SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to honor our state’s fallen heroes, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) is championing a measure to honor their next of kin with the presentation of an Illinois flag.
“Our country would not be where it is today without the sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform,” Turner said. “This measure will help show the respect we have for the families that pay the ultimate sacrifice.”
Under Turner’s measure, if an Illinois resident dies while on State Active Duty or Federal Active Duty, their next of kin would be presented the Illinois state flag by military personnel.
“The families of fallen heroes are presented with our nation’s flag as a token of gratitude and condolences from a grateful nation,” Turner said. “I believe that they should also be presented our state flag as a symbol of our esteemed gratitude.”
SB 3459 passed the Senate and now heads to the House for further consideration.
SPRINGFIELD – To address the teaching shortage in the State of Illinois, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) is championing a measure to allow school districts to hire substitute teachers with a short-term license for longer periods of time.
“Advancing this bill will mean that schools across the state will have an easier time finding a suitable substitute for their classes,” said Turner “The pandemic has caused many aspects of our society to adapt, so shall our schools.”
The pandemic has caused a great deal of disruptions, especially to the education system in Illinois. The state is currently facing a teacher shortage, and with COVID-19 causing a great deal of teacher absences, the need to fill classrooms with substitutes is vital. The bill will raise the cap on consecutive days a short-term sub can teach from five to 15 days.
“I hope this bill alleviates some of the educational stress across the state,” Turner said. “I am hopeful we can continue to work together on this commonsense solution that ensures the children of Illinois retain their access to a high quality education.”
SB 3907 passed the Education Committee Tuesday and awaits further consideration.
SPRINGFIELD – SPRINGFIELD – To provide assistance to families of Illinois social workers killed in the line of duty, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) is championing a measure that will treat the death of a Department of Children and Family Services worker similar to the death of a police officer.
“In response to the fatal stabbing of Deidre Silas, we must ensure the families of those who serve our most vulnerable populations are cared for,” Turner said. “Deidre died as a dedicated public servant for our community, and this is the least we can do to honor her commitment to our state.”
Under the Public Safety and Police Benefits Act, if a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty, his or her spouse and children under the age of 18 are eligible to receive health insurance benefits.
SB 3197 will expand upon that to include DCFS workers and provide benefits to the survivors of social workers killed in the line of duty.
The legislation will be retroactive for one year to ensure the family of the late Deidra Silas receives benefits from the state.
“We must protect people like Deidre Silas,” Turner said. “I will continue to push for commonsense reforms to ensure our brave civil servants and their families are protected in the event of a future tragedy.”
SB 3197 passed the Senate State Government Committee on Wednesday.
SPRINGFIELD – To ensure greater protection for Department of Child and Family Services caseworkers, State Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) is championing a measure to protect DCFS caseworkers and investigators.
“The death of Deidre Silas was a truly tragic moment felt across the state. We must ensure no other caseworker lives are taken in such a despicable way,” Turner said. “This bill will send a clear message that we will do everything in our power to protect the brave men and women who choose this profession.”
Under Turner’s measure, if a person assaults someone they know is a DCFS caseworker or investigator, it will be considered aggravated battery rather than battery. Aggravated battery is punishable by five to ten years imprisonment, rather than battery, which is often less than one year.
The measure comes following the death of Deidre Silas, a DCFS caseworker who was killed during a home visit last month, and Pamela Knight, who experienced the same tragedy in 2018.
“This bill shows our commitment to protecting our frontline DCFS caseworkers who work to protect our youth every day,” Turner said. “I am hopeful we can continue to work together on this commonsense solution that ensures caseworkers and investigators across our state can safeguard our children’s health and wellbeing with security.”
SB 3070 passed the Criminal Law Committee Tuesday and now heads to the full Senate for further consideration.
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