South Central Reporter

Legislation signed into law on July 19 aims to aid child victims of human trafficking in healing and moving on with their lives following their trauma. House Bill 5465, sponsored by Senator Erica Harriss, enhances previous legislation by simplifying the process for child trafficking victims to expunge or seal juvenile records resulting from any compelled criminal actions while under abuse. The bill received unanimous support in both chambers during the spring session. Senate Republicans are actively promoting awareness about human trafficking and urge anyone with information on potential cases to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 to report suspicious activities in their communities.

Legislation enabling sheriffs to play a pivotal role in Illinois’ 9-1-1 emergency systems was recently signed into law. House Bill 5128, sponsored by Senator Dale Fowler, amends the Emergency Telephone System Act to explicitly recognize sheriffs as eligible members of local 9-1-1 boards, ensuring their insights and leadership contribute to vital functions. The Senate sponsor noted that the legislation was crafted to recognize the expertise and insights of law enforcement officers by integrating them into the decision-making processes. 9-1-1 boards are deeply involved in planning, implementing, and maintaining local 9-1-1 systems. House Bill 5128 received unanimous support in both chambers earlier this spring and was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker on July 19.

The State of Illinois was recently awarded more than $430 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) for its Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program application. The funding will be utilized for building and industry decarbonization, freight electrification, climate-smart agriculture, and renewable energy deployment. According to the state’s grant application, the state will implement projects that include dedicating: $115 million for heavy-duty vehicle electrification, $172 million to improve access and affordability for clean building technologies, and more than $111 million to improve access and affordability for clean building technologies. The U.S. EPA stated that these projects would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 971 million metric tons by 2050, equivalent to the emissions of about five million homes over 25 years. The grant will help support and offset some costs associated with the state’s ongoing goal of reaching 100 percent carbon-free power by 2045. Nearly 300 applications were submitted nationwide for the project implementation grants, but only 25 grants totaling $4.3 billion were awarded by the U.S. EPA. The State of Illinois received the third-largest grant award.

A global technology outage affected all 138 DMV locations in Illinois recently, disrupting services across the state. A routine update from the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to Microsoft on its Windows devices triggered an enormous national technological outage on July 19. This led to widespread chaos that affected global businesses ranging from airports and banks to retail and law enforcement. This incident highlighted the weaknesses of a computerized world that is critically dependent on a few suppliers such as Microsoft. Illinois residents are advised to verify the operational status of their desired DMV facility by calling 800-252-8980. Additionally, residents could expedite their services by visiting www.ilsos.gov to complete tasks online.

This year, Illinois has experienced more than 100 tornado incidents, doubling the state’s typical annual average. The recent outbreak underscores escalating weather volatility in the region. Notably, earlier this month, the National Weather Service in Chicago issued 16 tornado warnings in a single day—the highest number since 2004. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) warns residents that severe weather can occur at any time of year and emphasizes that preparing for floods, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms before they strike is important for safety. Senate Republicans are urging Illinois residents to be prepared for severe weather; for more information on how to prepare for all hazards visit IEMA's website for resources and guidelines.