming weeks for details on my summer reading program for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
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