Hastings joins colleagues to host Will County winter clothing drive

SPRINGFIELD – To help Will County residents stay warm during the winter, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) is partnering with fellow lawmakers to launch a winter clothing drive.
From Nov. 25 to Dec. 13, local and state elected officials will work to provide organizations throughout the region with the necessary goods that benefit Will County residents.

“The winter months in the South Suburbs are brutal and unforgiving,” Hastings said. “Those who struggle to come by adequate winter gear know this fact better than anyone, which is why I’m proud to join my colleagues to ensure that anyone who is in need has access to the clothing necessary to stay warm this winter.”

Organizations are in need of all sizes of gently used or new winter gear including coats, socks, sweatshirts, scarves, gloves and more.

Hastings joins State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood), who spearheaded this initiative.

“Seniors, children and veterans in our own communities may struggle to afford the proper winter gear to survive the season,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “For you it may be a simple gesture, but to our neighbors who need an extra helping hand, it may mean the world.”

Hastings urges residents to drop off donations at the following sites:

• State Senator Michael E. Hastings’ Office (20855 S. LaGrange Rd., Suite 102, Frankfort)
• State Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant’s Office (15300 Rt. 59, Unit 202, Plainfield)
• State Senator Napoleon Harris’ Office (1350 E. Sibley Blvd., Suite 403, Dolton)
• State Senator John Curran’s Office (7501 Lemont Rd., Suite 315G, Woodridge)
• State Senator Patrick Joyce’s Office (270 Main St., Park Forest)
• State Senator Pat McGuire’s Office (16151 Weber Rd., Suite 103, Crest Hill)
• State Senator Sue Rezin’s Office (1421 N. Division St., Morris)
• Plainfield Village Hall (24401 W. Lockport St., Plainfield)
• Channahon Village Hall (24555 S. Navajo Dr., Channahon)
• Romeoville Village Hall (1050 Romeo Rd., Romeoville)
• Crest Hill City Hall (1610 Plainfield Rd., Crest Hill)
• Mokena Village Hall (11004 Carpenter St., Mokena)
• Wilmington City Hall (1165 S. Water St., Wilmington)
• Rockdale Village Hall (79 Moen Ave., Rockdale)
• Lockport City Hall (222 E. 9th St., Lockport)
• Manhattan Village Hall (260 Market Pl., Manhattan)
• Joliet City Hall (150 W. Jefferson St., Joliet)

The winter clothing drive will benefit the Will County Veterans’ Assistance Commission and other organizations in the region.

Hastings establishes Vietnam Veterans Day in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – A resolution designating Nov. 1, 2019 as Vietnam Veterans Recognition Day was adopted by the Senate today.
State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) is the Senate sponsor of the resolution.

“Many of those who fought valiantly for their country in Vietnam were wrongfully met with scorn and disdain upon their return home,” Hastings said. “These brave individuals deserve the utmost respect and recognition for their service, as they have seen and experienced things that a precious few can even remotely imagine.”

House Joint Resolution 15 establishes Vietnam Veterans Day in Illinois. It also urges all Illinoisans to show support for Americans who have served their country, and for the governor and Secretary of State to lower all flags within their purview to half-staff on Nov. 1, 2019.

Hastings votes to lower out of pocket insulin costs

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation to lower the cost of prescription insulin passed the Senate today.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) was among 48 Senators voting in favor of the measure, which would cap out-of-pocket insulin expenses at $100 for a 30-day supply.

“Many families have been left to make an impossible choice: Doses of the medicine they need to survive on a daily basis, or their most basic necessities,” Hastings said. “That is no choice at all. I urge the House to pass this legislation and make this medication affordable.”

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are over 30 million Americans who have diabetes, with 7.4 million of them who require prescription insulin to service. The increasing cost of the medication has forced many of these patients to choose between purchasing vital medication and basic necessities like food or utility bills.

The measure has also garnered the support of several advocacy organizations, including the American Diabetes Association, Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans, Illinois State Medical Society, Illinois Pharmacists Association and AARP.

Hastings announces major improvements to South Suburban highways and bridges

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Tinley Park) announced that the recently released Illinois Department of Transportation five-year Highway Improvement Program includes major improvements to several major highways and bridges across the South Suburbs.

“The Rebuild Illinois Project is beginning to bear fruit,” Hastings said. “With I-80, I-57 and I-355 serving as key arteries of this region's transportation hub, their upkeep is essential. Residents from Joliet to Matteson are going to see quality results over the next five years that will make their lives safer and easier.

Projects beginning in 2020 include widening I-80 from US Route 30 in New Lenox to Ridge Road in Minooka, improvements to Illinois Route 6 at Gouger Road in New Lenox, additional lighting for expressways from Matteson to Richton Park and repaving I-80 from Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park to US Route 30 in New Lenox.

The next five years will also see the restructuring of the I-80 bridge over the Des Plaines River, complete with repaving, widening, and structural improvements.

“Widespread infrastructure improvements have been necessary for years, but this bridge in particular has presented a clear, pressing need,” Hastings said. “We’ve seen bridges crumble due to negligence. This was a public safety problem, so I am thrilled that we are taking the necessary steps to provide safe means of transportation for our communities.”

A complete breakdown of highway improvement projects in the 19th District can be found here: http://www.idot.illinois.gov/Assets/uploads/files/Transportation-System/Reports/OP&P/HIP/2020-2025/ilsenate/sdist19.pdf