SPRINGFIELD – Families with college students would qualify for increased tuition tax credits, the minimum wage would gradually rise to $11 an hour and millions worth of corporate tax loopholes would be closed under a legislative agenda Illinois Senate Democrats are rallying behind as negotiations with Governor Rauner have stalled.

“When I talk to working families, their concerns are about how they make life better for their children and themselves while their wages have consistently decreased or stayed flat in a time of record corporate profits. It’s time to focus on issues that will improve the quality of life and open doors of opportunity. That’s a real turnaround agenda,” said Senator Toi Hutchinson, a Chicago Heights Democrat.

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SPRINGFIELD – With Kankakee students finishing the final week of school this week, State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D-Chicago Heights) supported a plan that will provide increased funding to area school districts when students return in the fall.  

“Increasing state funding for our schools is an investment in our economy’s future,” Hutchinson said. “With school districts relying heavily on local resources, increasing state aid also ensures we are not increasing the property tax burden on working families.”

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SPRINGFIELD - The Senate gave final approval today to a measure that will prevent and ensure proper response to sexual assaults that occur on college campuses.

“Schools should be prepared to respond to sexual assaults immediately, which means helping survivors understand their reporting options, access health care or even provide alternate housing options,” Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights) said. “We must do everything in our power to protect students and respond with every single resource at our disposal. Sexual assault cannot be tolerated anywhere.”

While there have been efforts at the federal level to deal with the issue of sexual violence on campuses, universities have been left with a patchwork of recommendations and proposals without clear guidance on how they can reduce the incidents of violence on their campuses and effectively deal with the aftermath of sexual assaults.

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SPRINGFIELD – An alarming one in five undergraduate college women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape.

“College represents new experiences and new beginnings for thousands of young women and men each year,” Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights) said. “Unfortunately, too many of those students will become victims of sexual violence that can have negative effects lasting a lifetime.”  

While there have been efforts at the federal level to deal with the issue of sexual violence on campuses, universities have been left with a patchwork of recommendations and proposals without clear guidance on how they can reduce the incidents of violence on their campuses and effectively deal with the aftermath of sexual assaults.

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