Senator Lewis Earns an “A” on Illinois Environmental Council Legislative Scorecard
The Illinois Environmental Council (IEC) released its 2024 Legislative Environmental Scorecard last week and I am thrilled to announce that I earned an “A”. The scorecard, which is released annually, assigns legislators a percentage score based on how they voted on bills affecting the environment. The 2024 Legislative Environmental Scorecard includes 31 legislative measures. Click here to view the full scorecard.
It is an honor to be recognized by the IEC for my work in Springfield that benefits the environment, and I will continue to work collaboratively with legislators from both sides of the aisle to ensure environmental issues are addressed.
IEC Executive Director Jen Walling had this to say upon announcing the news: “We are pleased to honor Senator Lewis’s strong environmental voting record in IEC’s annual scorecard. Senator Lewis has been a great partner in the legislature and consistently prioritizes his constituents’ health and our environment. We are eager to continue working with him on critical legislation that protects Illinois’ air, water, and the health of our communities.”
Senator Lewis Takes Leading Role in Pushing Back Against Chicago’s Billion Dollar Requests
There has been no shortage of billion-dollar funding requests from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson lately, and it appears there are more to come.
Toward the end of the spring legislative session in May, I stood with a few of my Senate colleagues and spoke out against Mayor Johnson’s and the Chicago Teachers Union’s (CTU) demand for $1 billion in additional funding for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) at the expense of school districts around the state. While I fully support our public schools, I also support the Evidence Based School Funding Formula (EBSFF) that delivers state funding to this state’s 800+ public school districts.
Johnson has not relented with this “ask” and neither have I. The EBSFF, passed with a significant amount of input and support from the CTU, classifies schools into four tiers, with tier one school districts being those that have the greatest need for new state funding to adequately educate their students. CPS is a tier two district, and there are more than 300 districts ranked as tier one. CPS cannot jump ahead in line and get additional state resources at the expense of other schools, including some right here in the 24th District.
Meanwhile, as the Senate Transportation Committee continues to discuss the future of public mass transit in the Chicagoland service area, it is becoming clear that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is looking for $1 billion or more to help manage debt and its pension system. At several hearings, leaders of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), Pace, Metra have testified about the status of their budgets, pensions, and debt load and all are relatively healthy. The CTA, on the other hand, is carrying about $5 billion in debt and have a pension system that is funded at just 60%. It’s clear the CTA is looking for a bailout.
At the same time, Johnson has gone on the record wanting the state to provide at least $1 billion for a new Chicago Bears stadium. Talks are ongoing, but leaders in the General Assembly appear to be, at best, lukewarm on the idea.
And finally, City of Chicago Budget talks are underway and there is a $1 billion hole in the spending plan. As these talks continue, I have no doubt that Mayor Johnson will come to Springfield, perhaps during our upcoming veto session, looking for a $1 billion bailout to shore up the Chicago budget.
These bailouts would come at the expense of other Illinois taxpayers, especially those in the suburbs who already carry one of the highest tax burdens in the country. Democrats and Republicans alike are overtaxed in the suburbs. It’s time that the City of Chicago and its school system start living within their means, paying their own bills, and playing by the same rules as everyone else.
Lewis Advocates for Suburban Transit Riders as Changes are Proposed to Regional Transit System
As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, this summer I have been attending hearings across the regional public transportation service area where proposed changes to the system have been discussed.
Here in the suburbs, public transportation is a vital need for those who commute to and from work or rely on the PACE bus system. In DuPage County, Metra runs commuter rail service along three lines: the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF), the Union Pacific-West (UP-W) and the Milwaukee District-West (MD-W). A fourth line, the Heritage Corridor (H-C), runs through the southeastern edge of DuPage County. In all, an estimated 31,000 passengers travel on Metra daily from DuPage County Stations.
The Illinois transit systems are facing a $730 million fiscal cliff in 2026. In addition to the financial issue, there is a proposal on the table to consolidate the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, and PACE into one entity overseen by one 18-member board.
At the hearings, I have taken on a leading role in pushing back against this board reorganization. In fact, there is concern among all elected suburban officials that the suburbs are going to face sales tax and fee increases while also experiencing diluted voting power on a newly configured board. Through the proposal currently on the table, the new transit board would be comprised of voting membership as follows:
- 5 members appointed by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
- 5 members appointed by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle
- 1 member from each of the collar counties (total of 5)
- 3 members appointed by Governor JB Pritzker
As you can see, this make-up of appointed positions hands simple majority voting power to Chicago and Cook County and would allow them to make decisions that benefit Chicagoans at the expense of riders in the suburbs.
As these hearings continue, my lines of questioning seek to ensure any changes made to the make-up of the governing board do not diminish service levels or lessen the voice of suburban communities in decision-making.
Lewis Outreach Events Continue into the Fall
My summer events calendar has been filled with all kinds of outreach events this summer, from Senior Expos, Kids Fairs, and Job Fairs, to Mobile DMV events, document shredding events, and unclaimed property events. These events have taken place across the 24th District.
