SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Graciela Guzmán led a measure through the Senate Education Committee to expand dual language programs in grade schools. 

“When young people receive dual language instruction from an early age, they have a much easier time maintaining their literacy of multiple languages throughout their lives, leading them to more economic opportunities or deeper connections to their culture,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “It is important for us to encourage schools to invest in dual language programs, and join many other countries internationally that acknowledge the importance of early learners becoming bilingual.” 

Recognizing the importance of dual language education for young people, the Illinois Advisory Council for Bilingual Education, formed in 2023, began to research how to incentivize, improve and expand dual language instruction in schools. After extensive stakeholder engagement, expert consultation, and data collection, the council released a report to the General Assembly in October of 2024 with their recommendations. Their proposals were divided into three buckets – those with high costs to implement, low costs, and those with no prospective cost.

SPRINGFIELD —State Senator Graciela Guzmán’s latest initiative, which would collect and publicize data on contraband found in each Department of Corrections  facility, passed the Senate, making it one step closer to becoming law and preventing overdose in facilities throughout the state.

“Looking at the recent rates of overdoses in state-run prisons, it is clear that contraband drugs are being proliferated, putting thousands of people who are incarcerated at risk of exposure and death,” said  Guzmán. “To prevent these tragedies, we need to better understand where contraband is coming from, and this initiative will work to study the source of these materials and publicize it so that we can create a plan grounded in evidence to prevent overdose.”

Senate Bill 2201 would require the Illinois Department of Corrections to collect and publish data concerning contraband found in their facilities, including the type of contraband, where in the facility it was identified, and the method of entry into the facility. It would also make public the consequences for people in custody for possessing or attempting to procure contraband to ensure any disciplinary actions meet ethical standards and do not include excessive force.

SPRINGFIELD — A task force on climate displacement and its impacts on Illinois may soon be established, thanks to legislation led by State Senator Graciela Guzmán.

“Whether we like it or not, climate change is real, and has started to displace thousands of folks from their homes because of the destruction it has brought globally,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “This task force will help our state better prepare for an influx in residents fleeing environmental disaster so we can welcome new arrivals and not disrupt the lives of long-term Illinoisans.”

Climate displacement is the forced or voluntary migrations of people due to climate change or environmental degradation. With rising global water levels and more extreme weather events, Midwestern states like Illinois will see an increase in the number of people trying to escape these situations, both from other states and other nations. Without a plan in place to support the displaced individuals, there may be destabilizing impacts on the state’s infrastructure.

SPRINGFIELD —More people may soon have the opportunity to become homeowners through community land trusts, thanks to a new initiative from State Senator Graciela Guzmán that passed the State Senate on Thursday.

“Community land trusts are a people-first plan driven by communal power that help give everyday folks the opportunity to become homeowners and build generational wealth,” said Guzmán (D-Chicago). “It’s important for us to make this model more commonplace, and continue to build on its ingenuity, and this legislation will help us on that path.”

Community land trusts, or CLTs, are community-based, nonprofit organizations that manage a parcel of land to preserve long-term affordability of homes created through subsidies. CLTs sell homes on the land they manage at affordable prices to a qualifying homebuyer. Oftentimes, they place limits on the incomes of people looking to purchase homes to ensure affordable housing is going to people in the most financial need. Driven by constituents, for constituents, this model aims to keep folks in the community that may otherwise be priced out by corporate rent and mortgage rates. 

Senate Bill 1261 would further incentivize prospective homebuyers to invest in CLTs by making the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Access Forgivable, Access Deferred, and Access Repayable mortgage programs available to people seeking property owned by a community land trust. These programs offer more flexibility for buyers to pay their mortgage, which may encourage people to invest in property with CLTs. The measure would also continue the Community Last Trust Task Force to continue to build a pathway for more CLTs across the state.