59th Senate Update: Large Employer Round Table, New Legislation and more..

Large Employer Round Table

State Senator Dale Fowler recently participated in a Large Employer Round Table with the City of Marion to discuss childcare and other barriers to employment for Southern Illinois businesses. Senator Fowler joined the discussion to learn more from the business community and share a legislative update.

"It's great to see our business community come together to have an open dialogue on issues facing our employees and employers and move the discussion forward on how better to support our business communities," said Sen. Fowler. "We need to hear from businesses, childcare providers, parents, and community leaders to understand the challenges and explore innovative ways to overcome them."

New Laws Focused on "Justice Impacted Individuals" and Free State IDs for Inmates Highlight Illinois Democrats' Misplaced Priorities on Crime

Legislation changing "offender" to "justice-impacted individual" in some state statutes and providing free state IDs to individuals being released from Illinois jails became law during the week.

In recent years, crime has surged as Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and his allies in the legislature have pushed dangerous "catch and release" policies. As of July 2024, Major crimes in Chicago have increased by nearly 60% compared to 2019 and 18% since 2022. During the 4th of July Weekend alone, more than 100 people – the equivalent of two CTA busses – were shot in Chicago.

Senator Fowler said the legislation signed this week will do nothing to reduce crime in Illinois and prioritize the rights of criminals over everyday citizens.

Senate Bill 2803 expands an existing pilot program across Illinois, which offers free state IDs to individuals being released from state prisons, to also include individuals being released from federal prisons and county jails.

Also recently signed into law was House Bill 4409, a controversial proposal that generated negative headlines and significant public pushback because it changes references to certain "offenders" in state statutes by requiring them to be called "justice-impacted individuals."

House Bill 4409 was signed into law on August 2, while Senate Bill 2803 received the Governor's stamp of approval on August 6.

Shawnee Health's Carbondale Campus Tour

As part of National Health Center Week, Shawnee Health held events throughout the week to highlight essential roles community health center play in improving public health. State Senator Dale Fowler toured Shawnee Health's Carbondale Campus on August 8, seeing firsthand the impact Shawnee Health is having on Southern Illinois. According to KFVS, health centers represent the nation’s largest primary care network and serve 31.5 million patients nationwide.

Recently, Senator Fowler had the privilege of celebrating Glenn Clarida and his remarkable career with the City of Marion. Glenn began his career in 1965, kicking off his journey of service to his community and marking the start of a legacy. Glenn is known for his leadership and vision, having helped transform the City of Marion. Congratulations, Glenn, on an amazing career and on a lasting legacy!

August is a big month for many, with students, educators and administrators headed back for the new school year ahead! May this year be filled with rewarding experiences, growth and success.

Illinois State Fair Underway

The 2024 edition of the Illinois State Fair officially opened on August 8. In the morning, there was a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by the annual Twilight Parade in the evening.

One of the event's longstanding traditions is the construction and unveiling of the butter cow, a full-size sculpture made of roughly 500 pounds of unsalted butter on display in the Dairy Building.

The daily schedule for the Fair includes Agriculture Day on the first Friday, followed by Kids Day on Saturday, then Veterans and Gold Star Families Day, Senior & Scout Day, "Twosday," Governor's Day, Republican Day, First Responder & Healthcare Heroes Day, and then finally wrapping up the closing weekend with Park District Conservation Day followed by Family Day.

Grandstand concerts throughout the Fair duration include Keith Urban, Motley Crue, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Jordan Davis, Lil Wayne, the Jonas Brothers, Miranda Lambert, and Shaboozey.

There will also be USAC and ARCA racing at the Grandstand during the final weekend. For more information, visit https://statefair.illinois.gov/.

DCEO Honors National Black Business Month

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is spotlighting National Black Business Month this August.

Illinois is home to more than 148,000 Black-owned businesses, which employ around 196,000 people and contribute $4.6 billion annually to the state's economy.

The DCEO is commemorating this month through an array of online and face-to-face events led by the Office of Minority Economic Empowerment.

These initiatives aim to celebrate and support Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs across the state while also promoting economic growth and community engagement. Details on these initiatives are available on the DCEO website at https://dceo.illinois.gov/bbm2024.html.

Office Locations

District Office
2 North Vine, 6th Floor
Harrisburg, IL 62946
P: (618)294-8951

Springfield Office
A-Section Stratton Building, Office E
Springfield, IL 62706
P: (217)782-5509

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