Turner advances measure to improve training for emergency medical dispatchers

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner passed a measure through committee to mandate training for emergency medical dispatchers on how to provide CPR instructions to someone experiencing cardiac arrest.

“We are losing too many of our friends and family to heart disease,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Ensuring that our emergency dispatchers are well-equipped to handle these situations will save lives.”

Senate Bill 1295 would mandate all 9-1-1 telecommunicators to be trained in telecommunicator-CPR and would require emergency medical dispatchers to be trained in T-CPR. T-CPR is when a dispatcher provides over-the-phone CPR instructions to someone experiencing cardiac arrest. This process is a key part of the chain of survival for cardiac arrest.

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Turner to host mobile DMV event

DECATUR – State Senator Doris Turner State is hosting a mobile DMV event in Decatur, which will give area residents the opportunity to access some DMV services at a location in the community, rather than visiting a typical facility.

“We all know going to the DMV is something you often put on the backburner but the Mobile Unit makes the whole process easy,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “Spots are filling up fast, so please make an appointment as soon as you can.”

The event will be held on Saturday, April 19 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Children’s Museum of Illinois – located at 55 S. Country Club Rd. in Decatur. Appointments are required, limited to 48 people, and must be made by calling Turner’s office at 217-782-0228. Walk-ins are not guaranteed service.

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Turner: Central Illinois deserves its fair share

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) released the following statement in response to the governor’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal:

“The state budget is no one person’s personal piggy bank. We have to be responsible with how taxpayer dollars are spent, and ensure central Illinois gets its fair share. I look forward to working with the governor and elected officials all across the state to craft a responsible budget that prioritizes the needs of the working class.

“Whether you’re a small family farmer outside Mt. Auburn, an accountant at ADM in Decatur, work customer service at Horace Mann in Springfield or drive a truck for Cleeton’s in Tovey: This budget should recognize your needs, because you deserve to live in a state that can balance its finances the same way you do at home.”

Turner advances measure to create one-stop shop for higher education scholarships

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Doris Turner is leading a measure to simplify the process for students seeking higher education scholarships.

“After conversations with my summer interns who were applying to college, they stressed the need for a one-stop shop for information on scholarships,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “We want to encourage students to continue their education, and this would make it easier for students to see what financial aid is available.”

Senate Bill 1331 would create the Illinois Scholarship Database, developed and administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, to be used as a tool for improving Illinois students' knowledge of and access to higher education scholarships.

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