MARYVILLE – Working families and teachers may see lower back-to-school shopping costs next year, thanks to a measure introduced by State Senator Rachelle Crowe.

Crowe (D-Glen Carbon) filed Senate Bill 4008, which would create a tax holiday on clothes and school supplies starting with the 2021-2022 school year.

CHICAGO – Earlier this week, the US Department of Energy announced $115 million grants for quantum research centers at two facilitates affiliated with the University of Chicago. State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago), who represents the area including the university, is excited and hopeful about the future prospects the grants bring to the district as well as the state as a whole.

FRANKFORT– In response to Exelon’s decision that it is closing two nuclear power plants, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort), who chairs the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, released the following statement:

“It’s truly unfortunate that Exelon has announced two plant closures during the middle of a pandemic. The negative economic impact of these closures cannot be understated.

DEERFIELD — In response to a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study that found half of Illinois high school students reported using an electronic tobacco product last year, State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) released the following statement:

“Vaping and e-cigarette-related deaths and illnesses have become a nationwide outbreak that no user is immune to — no matter how young they are.