SPRINGFIELD — In an effort to ensure Gov. Bruce Rauner doesn’t further damage the state’s child care system, Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) passed legislation out of the Illinois Senate today that protects health care benefits for home child care providers.

“Our child care workers, the majority of whom are women, are dedicated employees, and it’s important that their health care benefits be protected,” Martinez said. “I want to stop the Rauner administration from having a chance to do away with their health insurance.”

The Illinois Department of Human Services already provides health insurance to qualified child care providers. However, there is concern that the Rauner administration wants to eliminate health insurance for child care employees.

These concerns follow the cuts the governor made last year to the state’s Child Care Assistance Program.

Ninety-nine percent of the 3,500 workers that would be protected under Martinez’s proposal are women.

The senator’s legislation also updates training requirements for child care providers to ensure Illinois is compliant with new federal guidelines.

Martinez is working on Senate Bill 2536 with the Service Employees International Union. It now advances to the Illinois House for approval.

Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) and State Sen. Michael Noland (D-Elgin) joined the Illinois Coalition of Community Blood Centers at a press conference to promote blood donation during Minority Health Month.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services designates April as Minority Health Month to draw attention to health-related disparities that affect minorities.

“It’s very important that we educate the Latino community about the importance of becoming blood donors,” said Martinez, who is co-chairwoman of the Latino Caucus. “The majority of Latinos have type O blood, which is in high demand because it can be transfused to patients with other blood types.”

Latinos are the largest minority group, but make up less than 4 percent of blood donors. Additionally, Latinos only make up 10 percent of people on the National Bone Marrow Registry. African Americans also have low blood donation and Bone Marrow Registry participation rates.

“In my own district, nearly 40 percent of people are of Latino and African American descent,” said Noland. “It is imperative that we raise awareness in these communities for donating blood and bone marrow. This is not just a one-time issue; it is an everyday concern and one that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.”

It is estimated that one blood donation can save up to three lives. For contact information for community blood centers, please click here.

SPRINGFIELD — In response to the Taskforce on Police Accountability releasing a report detailing troubling findings about the Chicago Police Department, Majority Caucus Whip and Latino Caucus Co-Chair Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

The report’s findings are troubling, but not surprising. Communities of color in Chicago have a history of being treated unfairly by the Chicago Police Department. More than ever, what we need is a change in the culture of the department that will improve policing and relations between officers and the neighborhoods they serve. The Chicago Police Department needs to work on building TRUST with minority communities.

You can click here to read more about the report.

SPRINGFIELD — After voting for Senate Bill 2046, Majority Caucus Whip Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) issued the following statement.

As Gov. Rauner continues to destroy the state’s human services infrastructure and public universities, I won’t remain idle. I will continue to vote for legislation that sends a clear message to the governor: we need to fund programs that help our students, colleges and human services agencies helping the disabled, homeless and other vulnerable populations.

Senate Bill 2046 provides funding for programs that haven’t been funded during the budget impasse, including higher education and human services.