SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is leading the fight to ensure that mothers across Illinois are taken care during their pregnancy and after.

Castro is sponsoring a measure that will create the Improving Healthcare for Pregnant and Postpartum Individuals Act, which will outline a series of provisions to help combat the state’s maternal morbidity and mortality rate.

“We live in a time where women should not be dying from preventable causes after giving birth,” Castro said. “We need to ensure that we are monitoring new mothers for more than just a couple days or even weeks postpartum.”  

The Illinois Department of Public Health released a report in October 2018 after reviewing maternal deaths in the state and found that 72 percent of pregnancy-related deaths and 93 percent of violent pregnant-associated deaths were deemed preventable.

“Just because the pregnancy goes smoothly doesn’t mean the mother won’t have complications afterward,” Castro said. “We are careful to examine newborns and their progress after birth, so why shouldn’t we do the same for mothers?”

Senate Bill 1909 passed the Illinois State Senate with unanimous bipartisan support and will move to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD– Illinois consumers will hopefully have an added protection thanks to Elgin Democrat State Senator Cristina Castro.

Under Castro’s legislation, consumers would be protected from misleading practices, especially seniors and working families. The measure would make it an unlawful practice to offer consumers a rebate card that charges dormancy fees or other post-issuance fee.

“If a consumer is owed money from a rebate, they shouldn’t be hindered by dormancy fees,” said Castro. “It is unfair to the consumer. Consumers shouldn’t be at risk of being charged for getting a rebate. That is their money.”

This measure was an initiative from the Illinois State Treasurer to prevent banks from taking unclaimed property on rebate cards. The State Treasurer and the Attorney General have worked together to protect Illinois consumers who have money owed to them from rebates.  

Senate Bill 222 passed the Illinois State Senate and will now move to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) voted Thursday to increase Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 by 2025, saying the legislation will ease the burden on working class families and the state.

“In the past, individuals could work 40 hours a week on the minimum wage and meet their financial responsibilities,” Castro said. “Now, that kind of income barely covers basic needs, especially those who provide for an entire family.”

Senate Bill 1 would incrementally raise the minimum wage from $8.25 per hour to $15 per hour by 2025.

“The gradual increase will allow for businesses to adapt to the new law,” Castro said. “We’re committed to making sure local economies adapt to a new wage structure that will ultimately save money for all taxpayers, as fewer working families have to rely on government services to survive.”

Senate Bill 1 passed the Illinois Senate and now awaits consideration in the House.