March means renewal, as we turn toward warmer spring weather and spring forward our clocks to take advantage of more daylight. In Springfield, it means our work in the spring legislative session is increasing, as we debate and pass laws to improve people’s lives.
Every time I drive around the 40th Senate District, I appreciate how important farmland and open spaces are for our communities. I have made it a priority, as your senator, to support agriculture and conservation.
Chicago Heights, Kankakee, Monee, University Park, New Lenox, and the Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve District each will receive hundreds of thousands of needed state grant dollars in a batch of $3 million I announced early this month. These are part of the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant program to make improvements to our parks and outdoor spaces and encourage safe, public outdoor recreation in these upcoming spring and summer months.
Our office helped promote Soil Health Week March 6-10 by promoting sustainable agriculture.
Kankakee River State Park needs seasonal help in maintenance, mowing, landscaping, painting, and other conservation work. If you or someone you know is interested, apply through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources: https://bit.ly/IDNRjobs.
At the Capitol this spring, I have been supporting Senate Bill 1474. The legislation increases renewable energy purchasing and promotes environmental conservation through smart regulation as hydropower grows in popularity. We will encourage the use of hydropower dams across the state, especially the Kankakee Hydropower Dam and the Wilmington Dam in our district, by promoting the use of dams that already exist.
This spring, I am also pushing through the Senate Senate Bill 2226, which creates a Conservation Opportunity Area designation under state law, for the first time, to encourage greater stewardship and recovery of species in their habitats.
It’s also important we help our next generation understand responsible use of our lands and property, including educating them on fire safety and prevention. My Senate Bill 1421, now moving in the Legislature, creates new positions of youth fire-setter interventionists, under the office of the State Fire Marshal, to stress the importance of fire safety in working closely with families, schools, and other organizations.
I will have more updates on my work in Springfield as the spring legislative session progresses. To see the various bills I am sponsoring in the Illinois General Assembly, visit https://ilga.gov/senate/SenatorBills.asp?MemberID=3164&Primary=True.
I urge you to contact me anytime I can help at 708-756-0882, or at http://www.senatorpatrickjoyce.com/. I will continue to share the latest news on my website and on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/senPatrickjoyce40/.
Sen. Patrick Joyce
D-Essex, 40th State Senate District