The Small Business Administration is providing disaster assistance loans for small businesses impacted by COVID-19.  Visit the link below for more information: https://www.sba.gov/coronavirus 

For more information, visit https://www2.illinois.gov/ides/Pages/COVID-19-and-Unemployment-Benefits.aspx

SPRINGFIELD – Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) is advancing an initiative to classify crimes against individuals based on their actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status as hate crimes.

“Hate crime laws are intended to protect individuals against biased crimes,” Martinez said. “Expanding the definition to include citizenship or immigration status is necessary to defend immigrants against senseless, discriminatory crimes.”

Under current law, crimes by reason against people of an actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or national origin of another individual or group of individuals are considered hate crimes.

The measure seeks to add citizenship or immigration status to the list of qualifications.

Senate Bill 2345 passed the Senate Criminal Law Committee and moves for further consideration before the full Senate.

Proposal prioritizes care for Illinois’ children, funds census outreach

SPRINGFIELD – Pleased by the governor’s fiscally responsible budget proposal increasing protections for students and funding for child care programs, Assistant Majority Leader Iris Y. Martinez (D-Chicago) released the following statement:

“I support the ideas in this proposal to invest more state funds in student misconduct investigation cases and child care programs to ensure safety and accountability for our youth, as well as census outreach opportunities to prioritize a correct count this year.

I am confident we will produce a fiscally responsible, bipartisan budget bringing stability back to Illinois residents.”