Outreach activities will continue into the fall with even more events that are tailored to a variety of segments of the population in the 24th District. Please mark your calendar now for the following events:
- September 4, Mobile DMV event with Rep. Grant: Wheaton City Hall, 303 W. Wesley Street, Wheaton, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- September 10, Senior Fair w Rep. Grant: Wheaton Community Center, 1777 S. Blanchard Street, Wheaton, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- September 18, Medicare 101 with Reps. Grant & Sanalitro: Bloomingdale Twp. Senior Center, 6N050 Rosedale Ave #1, Bloomingdale, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
- September 24, Traveling Office Hours with Rep. Sanalitro: Wood Dale Public Library, 520 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- September 26, Traveling Office Hours with Rep. Sanalitro: Roselle Public Library, 40 Park Street, Roselle, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- October 1, Traveling Office Hours with Rep. Grant: Everleigh Naperville, 504 Commons Road, Naperville, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- October 5, Electronics Recycling with Rep. Grant: Wheaton Park District, 102 E. Wesley Street, Wheaton, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Pesticide Notification Legislation Signed into Law
Legislation I supported this year will now require government entities to notify residents when spraying pesticides near their homes. This legislation aims to help families plan and take necessary precautions, such as keeping children indoors or covering outdoor items like plants and pools, when pesticides are applied in their vicinity.
Senate Bill 3342 mandates that government applicators, or those contracted by the government, must provide public notice before applying pesticides on public rights-of-way within municipal borders. The notice will also include contact information for the applicators. The law specifically excludes farmers, private individuals spraying their own property (including businesses), and applicators working on private property from these requirements.
Close to $700,000 Coming to 24th Senate District Libraries
Libraries bring communities together. When we invest in books and technology at our libraries, we are providing a springboard to knowledge and success for families and individuals. I am thrilled to announce that several libraries and library districts in the 24th Senate District are receiving a combined $693,371.76 in state library grants this year.
The grants, awarded throughout Illinois, included annual per capita and equalization aid grant funding, public library construction grants and one-time newly created technology grants to help libraries most in need to upgrade their technology infrastructure. The 24th Senate District allocations are as follows:
- Addison Public Library: $53,017.47
- Bartlett Public Library District: $53,510.49
- Bensenville Community Public Library: $32,331.42
- Bloomingdale Public Library: $33,237.27
- Carol Stream Public Library: $59,183.19
- Elk Grove Village Public Library: $32,74.43
- Glen Ellyn Public Library: $42,836.31
- Itasca Community Library: $14,171.36
- Naperville Public Library: $222,066.90
- Roselle Public Library: $33,774.84
- Schaumburg Township District Library: $193,562.33
- Warrenville Public Library: $20,932.56
- West Chicago Public Library District: $42,958.08
- Wheaton Public Library: $80,145.45
- Winfield Public Library: $14,604.98
- Wood Dale Public Library District: $19,106.01
New Law Provides Flexible Daycare Scheduling Options to Working Families
A new law is providing increased flexibility for working parents by expanding daycare scheduling options for shift employees. I was a proud to support this bill.
Senate Bill 3207 authorizes daycare centers to operate 24 hours a day and allows care for children for up to 12 hours if the parent works in a position requiring regularly scheduled shifts. A 10-hour break must occur between daycare visits.
This initiative was inspired by the need for a more adaptable childcare system to support shift workers. The law is not intended for children to be in daycare for 24 hours straight but rather to offer essential flexibility for caregivers and the working parents they serve.
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is tasked with adopting the necessary rules to implement and administer this new system. The bill received unanimous support in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and is set to take effect on January 1, 2025.
Lewis Celebrates Summer Reading with Program Participants
Over the summer I hosted a Literary Learning program for students in the 24th District who were entering 1st through 6th grades, and we recently had an ice cream social to celebrate the readers’ success. Students entering first through sixth grades were challenged to read eight books over the course of the summer with books over 200 pages counting as two books. Once a student has completed the readings, a summer reading form was filled out and signed by a parent or guardian.
Thank you to the participants who were able to attend the ice cream social!
Senator Lewis Visits United Cerebral Palsy Seguin of Greater Chicago Home in Wheaton
I was recently able to visit a home in Wheaton with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) Seguin of Greater Chicago who operates 80 Community Integrated Living Arrangement’s for those with Intellectual Disabilities. UCP Seguin of Greater Chicago is a charitable not-for-profit agency serving individuals with disabilities in metropolitan Chicago and beyond.
After touring the facility I talked with Winning Systems who advocate for direct support professionals and increased pay for those who take care of the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled (IDD) community. I enjoyed the tour and appreciated the opportunity to talk with individuals who live there. I am especially inspired by UCP’s mission that all people, regardless of ability, deserve to achieve their potential, advance their independence, and act as full members of their community.