“Government should ensure women have access to all forms of contraceptives without intrusion by insurance bureaucrats or politicians.” – State Senator Toi Hutchinson

SPRINGFIELD – With 98 percent of American women using birth control at some point in their lives, having easy access to the myriad forms of contraceptives available is an important part of the health care delivery system for women.  

“Women utilize contraceptives for many different reasons. The most obvious reason is for birth control,” State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights) said. “But for many women, contraceptives play a key role in our overall health. Government should ensure that women have access to all forms of contraceptives without intrusion by insurance bureaucrats or politicians.”

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SPRINGFIELD – A plan to increase state funding for area school districts passed the Senate today with support from State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights).

“Illinois’ school funding formula hasn’t been updated in decades,” Hutchinson said. “The proposal I supported today would target more state resources to the schools that need it the most.”

Senate Bill 231 would update Illinois’ current method of funding school districts by targeting state monies based on a Weighted Foundation Level tied to characteristics of each school district, including low-income pupil count, the number of English language learners and special education students.

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SPRINGFIELD – Since Illinois’ budget impasse began more than eight months ago, more than 1,500 youth across the state have been kicked out of after-school programs that previously received funding from the Teen REACH program. Teen REACH provides grants to support local communities’ after-school programs that serve at-risk youth age 6 to 17.

“Study after study highlights the direct link between investing in after-school programs and higher levels of student success and lower rates of crime,” State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights) said. “This is especially true in some of our most impoverished neighborhoods and communities.”

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For 20 years, Pay Equity Day has highlighted the disparity in workplace earnings between men and women. The day, held this year on April 12, represents the extra days a full-time working woman would have to work just to make the same as a man in the previous year.

State Senator Toi Hutchinson (D – Chicago Heights) passed a resolution in the Senate today highlighting the issue.

“If women earned the exact same amount as our male counterparts, we would be able to afford seven additional months of mortgage and utility payments or afford nearly two years’ worth of food in one’s lifetime.”

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