ZION — State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) alongside Governor JB Pritzker and elected local officials across the Lake County area came together Monday to celebrate the milestone of the Illinois State Beach Park Shoreline Stabilization project’s completion with a ribbon cutting.

Illinois Beach State Park required immediate intervention to restore the natural lakefront, which was eroding at more than 100 feet per year and putting rare habitat at risk. The $73 million investment by the Rebuild Illinois capital plan allowed for the necessary construction of new offshore stone breakwater structures to shelter the Lake Michigan shoreline from wave energy. The breakwaters assist in retaining the newly-placed sand, preserve the surrounding ecosystems, and enhance public access to the beach.

“This project was urgently needed and Illinois now stands as a leader in responsible shoreline stabilization,” said Edly-Allen. “This intervention was necessary to protect the last remaining natural shoreline in the state. I want to thank the governor and the General Assembly for this waterfront project that will help Lake County’s shoreline, native species, residents and visitors.”

SPRINGFIELD – To reimburse first responders for their services under a mobile integrated health care (MIH) model, State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) championed a newly signed law to create insurance billing codes for emergency responders to recoup the costs of mobile integrated health care.

“I was proud to sponsor this legislation that was brought to me by Erik Christensen, Wauconda Fire Protection District lieutenant, to ensure that emergency responders are reimbursed for services provided to their community,” said Edly-Allen. “Every Illinois resident deserves to receive timely emergency response and proper coverage and our local first responders deserve to be reimbursed for their service. This legislation is one step toward finding solutions to address the complex needs of the healthcare system.”

LIBERTYVILLE — State Senator Mary Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville) announced more than a dozen school districts across the area will receive over $8.1 million in additional funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.

“As an educator, I have a strong commitment to ensuring every student is given equal opportunities to succeed regardless of their ZIP code or financial status,” said Edly-Allen. “Students in Lake County deserve the best educational opportunities, and I’m proud to see we’re continuing to prioritize funding for our schools.”

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to a new law advanced by State Senator Mary Edly-Allen, artists will be protected if their songs or likenesses are stolen through the means of artificial intelligence (AI).

“In the last few years, we have seen an explosion of AI tools and AI-generated content, often created and distributed without authorization. While AI is a powerful tool with the potential to do much good, guardrails are necessary to protect artists and the general public,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “I’d like to thank the numerous groups who worked in collaboration to ensure this measure is effective including the Motion Picture Association, TechNet, the Software Alliance and more. This is an important piece of legislation that will help protect Illinois artists.”