SPRINGFIELD – Right now, a state agency can overturn a local school board’s decision to deny a charter school application in their school district. Under a proposal from State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora), that decision would remain in local hands.

Senate Bill 1226 would change the charter school application process to abolish the State Charter School Commission and ensure locally elected school boards and parents would decide if a charter school is good for their community. The plan puts all existing charter schools authorized by the commission under the authority of the Illinois State Board of Education beginning June of 2020.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) has passed legislation in the Senate Agriculture Committee to address a number of issues regarding animal shelters and foster groups, licensing fees and feral cat programs.

Senate Bill 61 increases licensing fees under the Department of Agriculture for the first time since 1971. It also changes rules regarding adopted dogs and cats and the facilities that provide foster homes and transport pets for adoption.

“This group of animal welfare measures brings several rescue and shelter issues up to date for Illinois,” Holmes said. “So many pets find their forever homes through these facilities and fostering arrangements. This legislation can serve to increase the potential for that to happen while providing the Department of Agriculture with more resources to oversee these programs and facilities.”

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SPRINGFIELD – A measure regarding animal welfare sponsored by State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) has passed the Illinois Senate.

Senate Bill 241 amends the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to prohibit importation or sale of cosmetic products or ingredients that use animal testing after January 1, 2020. Modern testing alternatives are less expensive, faster and more predictive of human reactions than past practices of painful tests on animals to assess the safety of chemicals used in cosmetics.

This ban does not include cosmetic products or ingredients that have been tested on animals but are currently being sold before the implementation date.

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SPRINGFIELD – A measure to require the election of trustees for the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District has been passed by State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora). Senate Bill 100 requires the trustees be elected rather than appointed. The bill was vetoed in August 2018 and came back to and was approved in the Senate Wednesday.

“This public body should be elected rather than appointed to best represent the citizens of our communities,” Holmes said. “Trustee candidates would go on the ballot during consolidated elections if this bill becomes law. It represents government reform that will better serve water quality needs in the future for people in the Fox River Valley.”

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