ELGIN – The Illinois Department of Transportation voted along with departments of transportation from several other Midwestern states Friday to establish a diversity committee. State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), who represents an area with a sizeable minority population and who has long had interest in IDOT issues, commended the vote.

“COVID-19 and the recent protests have shined a light on the struggles people of color face on a daily basis, so it’s encouraging to see state agencies across the Midwest taking initiative to look inward and self-evaluate to see where they fall short on issues of diversity,” Castro said. “I’m proud of IDOT and of departments of transportation from our neighboring states.”

Sen. Cristina Castro speaks at a CEJA Rally at the Captiol in March.

ELGIN – Gov. JB Pritzker unveiled eight principles for a clean and renewable Illinois economy Friday. State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), who is the Senate sponsor of the long-awaited Clean Energy Jobs Act, released the following statement:

“Up until now, utility companies have driven the conversation on energy. I am thrilled to see that is no longer the case. This shows a clear indication that the people who will lead the charge toward clean, renewable energy and jobs will be those who truly believe in it, and not those who stand to benefit from slowing down the process. I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues in the General Assembly to develop and implement the crucial Clean Energy Jobs Act.”

"These businesses kept our community up and running so it’s good to give them support"

ELGIN – Recipients of the first round of the state’s Business Interruption Grants were announced last week. State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) is congratulating the 26 local businesses that will receive a combined $420,000 in relief.

“The COVID-19 crisis has impacted all of us, including small business owners and their employees who have been living in fear of waking up one morning and no longer having a job,” Castro said. “These institutions helped keep our communities up and running during the height of the pandemic, so it’s great to be able to provide them with the support they need to keep their doors open.”

CHICAGO - The Senate Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus releases the following statements from its members regarding the Emergency Rental Assistance Program introduced today by Governor JB Pritzker. The program aims to avoid massive evictions across the state due to families’ inability to pay their rent. The Latino Caucus lawmakers fought hard to make this $150 million funding available to communities in need.

State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin)

"This program is a step in the right direction that me and my colleagues in the Latino Caucus fought hard to secure," Castro said. "However, it is important to point out that there is still a long way to go, because Illinois currently just does not have the resources necessary in order to provide relief to the people who need it most. We still need help from the federal government to ensure that those suffering the most from the negative economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis are supported."