SPRINGFIELD – A bill outlawing discrimination against natural and ethnic hairstyles in Illinois schools sponsored by State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) will have its first hearing later today as the Senate Education Committee meets at 1 p.m.

Senate Bill 817 would protect the right of students to wear their hair in styles historically associated with race, ethnicity, or hair texture including braids, dreadlocks, and twists.

“I proudly wear my hair natural out of respect for my African-American and Ethiopian heritage,” Simmons said. “No student should be forced to compromise their identity, nor should we continue to allow young people to be traumatized like this in 2021.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Simmons’ (D-Chicago) plan to require hospitals and state agencies to gather more data in order to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has harmed LGBTQIA+ communities in Illinois passed the Senate Thursday.

Simmons, the first openly gay member of the Illinois Senate, said requiring state agencies and hospitals to gather more specific data on age, sex, disability status, sexual orientation and gender identity when dealing with COVID-19 patients is the first step to ensuring visibility and justice for historically marginalized communities as Illinois recovers from the pandemic.

“I’m gratified to see this measure pass, and I am ready to urge the Illinois House to vote to affirm the lives of members of the LGBTQIA+ communities, who disproportionately face challenges that have made this pandemic even deadlier for them,” said Simmons.

SPRINGFIELD – As one of his first acts after being appointed to represent the 7th Illinois Senate District, State Senator Mike Simmons passed legislation out of the Senate Thursday to require that meetings to fill a vacancy in the General Assembly be recorded and broadcast by electronic means for public consumption. The bill also requires election authorities to notify the public of all proceedings related to appointments in the future.

“The appointment process established by the state constitution is intended to ensure representation during interim periods when an official retires or is incapable of serving,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “It’s our duty to ensure Illinois citizens have as much input and transparency as possible in the process.”

When an office in the Illinois House or Illinois Senate becomes vacant and a process begins to fill it with an appointee, Senate Bill 828 would require the legislative or representative committee of the district to notify the public about the replacement process. That would include providing the public with notice of an impending vote to fill the vacancy at least six days prior.

The legislation would also require any meeting held to fill a vacancy be open to the public, electronically recorded and broadcast for public consumption. The same requirements would apply to any appointment filled by the governor.

“We must ensure the process is as open to public scrutiny and input as possible,” Simmons said. “The people of Illinois deserve to participate in this process, and these requirements take the steps necessary to bring transparency to constitutionally required appointments.”

Having passed the Senate, Senate Bill 828 awaits consideration before the Illinois House.

State Senator Mike Simmons (D-Chicago) issued the following statement on news of the verdict in Derek Chauvin’s trial:

“With today’s verdict, Derek Chauvin has been held accountable for the murder of George Floyd. At a basic minimum, this is what we need, and I am relieved to see the verdict. But we must ask ourselves now what justice will look like for George Floyd.

“Justice is broad and systemic, and this verdict tells us that the system must change from the ground up. George Floyd was executed on camera in a matter of minutes. His daughter will never see him again. Derek Chauvin has had many months and more of due process, all while communities across the country anxiously awaited this decision, not at all confident that Chauvin would face consequences even in light of the fact that his crime was caught on film.

“That this was in doubt, that we feel relieved that there will be consequences, speaks to how much the system needs changing. Chauvin is one officer whose misconduct will be punished. This must cease to be the exception, or more Black lives will be routinely taken from us.”