Small businesses looking to keep workers on the payroll have a new option in the Paycheck Protection Program. Starting today, small businesses may apply for loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that will be forgiven loans for businesses that keep all employees on the payroll for eight weeks. Money must be used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities.

Below is a letter I sent to DOC Director Rob Jeffrey's concerning protocols and precautions in place at DOC facilities during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis.

In an effect to help small businesses and non-profits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Treasurer’s Office has announced the creation of the Illinois Small Business COVID-19 Relief Program.

In an effort to increase the number of medical personnel available to handle increased patient loads at Illinois hospitals, a call has been issued to former doctors, nurses, physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and respiratory care therapists who have recently left the medical field to join the fight against COVID-19.

On Friday, March 20th, the Governor issued a Stay at Home Order that requires all Illinoisans to stay in their homes to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Please see below for answers to some frequently asked questions about the order.

The Governor has issued a stay-at-home order starting at 5 PM Saturday, March 21, until Tuesday, April 7. I want to make sure you understand what this means for you and dispel some rumors you may have heard.

As small businesses across the state continue to feel the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, new assistance measures have been put in place to provide relief to Illinois' small-business community.

After a wave of a panic buying that saw stores jammed with customers and merchandise depleted due to stockpiling, the Governor and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association have worked to organize a statewide coalition of grocery stores.

As small businesses and restaurants across the state continue to feel the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, new assistance measures have been put in place to provide relief to Illinois' small business community.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has released updated guidance for schools on various issues related to mandatory school closures due to Covid-19/Coronavirus.

While much of the public’s focus is on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, many Illinois seniors have concerns about access to medication. 

As the State continues to deal with the fallout of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have compiled a variety of updates on areas directly effected by the pandemic, including updates regarding small business, unemployment and taxes. 

With spring just round the corner, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) is highlighting the importance of being properly prepared for severe weather during Severe Weather Preparedness Month.

State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) is demanding answers from the Illinois Department of Corrections following a press conference this week in Springfield, where the Illinois Sheriffs Association raised concerns about a recent policy change in which dangerous felons, here illegally, are being released from prison back into Illinois communities following their prison sentences without federal immigration authorities being notified. 

“Relying on the Governor’s massive tax increase to cover the $1.6 billion in new spending is irresponsible. The continual cycle of increasing spending on the backs of taxpayers has got to end. A balanced budget is possible without additional taxes. The solution is living within our means and spending within our current revenue levels, not spend more, tax more.”

The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is reminding older Illinoisans about the importance of fire safety.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame awards hosted by the Illinois Department on Aging.

A dozen sites in Illinois have been added to the National Register of Historic Places of 2019 based on recommendations from the State Historic Preservation Office.

This week, Senate Republicans joined a group of bipartisan lawmakers announcing the filing of a new constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 18, which would take sitting legislators out of Illinois’ legislative map-drawing process and prevent them from drawing their own districts.

On Jan. 5, it was announced that $50 million in funding is being released for the first round of matching grants of Illinois’ $420 million statewide broadband expansion. Applicants for the grant are anticipated to include Internet service providers, rural cooperatives, nonprofits and local governments.

“The General Assembly has a lot of important issues to tackle this legislative session. With three lawmakers recently being indicted on corruption charges, we must start with ethics reform. While I was encouraged that the Governor mentioned the need to root out corruption, we must hold him accountable to that. Meanwhile, I was disappointed that he not once mentioned the need for fair maps. This is an issue that a vast majority of Illinois residents have been calling for. Until we change the process of drawing legislative districts and enact ethics reforms, we will never regain the public’s trust.”

Two local projects within State Senator Sue Rezin’s district have been approved for Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grants. The City of Ottawa received $305,100 for improvements at Thornton Park and the City of LaSalle received $400,000 for their Rotary Park expansion project.

The Illinois State Police (ISP) have extended the application period for the next Cadet class until Jan. 31. Candidates who successfully complete the Recruitment Examination will be invited to participate in a mandatory Physical Fitness Inventory Test in late March, with training to begin this summer. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, have an associate’s degree or 60 credit hours of college course work. Prospective candidates can apply online at IllinoisTrooper.com.

The start of the New Year brought about the beginning of Illinois’ controversial minimum wage hike. Effective Jan. 1, Illinois’ minimum wage increased from $8.25 per hour to $9.25 per hour, putting additional cost burdens on small-business owners across the state. Wages will continue to increase incrementally to $15 per hour by 2025.

As temperatures drop, the Office of the State Fire Marshal encourages residents to have their furnaces checked and to make sure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working properly.