Springfield - A task force to investigate missing and murdered women in Chicago will be established after a measure supported by Senator Robert Peters was signed into law.

“For too long, the families of Black and Brown women have been left with no answers about the loss of their loved ones,” said Peters (D - Chicago). “Everyone, regardless of zip code, deserves justice, and every community deserves real public safety. This task force will help us provide justice for these families and provide guidance on how to address these cases.”

The new law creates the Task Force on Missing and Murdered Chicago Women, which will examine and report on the systemic causes behind violence that Chicago women and girls experience.

The report will explore methods for tracking and collecting data on violence against Chicago women and girls, policies and institutions that impact violence against them, measures necessary to address and reduce violence against them, and ways to help victims and their families and communities.

Springfield - A measure to help medical professionals get more tests into the hands of    individuals who battle opioid addiction was signed into law thanks to the efforts of State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago).

“This reform will help save lives,” Peters said. “We still have a long way to go, but removing penalties organizations face when they have access to test strips is a responsible way to address the opioid crisis and to create real public safety for all instead of continuing the misguided policies of the past.”

The new law is designed to expand on the Overdose Prevention and Harm Reduction Act of 2019. This measure will increase the number of persons and professions in the medical community who would not be penalized for possessing a limited residual amount of a controlled substance as part of the drug testing process.

Chicago- Piers and public access points to Lake Michigan will soon be safer thanks to a measure advanced by State Senator Robert Peters (D-Chicago) that will help install essential rescue equipment was signed into law.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when they head to the beach this summer,” Peters said. “I am glad that we are taking this long overdue step to protect our families who visit beaches on Lake Michigan.”

The new law requires owners of piers or drop-offs on Lake Michigan to install public rescue equipment.  The measure also establishes tracking and reporting requirements for local governments that own a pier or drop-off on Lake Michigan.

Nationally, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under the age of 5, the second leading cause for children under 15, and the third leading cause for people under 30.  There are significant disparities between Black and white populations in drowning death rates, with African American males from ages 15 to 19 facing the highest per-capita rates of drowning.

Springfield - Illinois students will soon have more options to protect themselves from falling behind on debt after a measure supported by State Senator Robert Peters became law.

“Student debt has become a systemic issue for our young people and for the economy as a whole,” said Peters (D- Chicago). “As students seek jobs following graduation, it’s important that their debt does not hold them back from opportunities.”

The new law, formerly known as SB 3032, prohibits Illinois higher education institutions from withholding a student's transcript as a means of collecting past-due student debt owed to the institution. Additionally, the measure prevents institutions from withholding a student’s official transcript from a current or potential employer as a means of collecting a student's past debt.