SPRINGFIELD – Legislation to raise the minimum wage for teachers to $40,000 per year passed the Senate today.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings is a chief co-sponsor of this initiative.

“In the State of Illinois the minimum wage for teachers who have their bachelor’s degree is currently $10,000 per year. This places an unnecessary burden on those who have chosen to dedicate themselves to our kids,” Hastings (D-Tinley Park) said. “Making sure teachers in Illinois earn a living wage is simply the right thing to do.”

Under Senate Bill 10, the state would update the minimum mandated salary for teachers annually over four years, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year. The wage would be raised incrementally to:
• $32,076 for the 2020-2021 school year;
• $34,576 for the 2021-2022 school year;
• $37,076 for the 2022-2023 school year; and
• $40,000 for the 2023-2024 school year;

“If we can offer a competitive salary for teachers we stand a much better chance of retaining some of the top talent in our state,” Hastings said. “If we are truly placing education at the forefront of our priority list we must take care of our teachers. Our students only stand to benefit from this.”

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation that would expand the Law Enforcement Officer Intern Program passed the Illinois Senate today.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings is the chief sponsor of this initiative.

“Our current Law Enforcement Officer Intern Program is one of the finest programs the state of Illinois offers to those seeking a career in law enforcement,” Hastings (D-Tinley Park) said. “However, I felt that we could make a few improvements to the program that would allow for a more expansive training program.”

Senate Bill 2148 would expand the current Law Enforcement Officer Intern Program to also include a Corrections Officer Intern Program and would also add veterans' preferences in the application process for both programs.

“There is no group of people that could be better prepared for this program than our veterans,” Hastings said. “By adding veterans’ preference to this program we would provide our veterans more job opportunities while simultaneously ensuring our law enforcement officers come from an intensely qualified background.”

This legislation now goes to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – Pharmacists would be able to administer long-term mental health treatment to patients thanks to legislation introduced by State Senator Michael E. Hastings.

“At this time, only physicians are legally allowed to treat their patients using the injection method,” Hastings (D-Tinley Park) said. “However, because there are sometimes cases that happen to be a bit more urgent, this legislation would allow pharmacists to administer the treatment rather than the patient waiting around for an appointment with a physician.”

Senate Bill 1715 ensures that pharmacists, in addition to physicians, would be able to administer long-term mental health treatments via injection efficiently and safely, as long as a prescription from a physician is present.

“It’s no secret that we have a societal problem on our hands with the accessibility of mental health treatment,” Hastings said. “We must make sure those who need help are able to receive it as quickly and safely as possible. This is a necessary step as we in the Illinois Senate look to make mental health treatments more accessible to those in need.”

This legislation now goes to the House for consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – A new measure in Illinois may soon raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco to 21 years old.

State Senator Michael E. Hastings helped pass House Bill 345, prohibiting the purchase or possession of alternative nicotine products, electronic cigarettes and tobacco products by individuals under the age of 21.

Hastings said this law could dramatically lower the number of people who start smoking and become addicted to smoking by preventing sale during the brain’s developmental teen years.

“More than 90 percent of smokers pick up smoking before the age of 21,” Hastings said. “This new law will help us curb teen tobacco use and help save lives.”

Raising the minimum age for purchase of tobacco products from 18 to 21 is a fast-growing, nationally-recognized youth tobacco prevention strategy. Illinois will be joining California, Hawaii, New Jersey, Maine and Oregon as states that have enacted statewide Tobacco 21 laws.

“This initiative is a major step forward in improving the health of residents and improving our quality of life in our state,” Hastings said. “Tobacco 21 will double down on our efforts to reduce the number of teen smokers, moving us one step closer to a healthier, smoke-free Illinois.”

Limiting access to cigarettes has proven effective in reducing the rate of tobacco use among teens. In October 2014, Evanston became the first Illinois community to adopt Tobacco 21. Since then, tobacco use among high schoolers has dropped by 37.5 percent in that community.

HB 345 now goes to the governor’s desk for approval.