ELGIN – To prevent eligible Illinois residents from missing health care coverage, State Senator Cristina Castro is reminding noncitizen adults who are uninsured or underinsured to sign up now. This comes in response to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ announcement that new enrollment in the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults program will be paused July 1.

ELGIN – To kick off the summer and engage in meaningful discussions with residents and businesses in the community, State Senator Cristina Castro is now accepting requests for summer small business tours from business owners in the 22^nd Senate District.

“Small businesses have overcome so many difficulties to get where they are, and this is another way for me to hear the voices and concerns of business owners in our community while getting a first-hand look into their day-to-day operations,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “I encourage small business owners in the area to fill out the registration form on my website to get started.”

Interested business owners should fill out this form to submit a tour request. Tours begin in June and will run through August. Business owners can use this map to determine if the business is located in Senate District 22. Once the form has been filled out, a member of Senator Castro’s staff will follow up to discuss further details and scheduling.

ELGIN – To emphasize the importance of learning throughout the summer, State Senator Cristina Castro is hosting a Summer Book Club to encourage students to read and continue their education during the summer vacation.

“Reading is a wonderful way to learn about people, places and things across the world,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Pick up a new book this summer and expand your horizons!”

The Summer Book Club requires students to read eight books of their choice during the summer break, record the names of the books on a form, and return the form to Castro’s office by Aug. 18. Every student who completes the Summer Book Club will receive a gift card and a certificate from Senator Castro.

“Reading helps students continue to stay engaged during summer vacation,” Castro said. “I encourage families in the area to make reading a habit by participating in our Summer Book Club.”

Summer Book Club forms are available to download at Castro’s website. People with questions can reach out to Castro’s office at 847-214-8864.

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to a new law spearheaded by State Senator Cristina Castro and State Representative Anna Moeller, organizations will no longer have to worry that township officials could revoke their funding based on the perceived immigration status of the people they serve.

“We have made significant progress in recent years to ensure people feel safe in their communities, regardless of their immigration status,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Today, we took another step toward this goal by codifying access to township assistance for organizations serving immigrant populations.”

The legislation amends the Township Code to prevent a township official from denying funding to an organization based upon the perceived citizenship or immigration status of the person who would receive those funds from the organization. The new law codifies into the Township Code existing federal and state protections already afforded to organizations.

“This is about making sure organizations can continue to access funding to meet our communities’ needs,” said Castro. “Bringing the protections under existing federal and state law to the Township Code will ensure equity in the law at every level of government.”

The law, originally House Bill 1283, was signed Friday and is effective immediately.