SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Christopher Belt was sworn into office Wednesday for another term in the Illinois Senate.

“With the start of the 103^rd General Assembly, I will continue fighting for the residents of the 57^th District,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “I will continue to address the challenges facing the people of the Metro East to better their daily lives and I am proud to be their voice in Springfield for another term.”

Belt has represented the 57^th District since 2019. The district includes parts of St. Clair and Madison Counties and includes communities such as East St. Louis, Belleville and Scott Air Force Base.

Belt has championed a number of legislative solutions, such as expanding the organ donor registry, banning burning of toxic chemicals, providing feminine hygiene products at homeless shelters and ensuring students are fed at school. As a former school board member and chair of the Senate Education Committee, Belt remains a strong advocate for students and teachers across Illinois. He plans to continue to fight for increased investment in Illinois’ education system and uplift the education profession for teachers.

Belt strives to keep constituents updated with helpful information and resources, and encourages people to reach out to his office at 618-875-1212 or SenatorBelt.com/ContactUs with questions and concerns.

This week marks the start of the 103^rd General Assembly.

SPRINGFIELD – After months of negotiations and hours of conversations in working groups, State Senator Christopher Belt supported two measures that would protect Illinois communities and ensure everyone has access to reproductive health care.

Belt favored House Bill 5471, which would ban assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and rapid-fire devices.

“We can’t sit back and hope mass shootings will stop,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “I would not have supported other proposals that take away rights from law abiding gun owners. We have worked for months to find the best solution and that’s why I supported this measure. This legislation is a middle ground that retains access for law enforcement to continue protecting our neighborhoods and gets weapons of war off our streets and out of the hands of bad actors.”

The measure accelerates implementation of background checks for person-to-person sales and extends the duration of the Firearm Restraining Order to up to one year.

Belt also supported House Bill 4664, which would protect health care professionals in Illinois from restrictive laws from other states and for people who seek reproductive health care in Illinois.

“Providing access to health care, especially in underserved communities, is essential for the people of Illinois,” Belt said. “Health care is a fundamental right. Illinois has some of the most extensive reproductive health laws, but we can also be a safe haven for other states, like Missouri, to access this basic human right.”

In addition, the measure would allow birthday centers to provide clinical reproductive care and protect access to assisted reproductive technology, such as in vitro fertilization.

The Belt-supported measure prevents insurers from charging higher out-of-pocket costs when patients are forced to seek out-of-network provider care. The legislation also clarifies that abortion care coverage would include medication abortion with or without proof of pregnancy.

House Bill 5471 and House Bill 4664 passed the Senate and now head to the House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – To support small businesses, State Senator Christopher Belt championed a measure through the Senate that would expand liquor delivery services across Illinois.

“Bars and restaurants stimulate our local economies and are the heart of our communities,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “Allowing liquor delivery services across the state benefits businesses and residents by increasing access and sales. We are working to lessen the burden businesses face by increasing the accessibility for revenue.”

In partnership with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Belt’s measure would eliminate state and local fees for liquor delivery throughout Illinois. Additionally, it brings parity for liquor delivery between home-rule and non-home rule municipalities to regulate liquor delivery.

“This legislation eases hurdles for businesses and consumers by streamlining regulations and removing burdensome fees,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO of Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “We appreciate Senator Belt for leading on this action, especially as more shoppers rely on home delivery because of the pandemic.”

Senate Bill 1001 would also lower the licensing fees for wineries to $750 if renewed online and $900 for initial or non-online certification. Under a law passed in 2021, the fees were raised to $1,200 if renewed online and $1,500 for initial licenses and non-online.

“Being a voice for small businesses is a priority of mine,” Belt said. “I’d like to thank the Illinois Retail Merchants Association for their strong advocacy to help us bring in more revenue for our bars and restaurants.”

Senate Bill 1001 passed the Senate Monday.

SPRINGFIELD – Metro East residents will soon be able to receive a rebate on their monthly energy bill, thanks to a measure supported by State Senator Christopher Belt.

“People have to be able to efficiently heat and cool their homes during the hot summer months and cold winters,” said Belt (D-Swansea). “As energy prices rise across the country, we are providing residents with much needed assistance.”

House Bill 4412 would set a framework to give residents in the MISO region a rebate during the summer months. The measure is designed to offset energy costs for residents when electricity bills are usually the highest.

Funded through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the rebate would be issued for the June 2023 through December 2023 billing cycles and may be used for up to five monthly billing periods.

“This would put money back in the pockets of residents,” Belt said. “We have created a framework to help offset the costs of energy bills in the Metro East.”

House Bill 4412 passed the Senate Sunday.