ELGIN – Legislation sponsored by Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) that goes into effect January 1st will hold motor vehicle dealers accountable and protect consumers who test drive vehicles at a dealership.

This legislation was filed in response to the death of Brendan Burke, who died in February 2010 due to an accident in a test-driven car with numerous decals and paperwork hindering his view while driving.

“It is important that we hold businesses accountable in order to protect consumers,” Castro said. “Drivers aren’t allowed to drive with materials on the windshield or windows and the rules shouldn’t be any different at a dealership.”

House Bill 733 prohibits new or used motor vehicle dealers from allowing a driver to leave the premises in a vehicle with signs, decals, or other material on the windshield. This measure also prohibits material on the windows next to each side of the driver that would obstruct the driver’s view.

Currently, drivers are not allowed to drive with materials on the windshield of a vehicle or on the windows immediately adjacent to each side of the driver. Until Castro’s law, this regulation did not apply to dealerships sending cars out for test drives.

CHICAGO- The Illinois Senate Latino Caucus joins the outcry of many throughout the nation in urging congress to pass the DREAM Act before the holiday break. Advocates for immigrant rights believe that this may be the last chance for Congress to extend lawful immigration status to those brought to the United States as children.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protected young immigrants from deportation was rescinded by the Trump administration in September, putting the futures of hundreds of thousands of people nationwide at stake. More than 40,000 Dreamers reside in Illinois.

The Senate Latino Caucus members released the following statements:

“Trump is trying to make young people, who have lived much of their lives in this country and in this state, leave a place that has become their home. Washington needs to do what is right and take action now before it is too late,” said State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin).

SPRINGFIELD – Needless bureaucratic hurdles are slowing ethics investigations and need to be removed, state Senator Cristina Castro said in filing legislation to streamline the process.

“We have a skilled investigator on the job. We need to empower her to do that job and deliver results quickly,” said Castro, an Elgin Democrat and the newest member of the Legislative Ethics Commission.

Here’s the problem with the current system.

When an ethics complaint is filed regarding lawmakers or legislative employees, the Legislative Inspector General cannot review the complaint until it first goes to the Ethics Commission and is approved for an investigation. This bureaucratic step can delay the start of investigation by weeks if not months.

Castro’s proposal simply removes the hurdle and gives the inspector general the authority to begin reviewing cases as they are filed.

“This unnecessary step is only delaying the inspector general from doing her job,” said Castro. “Getting rid of it will speed up the process and deliver faster results, which is what the public wants and expects. It is important that we make it as easy as possible for the inspector General to get to work as soon as possible on these time-sensitive issues.”

SPRINGFIELD – Despite legislation passed by both the Illinois House and Senate this week, there is still much to be done to fight sexual harassment in Springfield. Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin), the newest appointed member of the Illinois Legislative Ethics Commission, urged the governor to act quickly today.

“The newly appointed Inspector General and the Legislative Ethics Commission have work to do and we cannot get started with investigations until the governor signs these bills,” Castro said. “I am asking Governor Rauner to do so quickly so we can get to work as soon as possible on this time-sensitive issue.”