Category: Press Release

Hirschauer’s High School Financial Literacy Course Proposal Passes House Committee

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer’s High School Financial Literacy Course Proposal Passes House Committee

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In an effort to help teenagers prepare for the challenges of managing their money, state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, passed a proposal out of a House committee Wednesday that would allow a financial literacy course to be part of a high school’s social studies prerequisites.

“Once our kids leave high school, we expect them to continue their education or get a job and start to become adults, yet many teenagers are unfamiliar with how to handle basic financial matters,” said Hirschauer. “By providing financial literacy classes in high school and teaching kids about bank accounts, savings plans, mortgages and more, we are giving them a better chance to avoid money mistakes that could haunt them for years.”

The Hirschauer-sponsored Senate Bill 1830 would allow financial literacy classes to be counted toward the two years of social studies required by the state to receive a high school diploma in Illinois. If signed into law, the measure would take effect beginning with students entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year.

Senate Bill 1830 passed a House education committee with no opposition Wednesday, and now heads to the full floor for consideration. The proposal previously passed in the Senate without opposition.

“It’s important that our education system emphasizes real-world situations our youth will have to deal with,” said Hirschauer. “Instilling a base level of familiarity with financial decisions can have a positive impact throughout their lives.”

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
276-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #108
West Chicago IL 60185

The post Hirschauer’s High School Financial Literacy Course Proposal Passes House Committee appeared first on Illinois House Democratic Caucus.

Hirschauer Resolution Highlights Program to Find Missing Seniors, Alzheimer’s Patients

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer Resolution Highlights Program to Find Missing Seniors, Alzheimer’s Patients

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, is drawing attention to a toolkit meant to aid law enforcement in locating elderly people who are reported missing, having recently brought legislation before the state House in support of Illinois’ Silver Search program.

“When a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia wanders away from home, it’s important for their safety that they are quickly located and reunited with family and caregivers,” said Hirschauer. “The Silver Search program has become a valuable tool to protect some of our most vulnerable seniors and has proven to be successful in many cases.”

The Illinois House recently approved Hirschauer’s resolution urging county officials to utilize the Silver Search program more frequently in missing persons cases involving an older adult with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Silver Search legislation was first passed by the General Assembly in 2016, and the program has since been used to locate more than 120 missing seniors. When a senior who is cognitively impaired goes missing, Silver Alerts utilize an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory to alert the public through highway signs, emails, text messages and social media, similar to an Amber Alert for a missing child.  

House Resolution 33 came out of a joint Senior Advisory Committee that Hirschauer shares with Sen. Karina Villa. Community members interested in joining the committee can email seniors.49th@gmail.com for more information.

“I am grateful to the members of my Senior Advisory Committee who worked with me to craft this legislation, and I value their input on further efforts to protect the well-being of older Illinoisans,” said Hirschauer. “Silver Search is a proven system that helps families reunite with their loved ones, let’s make sure it is used in its fullest capacity.”

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
276-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #108
West Chicago IL 60185

The post Hirschauer Resolution Highlights Program to Find Missing Seniors, Alzheimer’s Patients appeared first on Illinois House Democratic Caucus.

Hirschauer Bill Would Help Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities Access State Services

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer Bill Would Help Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities Access State Services

 

Parents of students with special needs would receive additional information about state programs for which their child may be eligible

under legislation introduced by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia.  

“Many teachers and school staff already do a wonderful job of connecting special needs families with resources to help their child inside and outside the classroom, but this should be uniform across all school districts,” said Hirschauer. “Registering with the PUNS database is the first step families can take to receive developmental disability services, so it’s important that they know it exists and how to sign up.”

Hirschauer introduced House Bill 290, which requires school districts to notify parents of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) that their child may be eligible to receive services by registering with Illinois’ PUNS database. PUNS stands for Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services and is a statewide database from which individuals are selected for services as funding becomes available. Under Hirschauer’s bill, families would receive a copy of the Illinois Department of Human Services’ ‘Understanding PUNS’ guide during their initial meeting with school officials to develop a student’s IEP and once a year after that. The guide is also available for download at https://www.dhs.state.il.us/OneNetLibrary/27897/documents/Brochures/4313.pdf.
 
