Welcome to Senator Graciela Guzmán's legislative website

Guzmán legislation to address campus sexual harassment and support survivors passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s bill to support survivors and strengthen higher education requirements when addressing sexual violence passed the Senate Friday.

“The ways students experience harassment and abuse have changed since 2015,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Harm can happen through repeated unwelcome electronic communications, sexually explicit material being sent or weaponized, or the actual or threatened sharing of private or digitally altered sexual images without consent. Our law has to recognize the ways students are being harmed now.”

Guzmán’s bill would add definitions for sexual harassment and digital sexual harassment, requiring higher education policy regarding gender-based violence to address these major issues. The bill would provide guidance and gives examples of supportive measures, while ensuring that a particular course of study or major cannot be a reason to deny such measures. If an institution willfully fails to act in accordance with the policy, this legislation would create a civil cause of action, thus providing a mechanism of enforcement for survivor rights.

In addition to survivors of sexual violence, survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual harassment are all entitled to privacy protections when they meet with a campus confidential advisor. The legislation would clarify that supportive and protective measures are available as long as needed by a survivor regardless of whether a complaint is filed.

Read more: Guzmán legislation to address campus sexual harassment and support survivors passes Senate

Guzmán Resolution to explore introduction of Arabic as a foreign language option in school adopted

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s resolution to explore introduction of Arabic as a foreign language option in school has been adopted by the Senate.

“Arabic is spoken in the homes of hundreds of thousands of Illinois families,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “These students deserve the opportunity to develop and formalize their heritage language in our public schools.”

According to the United Nations, Arabic is one of the  most widely spoken languages in the world, spoken by more than 400 million people and is one of the UN’s six official languages. According to Bloomberg Business, Arabic is one of the most useful languages for business in the world, potentially opening opportunities for students who learn to speak it.

Read more: Guzmán Resolution to explore introduction of Arabic as a foreign language option in school adopted

Guzmán advocates for Prescription Drug Affordability Board

SPRINGFIELD – With health care costs skyrocketing and drug manufacturers making billions in profit, State Senator Graciela Guzmán is carrying key legislation to create price caps for drugs in Illinois.

“Price should never be an obstacle to health care,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “Taking advantage of sick people who are in need of medication for profit is condemnable and we must put a stop to this practice.”

Senate Bill 3496 is an initiative to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board in Illinois. This group would be tasked with identifying high cost drugs for consumers, conduct affordability reviews on said drugs and decide whether to limit the price of those drugs for the consumer.

According to Citizen Action Illinois, Illinois could be saving $190 million dollars on prescription drugs if the PDAB were to adopt current Federal price caps. Under federal law, the government can set and negotiate Medicare Maximum Fair Prices for certain drugs. Eleven states including Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Ohio and Washington have adopted their own PDABs.

Read more: Guzmán advocates for Prescription Drug Affordability Board

Guzmán calls for revenue reform in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – In the midst of deep economic uncertainty and historic wealth inequality , State Senator Graciela Guzmán is calling for progressive revenue reform to fill the budget gap for families in Illinois.

“If we are serious about affordability, then we have to be serious about tax justice,” said Guzmán. “We cannot solve an affordability crisis by handing our communities too little and telling them to make it work. That is what austerity does. It gives people less than what they need, then blames them when they cannot make it work.”

Guzmán spoke on the need for revenue reform in a press conference at the State Capitol on Wednesday. There are several bills she is pushing for, including:

•         Senate Bill 3376, which would apply Illinois’ personal income tax rate to the appreciation of assets for residents with a net worth of $1 billion or more.
•         Senate Bill 3486, a measure that would strengthen corporate tax accountability by addressing how large, multinational corporations report income.
•         Senate Bill 3353, which would apply a 10% tax on a digital advertisers’ annual revenue if the revenue earned exceeds $150 million.
•         Senate Bill 3796, a proposal that would decouple Illinois from federal tax changes, end high-impact business credits and require a cost-benefit analysis of corporate tax incentives.

Read more: Guzmán calls for revenue reform in Illinois