Senate Majority Leader Lightford sworn in for 26th year in the General Assembly

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford was sworn in Wednesday for a new term in the Illinois General Assembly, marking the beginning of her 26^th year in the legislature.

She released the following statement after taking the oath of office:

"Looking back on my tenure in the General Assembly, I'm proud of how we've transformed Illinois into a more equitable and inclusive state, particularly for our youngest residents.

We've pioneered groundbreaking reforms in education – from implementing the nation's most equitable school funding model to creating new pathways for Black students' success and increasing diversity in our teaching workforce. Our unwavering commitment has been to ensure every child in Illinois has access to genuine opportunity, and I'll continue fighting for this vision in the years ahead.

It remains my deepest privilege to serve the 4th Senate District. Together, we've laid a strong foundation, but our potential for future achievement knows no bounds."

Lightford will serve another term as Senate Majority Leader – a position she has held since 2021. The Senate Majority Leader is entrusted by the Senate President to work with caucus members on policy issues and help advise them on legislative agendas.

Lightford’s efforts lead to $15 minimum wage come January 1

CHICAGO – Following a multi-year implementation period, the state’s minimum wage will reach $15 per hour on Jan. 1, thanks to steadfast advocacy from Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford.

“As a state, we have helped countless workers make ends meet, reduce financial stress, and provide a more solid foundation for their futures,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “The $15 minimum wage is a testament to our commitment to economic justice and our belief that everyone who works full time deserves a living wage.”

Lightford led a law in 2019 to put the state on the path to a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2025. The minimum wage was raised from $8.25 to $10 in 2019. Each year after, on Jan. 1, the minimum wage increased by $1 – putting it at $15 come Jan. 1, 2025. Additionally, the youth minimum wage rate will raise to $13 per hour.

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Lightford law cracks down on marketing alcohol to children

• SB 2625
• co-branded alcoholic beverages

SPRINGFIELD – The rise of co-branded alcoholic beverages – like Hard Mountain Dew and Spiked Sunny-D – has piqued the interest of children. Whether the marketing is intentional or not, Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is putting a stop to the issue by restricting the location certain alcohol items can be displayed and sold.

"We are taking steps to underscore our commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our youth," said Lightford (D-Maywood). "By limiting the proximity of co-branded alcoholic beverages to items targeting children, we aim to diminish the potential influence of alcohol-related marketing on impressionable minds."

Co-branded alcoholic beverages contain the same or similar brand name, logo or packaging as a non-alcoholic beverage. Senate Bill 2625 will prohibit stores over 2,500 square feet – which primarily is anything bigger than a convenience store – from displaying co-branded alcoholic beverages immediately adjacent to soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled water, candy, or snack foods portraying cartoons or child-oriented images.

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Lightford fights for equitable funding for higher education

MAYWOOD – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford is working to transform how Illinois funds its higher education system through newly-filed legislation that would take a student-centered approach. 

“Despite education’s paramount importance, the disparity in funding among higher educational institutions remains dreadfully evident,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “This imbalance not only undermines the principle of equal opportunity but also hampers our collective progress as a society.”

Lightford was instrumental in creating the Commission on Equitable Public University Funding in 2021. Over the last two years, the 30-person commission studied if public institutions of higher education are in dire need of a new funding model when serving underrepresented and historically underserved student groups, including Black and Brown students, as well as students from low-income families.

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