“While not every student with an IEP will be eligible for state services, it’s still beneficial for them to understand the PUNS enrollment process in case their needs change over time,” said Hirschauer. “I am hopeful that my legislation will help more families access critical services and supports both now and in the future.”

Hirschauer passed House Bill 290 out of the House, and it now moves to the Senate for consideration. 

“I am hopeful that my legislation will help more families access critical services and supports both now and in the future.”

 

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Hirschauer Passes Legislation to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer Passes Legislation to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Household and family members would be able to request a no-contact order on behalf of a sexual assault survivor who needs protection under legislation introduced by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, which passed the House on Thursday.

“After experiencing something as traumatic as sexual assault, a survivor should be able to receive any protections they need, including a no-contact order in some cases,” said Hirschauer. “However, they may be scared of retaliation from their assailant if they file for one. By allowing the people closest to the survivor to file for the no-contact order with their consent, my bill would help family members protect their loved one’s safety while also respecting their wishes.”

Hirschauer led House Bill 1742, which recently passed on the House floor. The measure allows any family or household member of a survivor of non-consensual sexual conduct or non-consensual sexual penetration to apply for a no-contact order, as long as they receive consent from the person in need of protection. Currently, a family member is only allowed to apply on behalf of the survivor if they are a minor or physically unable to go to court themselves.

“It is imperative we continue to expand protections and support survivors in every way possible,” said Hirschauer. “I am proud to carry this bill and will continue to work with the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault in the future to pass legislation to change the culture around sexual assault and hold perpetrators accountable for their behavior.”

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
276-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #108
West Chicago IL 60185

The post Hirschauer Passes Legislation to Protect Survivors of Sexual Assault appeared first on Illinois House Democratic Caucus.

Hirschauer Supports Bill to Help Personalize Cancer Care, Ensure Patients Get Right Treatment at Right Time

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer Supports Bill to Help Personalize Cancer Care, Ensure Patients Get Right Treatment at Right Time

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Insurance companies would be required to cover certain tests that can help determine the best treatment options for cancer patients under legislation that state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia recently voted to approve. 

“A cancer diagnosis comes with many unknowns, and every patient deserves to receive high-quality care without having to jump through hoops with their insurance company,” said Hirschauer. “By making biomarker testing more accessible for a greater number of patients, this bill reduces disparities in our health care system and has real potential to save lives.”

Hirschauer supported House Bill 1779, which would ensure Illinois residents covered by Medicaid or a state-regulated insurance plan have coverage for biomarker testing when medically appropriate. Biomarker testing is the analysis of a patient’s tissue, blood or fluid biospecimen for signs of disease or abnormal function. Increased access to such testing would help health care providers target cancer treatments without forcing patients to go through what can be burdensome or invasive procedures first, ultimately improving outcomes for those receiving cancer care.

“If doctors can use biomarker testing to determine which therapy a patient is most likely to respond to, they may be able to avoid more invasive tests like biopsies and begin proper treatment sooner,” said Hirschauer. “This is a powerful initiative to improve cancer care, and I look forward to it soon becoming law.”

House Bill 1779 passed the House with bipartisan support this week and now awaits consideration in the Senate. 

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
276-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #108
West Chicago IL 60185

The post Hirschauer Supports Bill to Help Personalize Cancer Care, Ensure Patients Get Right Treatment at Right Time appeared first on Illinois House Democratic Caucus.

Hirschauer Bill Takes Trauma-Informed Approach to School Shooter Drills

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer Bill Takes Trauma-Informed Approach to School Shooter Drills

 

Students and school personnel would receive advance notice of planned active shooter drills

under legislation introduced by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, aimed at preventing psychological impacts from these training simulations.

