FRANKFORT — Thanks to strong support from Michael E. Hastings, the Olympia Fields Park District received over $239,000 from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant to help continue ongoing improvements at Bicentennial Park.

“Last year we started with a $75,000 investment to get this project started,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “This continued investment comes as great news to the residents of Olympia Fields looking for a safe and accessible place to gather and enjoy for years to come.”

OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since its establishment, OSLAD has awarded $675 million for park projects throughout Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD — According to the Department of Justice’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, Illinois has 461 open missing persons cases. Starting Jan. 1, law enforcement will take a new approach to these cases, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Michael E. Hastings.

“I teamed up with the Cook County Sherriff’s office to do a detailed review of how current law affects these investigations,” said Hastings (D-Frankfort). “Through that review we were able to find areas where we can modernize and become more efficient.”

The new law eliminates any law enforcement policy requiring the observance of a waiting period before accepting a missing persons report. The law also requires information from a missing persons report to be immediately entered into the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System upon reception of a report. Law enforcement agencies will now adopt a strategy regarding missing persons investigations, reporting and follow-up action.

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Michael E. Hastings advanced legislation designed to protect homeowners from excessive insurance rate increases and ensure fairness, transparency and accountability in Illinois homeowners insurance.

"With this legislation, we are putting fairness and accountability back into the system," said Hastings (D-Frankfort). "Here is what this means for Illinois homeowners — no more surprise renewals, no more fine print, no more ‘gotcha’ letters in the mail.”

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Michael E. Hastings was joined at a press conference Wednesday by Senators Willie Preston, Paul Faraci, Meg Loughran Cappel, Christopher Belt and Doris Turner to announce new legislation designed to protect homeowners from excessive insurance rate increases and ensure fairness, transparency and accountability in Illinois homeowners insurance.

"When you open that renewal notice from your insurance company and your premium has gone up 30% or more, it is like stepping on a Lego at six in the morning — you didn’t do anything wrong, but you are definitely feeling it," said Hastings (D-Frankfort). "Across Illinois, homeowners insurance premiums have jumped 20% to 30% over the past year. Our neighbors are asking themselves, 'What did I do to cause this? I did not file a claim. I did not move. I did not change a thing, but my rates still went up.' And they are right to ask that question.”

For too long, Hastings said, the deck has been stacked in favor of large insurance companies that have turned inflation into a corporate get-rich scheme.

"Life is not always fair. You fix the leaky faucet and the dishwasher quits. Your kid throws up a game winner and it smashes the neighbor's window,” said Hastings. “Life is not always fair, but that is exactly why we have to be.