SPRINGFIELD- Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation providing stopgap funding to higher education. Senate Bill 2059 was sent to the governor’s desk Friday after the Senate approved the proposal with bipartisan support. Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford  (D – Maywood) released the following statement.

“This is a small victory for our higher education system, but it means so much to the students throughout our state who were in jeopardy of losing their futures. We will continue the fight for the programs and services that our most vulnerable populations desperately need, and I’m ready to keep pushing forward.”

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SPRINGFIELD - Children with mental health issues could be diagnosed and treated sooner thanks to a plan the Senate approved today. Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) is leading legislation that mandates social and emotional screenings for children as a part of their school entry examinations.

The proposal, which passed the Senate on Friday, requires the Department of Public Health to add social and emotional screenings to its health examinations in an effort aimed at identifying potential mental health problems in school-age children, removing the stigma of mental illness and reducing teen suicide.

“We see the effects of mental illness and its stigma every day. Attacking these issues during a child’s developmental stages will foster a better educational environment and provide a clearer way of looking at mental health issues,” Lightford said. “Ignoring these issues only delays the child’s development and can have negative consequences throughout his or her life.”

Senate Bill 565 will now move to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – In response to legislation (SB 2059) providing much-needed funds to Illinois universities to keep their doors open passing the General Assembly today, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D – Maywood) released the following statement.

“We will not let our colleges and universities wither away. The Community College Board and our institutions like Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University and Western Illinois University deserve the funding in this legislation and more.

“This is a start, but the governor also needs to look at legislation already on his desk and Senate Bill 2047, which the Senate passed today, that would provide higher education funding and critical relief for human services, such as cancer screenings, HIV/AIDS services and health prevention.

“If the higher education funding legislation that passed out of the General Assembly is indeed signed into law, this is a small victory, but the leaders of our state have more work to do.”

SPRINGFIELD- In 2012, 49 percent of Illinois public school students belonged to a racial or ethnic minority group, while only 16.7 percent of teachers did. Many studies show that the more teachers reflect the student body, the better the results in the classroom will be.

In light of this, minority teachers working toward additional degrees or certifications in Illinois could soon be eligible for the Minority Teachers of Illinois Program, under a proposal the Senate approved today.

Senate Bill 3319, which passed the Senate today, would allow minority teachers to apply to receive a grant for up to $5,000 a year.

“Studies show minority children have better academic outcomes when being instructed by a teacher belonging to their same racial minority,” said Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford, sponsor of the legislation. “A more diverse group of teachers with advanced degrees only creates more opportunities for our children.”

Teachers with appropriate degrees can teach dual credit courses, which award college credit upon their completion. This legislation would help expand opportunities for all children to get ahead on their college coursework while still in high school.

The proposal now heads to the House for consideration.