SPRINGFIELD — In order to ensure that domestic violence survivors get the assistance they need, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen to advance House Bill 2682 through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Friday. In 2023, only an estimated 4% of eligible recipients received the Family Violence Option (FVO) protections under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. 

“I was proud to partner with the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and the Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence on this common-sense legislation that helps survivors and streamlines crisis assistance within the TANF application process,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “The proposed waiver and critical assistance funding are crucial tools for survivors. Now more than ever we need to continue to make resources readily known and accessible for our most vulnerable communities.”

SPRINGFIELD — To address unnecessary and burdensome Illinois School Code mandates, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen worked with multiple statewide education stakeholders to create Senate Bill 1740, which passed the House.

“Public school teachers play a critical role in shaping our young minds and preparing them for the future,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “The proposed School Code Mandate Reduction Council will begin evaluating the 699 mandates introduced since 1982 – an essential step toward improving our laws to fit with the evolving education landscape.”

SPRINGFIELD – Recording artists could soon have more protections from artificial intelligence (AI) replicating their voice or work under legislation from State Senator Mary Edly-Allen and State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz.

“We need strong regulations and protections in place to safeguard artists when people try to steal their work and pass it off as their own using artificial intelligence,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “This bill was made to clarify existing law using language approved by both the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Motion Picture Association (MPA).”

SPRINGFIELD – In Illinois last year, an estimated 25,832 people experienced homelessness. To increase the accessibility of resources available to help homeless individuals, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen worked with State Representative Lindsey LaPointe to bring House Bill 3761 through the Senate.

“People experiencing homelessness are often in and out of emergency rooms. Hospital staff, like social workers, are usually under-equipped to connect our unhoused neighbors to services. It is difficult to find resources and we do not have enough emergency shelters to meet the needs,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “This bill solves one of those problems — by providing clear information online on how to begin the process to access shelter and services.”