CHICAGO – Over the next few months, The Illinois Department of Revenue will hold meetings of the Property Tax Relief Task Force, of which State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) is a member.

“There are a lot of folks struggling to pay their property taxes,” Peters said. “We need to figure out a solution to help ease the burden these families face on a regular basis.”

The task force was created when Senate Bill 1932, sponsored by State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), was signed by Gov. JB Pritzker. The task force’s first meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 12 at 2 p.m. in Chicago’s Thompson Center.

More information can be found here: https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/research/taxresearch/Pages/Property-Tax-Relief-Task-Force.aspx

SPRINGFIELD – A new law sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) would allow minors in Illinois to seek access to an HIV preventative drug without parental consent.

“The number of new HIV cases per year is alarming, but there is a method to help slow the spread,” Peters said. “We should be trying to offer this method to anyone who wants it.”

House Bill 2665 is an initiative of the Aids Foundation of Chicago, and aligns Illinois with federal guidelines regarding preventative healthcare. A drug known as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is over 90 percent effective at preventing the transmission of HIV when used correctly. The law allows minors 12 years of age and older to receive health care services related to prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, including a prescription for PrEP, without parental consent. Previous law only allowed minors to waive parental consent for services related to treatment or diagnoses.

“Some kids, especially LGBTQ+ kids, don’t necessarily have a welcoming home they can rely on for the support they need,” Peters said. “We need to look out for those kids, too. Allowing them to seek the treatment they need without requiring parental consent gives them that support.”

According to the Department of Public Health, gay youth account for 85% of new diagnoses of HIV among youth aged 13 to 24.

“PrEP can’t straight up eradicate HIV, but it can help reduce the number of diagnoses we see each year,” Peters said. “HIV is ravaging black and brown communities, and access to this medication can go a long way toward stopping that.”

The bill is effective immediately.

CHICAGO — State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) announced today that adult literacy programs in his district will receive nearly $140,000 in state grants.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White awarded the grants through the Adult Literacy Grant Program, which helps learners develop and enhance their reading, math, writing and English-language skills.

“These programs offer invaluable services to those seeking to improve their reading skills and to those learning English for the first time,” said Peters. “Programs like these don’t shame folks for their language abilities, but instead lift them up and provide them with the opportunity to learn and develop those skills. I am grateful that the Secretary of State made these meaningful, people-centered investments.”

The programs receiving funding in the 13th District are:

• Learning for Life, Family Legacy Foundation: $125,000
• Delta Literacy Project, D’Estee, Inc.: $14,259

A total of 14,352 learners will be served by adult literacy programs around the state. A total of 6,086 volunteer tutors will provide training for learners putting them on the path to lifelong learning. Adult literacy projects help adults who read below the ninth-grade level or speak English at a beginning level to improve their reading, writing, math or use of English as a new language.

“An estimated 2.1 million Illinois residents need adult literacy and/or English-language instruction,” White said. “I am pleased to provide funding for 113 local literacy projects that will allow adult learners to achieve their utmost potential in the upcoming year. I will continue to do all I can to ensure that every citizen of this state has access to quality literacy programs.”

In total, the secretary of state’s office awarded $5.6 million in grants to adult literacy programs around the state.

To learn more about adult literacy grant programs, visit https://cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/literacy/adultlit-grants-overview.html.

SPRINGFIELD – Children in the state’s foster care system will be given an opportunity to have their voices heard about issues within the system that affect them under a measure sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) that was signed into law today.

“The kids in the foster care system know it better than anyone else,” Peters said. “DCFS will have a much easier time fixing the deficiencies in areas where the system is failing if they’re getting their information directly from the children who are impacted.”

Senate Bill 1743 mandates the Department of Children and Family Services to create a standardized survey to gather feedback from youth who are currently aging out or who have recently aged out of the foster care system, with the goal of helping DCFS and its supporting agencies identify and fix issues within the system by learning about them from the people directly affected by them. Peters called it a first step toward policy changes to help address these issues.

The bill passed the Senate and House of Representatives unanimously and is effective immediately.