News

GRAYSLAKE – As residents continue raising questions about the proposed hyperscale data center campus planned for Grayslake, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen and State Representative Laura Faver Dias are leading the push to establish statewide protections that would ensure Illinois communities, consumers and natural resources are protected as large-scale data center development continues.

To accomplish that, the lawmakers are urging the Illinois General Assembly to pass the Illinois POWER Act (House Bill 5513), legislation that would establish the state’s first comprehensive guardrails for hyperscale data centers and would require greater transparency around electricity and water consumption, prevent residential customers and small businesses from paying for electric infrastructure built primarily to serve hyperscale data centers, and require large facilities to plan for new clean energy resources or reduce electricity demand when the electric grid is under strain. Together, these protections would help ensure Illinois remains competitive for technology investment while preventing local communities and ratepayers from shouldering unnecessary costs.

SPRINGFIELD – Nearly one-in-10 Americans have an associate’s degree as their highest-level education attainment. To make higher education more accessible, Senate Higher Education Committee Chair State Senator Mary Edly-Allen advanced a new law to help more students earn their associate degrees by making it easier to transfer credits back to community colleges at no cost.

“Whether a student’s path takes them from a community college to a university or back again, our higher education system should work for them every step of the way,” said Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake). “By simplifying this process and eliminating fees, we are helping more students cross the finish line.”

SPRINGFIELD – According to the RAINN, only 310 out of every 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to police, underscoring the need to build trust and improve survivor experiences within the justice system. To address this critical issue, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen advanced a new law aimed at improving how survivors of sexual assault are supported during the criminal justice process.

“Survivors of sexual assault deserve to feel safe, respected and fully supported when they are coming forward,” said Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake). “House Bill 4394 is about making sure survivors know their rights and have some control in a moment where so much has already been taken from them.”

LIBERTYVILLE – In response  to a recent report that a Libertyville teacher was placed on administrative leave, arrested and charged with eight counts of child pornography for allegedly using artificial intelligence (AI) to create explicit images of Libertyville middle school students, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake) released the following statement:

“The decision to terminate this teacher sends a clear message that there is no place for those who exploit positions of trust to harm children.