CHICAGO — Illinois is seeing a surge in opioid-related deaths in 2020, already doubling last year’s amounts in Cook County. The state received more than $36 million in federal funding in order to fight the opioid crisis Friday, and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) is hopeful these new funds will help equip Illinoisans with the resources to fight substance abuse.

“Many people don’t understand that drug abuse and drug addictions are a disease,” Hunter said. “It’s important to take all the necessary steps to prevent addiction early. There are people battling the global health crisis, racism, and opioid addictions all at the same time. Now more than ever, people need help fighting the disease of addiction, just as they would need help fighting cancer or any other disease.”

SPRINGFIELD – Senate Agriculture Chairman Scott Bennett (D-Champaign) and State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) are inviting area farmers to apply to the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s “Fall Covers for Spring Savings” cover crop program to receive a discounted crop insurance rate in spring 2021.

“I’m thrilled to see this program return after seeing a lot of success in its inaugural season,” Bennett said. “This program serves as an important tool to help farmers as they increase cover crop acres beyond what might be eligible for other state and federal programs.”

CHICAGO –Senate Majority Leader and Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) joined colleagues at the Westside Justice Center on Tuesday to announce a plan to build a legislative agenda that addresses systemic racism in Illinois.

“We have an opportunity to leverage this moment to make sure other Black women, Black mothers and Black wives just like me can truly have peace, justice and hope for our future, knowing that our children and our grandchildren will not share the same kind of life experiences that everyone in my generation and generations before me have had to endure,” Lightford said.

CHICAGO – In an effort to address decades of neglect and disinvestment in Black communities, the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus stands with the movement to improve the quality of Black lives and is crafting a legislative agenda that continues their work to address systemic racism in Illinois.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent civil unrest have amplified the racial inequities in our community making it undeniable that sweeping reforms are mandatory to combat racism. The plans will be built through four pillars of policy: