Heather Steans
State Senator
Springfield Update

 
January 22, 2010
Dear neighbor,
 
My time in Springfield in January was spent on three critical issues for our State - tapping more federal dollars to improve our educational system, continuing work on nursing home reform, and stopping Asian carp in Illinois waterways.  Updates for each item are below.
  • Federal Race to the Top Education Funding
    Illinois is determined to win up to $500 million dollars from the Obama Administration's Race to the Top education funding initiative by improving our educational system.  Last week, two Bills were signed into law that will support school improvement toward capturing these funds from the federal government.  Ultimately, Illinois will receive Race to the Top funding from the federal government because all of our educational reforms have been achieved with broad-based consensus from the State Board of Education, teacher unions, school administrators, and educational reform advocates.  Illinois is emerging as a serious school reform state where we work together for the best education for all of our children.  Now we need $500 million from the federal government to keep our progress going.
  • Nursing Home Reform
    Here in the 7th District, the federal government initiated termination action against the Somerset Nursing Home after finding 4 Immediate Jeopardy deficiencies, or threats of serious injury or death.  For more details see the Tribune article on this issue
    here.  The Governor's Nursing Home Safety Task Force has also presented its preliminary recommendations for improving the safety and quality of care in nursing homes.  To review this report, click here.  I will be working with the Task Force members and interest groups to pass legislation needed to support these reform recommendations.
  • Asian Carp in Illinois Waterways
    Yesterday, the Senate Environment Committee convened a hearing on a long-term approach to addressing the Asian Carp in Illinois waterways.  Testimony at the hearing made it clear we need much more information on the causes, consequences, and ways to prevent Asian Carp invasion throughout all of Illinois.  If you would like to review the testimony from this hearing, please e-mail me and I will send you the link when it comes available.
 
If you have any questions on these or any other issues, please contact me at 773-769-1717 or by email at [email protected].  We do not return to Springfield until February 8th.
 
Best regards,
Heather A. Steans
Thank you to Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day Volunteers!
 
Over 200 total volunteers came to the North Side Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Day volunteer event in the 47th and 48th ward office. 

Throughout the day our volunteers painted two classrooms at Goudy Elementary School, picked up litter and debris at six schools in Lincoln Square and Ravenswood, and helped paint rooms at Unity Lutheran Church and Edgewater Community Council. They also cleaned and repaired woodwork at the North Lakeside Cultural Center, sorted clothing at Cornerstone Community Outreach and Brown Elephant Resale shop and cleaned at Good News Community Kitchen. Many volunteers also spent quality time with seniors, developmentally disabled adults and children at the White Crane Wellness Center, Thresholds, and Anixter Center.
 
Thank you so much to all of the volunteers who came out and all of the organizations who opened their doors.  A special thanks to staff in Alderman Gene Schulter's office, who led the 47th ward service day efforts, staff in State Representative Harry Osterman, Commissioner Bridget Gainer, and Alderman Mary Ann Smith's office for staffing volunteer events in the 48th ward, and to Apart Pizza for providing many of the volunteers with lunch!