SPRINGFIELD – A measure spearheaded by State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) that would sufficiently honor members of the Illinois National Guard in death passed the Senate Veterans Affairs committee Tuesday.

“The presentation of a flag, whether it’s a state flag or the American flag, to the families of fallen soldiers is a crucial tradition that dates back centuries,” Hastings said. “No soldier’s life should go unrecognized, so I am pleased my colleagues on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee saw fit to extend this privilege to more of our state’s fallen National Guardsmen and women.”

Under current law, members of the Illinois National Guard serving on federal duty or training status are to have a state flag presented to their next of kin upon their death, should they die while serving. Senate Bill 505 adds State Active Duty to this provision, ensuring that all who lose their lives in service of their state and country are properly memorialized.

“Those men and women who serve our state and country honorably and pay the ultimate price for those causes are worthy of the highest form of recognition,” Hastings said. “This change to the current law is a gesture that will make a massive difference to the loved ones of our fallen heroes.”

This legislation will now be considered before the full Senate.

FRANKFORT – Following Governor JB Pritzker’s annual budget address, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) offered the following statement:

“The proposal outlined by Governor Pritzker today is just the start of what will certainly be a challenging negotiation process. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented our people with generational economic challenges, and there is no question that this is going to be an incredibly difficult year for the state of Illinois. That is why our focus must be providing critical services to the people we represent, improving the unemployment system, assisting small businesses impacted by the pandemic, and putting people back to work through investment in infrastructure projects.

This is going to be a delicate budget making process, but the situation we find ourselves in calls for a reassessment of how we spend money in Illinois. I look forward to working to implement a budget that tightens the state’s belt, restricts reckless spending, and puts us back on track.”

FRANKFORT – In order to streamline Illinois’ vaccination process, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) joined colleagues to call for the implementation of a database that would support county health departments, preventing the waste of vaccines.

Hastings, along with several Senate colleagues, made this request of Governor JB Pritzker via a joint letter.

“We know that our vaccine supply is not remotely close to adequate at the moment,” Hastings said. “This makes the distribution of every single dose available all the more critical. All we are seeking is further cooperation between the State and county health departments to implement a statewide database system dedicated to improving the distribution process.”

The proposed database would allow for nearby health care providers to be notified when there are extra vaccines available that need to be administered quickly. This would simplify the redistribution process, give eligible individuals the chance to receive their vaccination and prevent the state’s supply from expiring.

“I continue to be thankful to Governor Pritzker for his leadership, and I recognize he and his team are doing everything possible to ensure the vaccination process moves along smoothly,” Hastings said.