Following the reappointment of the Legislative Inspector General Thursday, State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) issued the following statement:

“Today, I stood with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to pass House Joint Resolution 35 reappointing the Hon. Michael P. McCuskey as Legislative Inspector General. The bipartisan show of support for Judge McCuskey and his distinguished career reaffirms our commitment to ensuring ethics are upheld to the highest extent under the dome.

“The people of Illinois need to know we take the responsibility to hold ourselves accountable seriously. I’m glad that Judge McCuskey has upheld his duties over the last year, and am confident that he will continue exercising strong oversight over the General Assembly.

“I’m grateful for my colleagues’ support of this reappointment. I look forward to the continuing diligence and impartial oversight that make him the right person to continue serving as LIG.”

State Senator Cristina Castro is spearheading a measure that would cut down on referrals to out-of-network providers and give vision care patients more freedom and flexibility to choose where to receive vision care services.

“I have heard time and again the hoops people have to jump through to get affordable vision care and eyeglasses,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Removing barriers and increasing transparency for vision care patients will help make sure that they can access in-network providers without being charged extraneous fees set by their vision plan.”

Senate Bill 764 would prohibit vision care plans from requiring a vision care provider to, as a condition of their participation, provide services at a fee set by the vision care plan, unless the services are in-network and covered under the plan. The bill also requires vision care providers to disclose any business interests they have with an out-of-network source or supplier they recommended to a patient. Upon the patient’s request, vision care providers would be required to offer in-network sources instead.

A 2017 study published in the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology found that vision impairments, loss or blindness can cost a person an average of $16,838 annually. That total does not include routine vision and eye care exams or care for a condition that is not associated with vision loss.

Senate Bill 764 passed the Senate Thursday.

State Senator Cristina Castro advanced a measure through the Senate that would expand prevailing wage requirements to include public works solar projects.

“The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and Future Energy Jobs Act gave Illinois the chance to become a leader in green energy, and we are seeing renewable developers step up to make that happen,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “It is critical to ensure workers at these important projects are paid fairly as they work to build a more reliable future for our children and grandchildren.”

House Bill 3351 requires applicants to the Illinois Solar for All program that apply after the effective date of this Act to pay the prevailing wage on projects that receive renewable energy credits. The bill would provide exemptions for residential buildings and small projects on houses of worship.

Para leer en español, haz click aqui.

State Senator Cristina Castro and State Representative Anna Moeller passed legislation through the House and Senate aimed at providing organizations with equal access to township assistance, regardless of the immigration status of the population they serve.

“We need to hold townships accountable in providing resources without bias,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “This measure reaffirms our commitment to equal opportunities for all Illinois residents.”

House Bill 1283 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 bill would codify existing federal and state protections already afforded to an organization into the Township Code.

“We have made great strides in securing protections for immigrant communities here in Illinois, but that effort is not over,” said Castro. “This legislation is another example of putting people over politics and ensuring service providers in our state won’t face discrimination when they go to apply for township assistance.”

House Bill 1283 passed both chambers and heads to the governor’s desk for approval.