Castro: CEJA will help communities of color and hold utilities accountable

• CEJA
• Clean Energy Jobs Act

SPRINGFIELD – The Senate Committee on Energy and Public Utilities heard from a variety of witnesses testifying about the Clean Energy Jobs Act — a measure championed by State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin) – in a subject matter hearing on Thursday.

“As Illinois begins to move away from coal and towards cleaner energy, it is important that we make sure everyone has a seat at the table,” said Castro, sponsor of Senate Bill 1718, also known as CEJA. “CEJA puts communities that have historically been disproportionately impacted by the dirty effects of the fossil fuel industry at the forefront of the new clean energy economy.”

Read more …

Podcast on SB 513

• Podcast

 State Senator Cristina Castro sat down with the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus podcast to discuss SB 513, a bill she is sponsoring that would require cable companies to cease charging customers for modems and routers once the cost of the device is paid.

Listen to "State Senator Cristina Castro Discusses SB513" on Spreaker.

You can also listen on whatever you listen to podcasts by searching the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus. 

Hundreds of vaccines coming to Elgin area, thanks to Castro

• COVID-19
• Vaccine

ELGIN – A new mass vaccination site offering hundreds of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is coming to Elgin’s Eastside Recreation Center starting on April 7 thanks to efforts made by State Senator Cristina Castro (D- Elgin).

“I’m so glad to see this vaccination site opening in the district I represent,” Castro said. “This site will provide vaccines to vulnerable communities in Cook and Kane Counties, especially those who have been disproportionately impacted by this awful pandemic.”

Read more …

Senator Castro announces local schools set to receive over $150 million

• Education Funding

ELGIN – State Senator Cristina Castro is announcing that school districts in the 22^nd District will receive about $157 million in additional funding to help address the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want to acknowledge all the hard work students, teachers and parents have undertaken in the last year as we all adjusted to these unprecedented times,” Castro said. “As we begin to transition to what life was like before the pandemic, I encourage schools to use this funding to help students who have been disproportionately impacted over the past year.”

The funding comes as part of the most recent federal COVID-19 relief packages. Schools, students and parents have overcome challenges that no one could have imagined before the pandemic began, including remote and hybrid learning, digital connection issues, new processes for receiving state and federal aid that normally flow through schools, and more.

Read more …