“It’s scary and heartbreaking that our reality necessitates preparing teachers and young children for how to respond if an attacker barges into their classroom with a gun,” said Hirschauer. “While there’s a need for law enforcement to train for real emergencies that we all hope never occur, drills that are overly realistic can be extremely traumatizing for children. My bill keeps the well-being of students and staff at the heart of school lockdown drills by taking a trauma-informed approach to these situations.”

Hirschauer, a longtime volunteer with Moms Demand Action, is sponsoring House Bill 2400 to address how lockdown drills affect children. The measure specifies that school shooter drills must be age and developmentally appropriate, include school-based mental health professionals and be announced in advance, with an option for parents and guardians to exempt their child from participating. Under current state law, schools and law enforcement agencies are required to conduct a lockdown drill within the first 90 days of the school year.

“We must continue to do everything in our power to protect students from the physical threat of school shootings, but we can’t jeopardize their mental health in the process,” said Hirschauer. “I am committed to removing the harmful impacts of active shooter drills and making sure they’re conducted in a more effective way.”

“We must continue to do everything in our power to protect students from the physical threat of school shootings, but we can’t jeopardize their mental health in the process”

Image of HB2400 Factsheet

HB2400 – School Law Enforcement Drills FactSheet

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Hirschauer-Backed Voting Bill to Strengthen Ballot Access Now Law

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer-Backed Voting Bill to Strengthen Ballot Access Now Law

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Measures initially put in place to expand voting access during the pandemic will become permanent in Illinois under a new state law supported by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia.

“Voting and participating in the democratic process are key privileges we have as citizens of Illinois and the United States,” said Hirschauer. “But we need to make sure that all those wanting to vote have the ability to do so, and that we aren’t making things harder for people with disabilities, health issues or seniors to vote. With expanded access to ballot drop boxes and curbside voting, we are making sure residents have every opportunity to use their voice.”

Hirschauer sponsored House Bill 1871, which was recently signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. The measure allows local election officials to continue setting up secure drop boxes for mail-in ballots and also clarifies that all vote by mail ballots returned must be accepted, even those without proper postage. Additionally, the new law allows seniors and others who may be unable to stand in line to vote to cast their ballot from their car. While these modifications to state election law were initially designed to facilitate social distancing in response to COVID-19, Hirschauer acknowledges they had a positive impact and worked to make them permanent for all future elections.

“Voting is a fundamental right, and I am so glad to be a part of this bill to expand voting opportunities to residents,” said Hirschauer. “When other states around the country are looking to curb voting access, I am proud to see Illinois at the forefront of protecting voting rights.”

Rep. Maura HirschauerRep. Maura Hirschauer

(D-Batavia)
49th District

Springfield Office:
276-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-1653

District Office:
946 Neltnor Blvd #108
West Chicago IL 60185

The post Hirschauer-Backed Voting Bill to Strengthen Ballot Access Now Law appeared first on Illinois House Democratic Caucus.

Hirschauer, Villa Help Secure COVID Vaccines for Manufacturing Workers

Posted on by Office of Maura Hirschauer
Hirschauer, Villa Help Secure COVID Vaccines for Manufacturing Workers

 

to best serve the frontline workers who have been serving us so well during this past year

BATAVIA, Ill. – Hundreds of local manufacturing workers received their first dose of the COVID vaccine at a pop-up clinic at Suncast Corporation in Batavia on Wednesday, thanks to advocacy by state Rep. Maura Hirschauer, D-Batavia, state Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, and Kane County Health Department officials.

“Yesterday we were able to bring vaccines directly to the workplace in order to best serve the frontline workers who have been serving us so well during this past year,” said Hirschauer. “Suncast, a leading employer in the area, has been transparent and proactive in their mission to keep their employees safe during the pandemic. They were a critical partner in getting the vaccine to their essential workforce.”

Hirschauer helped to secure a total of 1300 vaccines for the employees of Suncast Corporation, where more than 500 essential workers received their first shot on-site on Wednesday.

 

“Suncast, a leading employer in the area, has been transparent and proactive in their mission to keep their employees safe during the pandemic. They were a critical partner in getting the vaccine to their essential workforce.”