SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) that would require the Illinois Department of Transportation to provide funding to create      additional infrastructure in urban areas passed committee on Tuesday.

The measure would require IDOT to fully fund all aspects of construction projects on state roadways, including infrastructure for pedestrians walking and bicycling within one mile of an urban area. Additionally, the measure requires IDOT to complete any of these unfinished infrastructure projects in municipalities with a population of 1,000 or more.

“Often the towns and cities that can’t afford to pay for roadside projects are the ones that need them most.” Belt said. “Transportation is about more than just cars. If the state is funding a road improvement project, it should also pay for the sidewalks and bike lanes.”

Currently, IDOT covers 100% of the roadway construction, but requires 20% of costs associated with pedestrian infrastructure projects, like sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes, to be funded by the municipality where the project is located, which can be a large burden for some cities – particularly lower-income communities.

“These projects are too often left unfinished,” Belt said. “In an urban area, a large portion of the population walks or bikes, and when a sidewalk or bike lane isn’t finished, people can’t always get where they need to go safely.”

According to the Metropolitan Planning Council, the states that cover 100% of state roadway projects, including pedestrian infrastructure, include Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Massachusetts, Delaware, and New Jersey.

House Bill 270 passed the Senate Transportation Committee with a vote of 19-0 and now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt that would require homeless shelters to prioritize the purchase of feminine hygiene products for all who need them passed committee on Tuesday.

“There is no excuse for depriving any individual the right to basic hygiene,” Belt said. “Not providing for such an essential need to some of our most vulnerable citizens is shameful and should no longer happen in Illinois.”

The measure would prioritize providing feminine hygiene products at no cost at all homeless shelters to people who need them.

According to a recent NBC report, feminine hygiene products, such as tampons and pads, are some of the least donated items for homeless people in this country, despite being a highly requested item.

“People have been forced to improvise, using bunched up tissue and toilet paper, even old newspapers.” Belt said. “They shouldn’t have to.”

On average, more than $2 billion is spent on feminine hygiene products each year in the United States. Purchasing these products can become a significant financial burden, especially for people with children, who make up 60% of the female homeless population in the United States.

Belt is also urging people to donate these types of products to their local homeless shelters.

House Bill 310 passed the Senate Health Committee with a vote of 11-2 and now head to the Senate floor for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Students could choose whether or not to submit their ACT and SAT scores when applying to Illinois colleges under a measure sponsored by State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville), which passed committee on Tuesday.

“It’s simple: Students are more than a test score. We know standardized tests are not always the most reliable scope of a student’s academic capabilities,” Belt said. “This measure ensures our universities take more than one score into account when considering applicants.”

The measure creates the Higher Education Fair Admissions Act, which prohibits Illinois’ public universities from relying solely on a student’s ACT or SAT score to make an admissions decision.

Currently, a quarter of the country’s public universities do not require standardized tests scores for admittance. Notably, the University of Chicago recently saw record enrollment of first-generation, low-income and rural students after lifting their standardized test requirement.

“Multiple public universities in this state had already implemented a test-optional admissions system prior to the pandemic,” Belt said. “This would codify a system that has already been put in place by institutions nationwide.”

Of the 12 four-year public universities in Illinois, three – Illinois State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Western Illinois University – implemented test-optional policies before the pandemic.

House Bill 226 passed the Senate Higher Education Committee with a vote of 11-3 and now heads to the Senate floor for further consideration.

CENTREVILLE – State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) was joined by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), the sponsor of the law, to celebrate the signing of the fourth and final pillar of the Legislative Black Caucus’ plan to eradicate systemic racism.

“Over the past year, Illinois has lost thousands of people, and the country has lost millions to COVID-19. When this pandemic became the focus of the nation, so did the realities of systemic racism in our health care systems,” Belt said. “The inequities that exist were made more apparent than ever before. We’re no longer waiting to address issues that are leading to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of Black Illinoisans.”

The law addresses numerous issues in Illinois’ health care and human services sectors, including health care accessibility, infant mortality, hospital reform, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and medical implicit bias.

One substantial provision would halt hospital closures for up to 60 days to ensure underserved communities retain access to emergency care during the pandemic. Other provisions include establishing a Medicaid MCO Commission to evaluate Illinois’ managed care program and requiring the state to facilitate partnerships between Federally Qualified Health Centers and hospitals.

“For centuries, Black people have been disrespected, abused and misused in the health care system. This system that binds and neglects Black people binds and neglects others, and must be grasped at the root,” Hunter said. “It was our goal with this legislation that no one will be mistreated or prejudged by the ones providing them with medical assistance. I am grateful to live in a time where we can rectify the wrongs of our past and begin a new chapter in American history where Black people and other groups will cease to be marginalized.”

“The signing of this legislation only reflects the beginning of what will be a long and difficult road to achieving true equity in our health care system,” Belt said. “I’d like to thank Senator Hunter for joining us today and sponsoring this vital legislation.”

House Bill 158 was signed on Tuesday and took effect immediately.