July 1, 2025 • 5 mins
From expanding college credit opportunities for high schoolers to streamlining the college admissions process and cracking down on human trafficking, members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus are leading the effort to improve the lives of the state's residents. In this episode, we cover new laws led by State Senators Cristina Castro, Christopher Belt, and Laura Murphy that aim to improve educational access, simplify direct college admissions, and strengthen public safety across the state.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to this edition of the News Brief, part of
the Sound of the State podcast series from the Illinois
Senate Democredit Caucus, keeping you up to date with what's
happening in Springfield and around the state. I'm colbe Huff.
Illinois students will soon have more opportunities to earn college
credit during high school thanks to a new LOS spearheaded
by State Senator Christina Castro of Elgin.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
House, built twenty nine sixty seven, empowers the school districts
in Illinois to offer more dual credit courses and facilitate
a successful transition between high school and college. Improves the
curriculum for high school students and the alignment of that
curriculum with college coursework, and it expands opportunities for local
partnerships between colleges and school districts. Investing in more seamless
path from high school to college makes it more attainable,
(00:41):
especially for first generations and lower income students. Students who
will earn dual credit and high school complete their degrees
at higher rates and typically save money on tuition for
credits since they earn them at no cost during high school.
In addition, if we put that investment on Illinois students,
they stay in Illinois and contribute to Illinois economy. Dual
credit courses are some of the most cost effective options
(01:03):
for students to get a jump start on their college degree.
Finishing high school and knowing you already earned college credit
can open the doors some meaningful experience in higher education beyond.
There is a growing student demand for dual credit coursework,
and we're working to meet those needs.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Capitalizing on increased interest, Senator Castro led the charge to
increase student access to high quality dual credit programs in Illinois.
Under the new law, school districts are required to seek
partnerships with local community colleges to offer dual credit courses
to students. School and community college districts will work together
to ensure their curriculum is inline and establish guidelines on
factors such as class sizes. Recognizing that some students might
(01:39):
not have access to a nearby college campus, the law
allows credentialed high school instructors to teach dual credit courses
at high schools for the reducing the burden upon students.
House Bill twenty nine sixty seven was signed into law
Monday and took effect immediately. Understanding that the college admissions
process can be difficult for students to navigate. State Senator
Christopher Belt worked to make the process easier for high
(01:59):
school gus, your seniors, and community college transfer students.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
The direct Admissions program streamlines the college admissions process. It
takes away the anxiety, It takes away the angst for
students and their parents. Recent Upjohn research reports states that
but approximately two thirds of all graduating seniors from college
(02:23):
remain in the state where they earn their degrees. Further,
it says that about half remain in the metropolitan area
where the college was This legislation will undoubtedly unlock the
untapped potential of Illinois students at Illinois public universities, allowing
them allaying to remain in Illinois, making Illinois more viable,
(02:47):
more vibrant economically. All of that lends over to Illinois
being stronger, more tough Illinois, and a proud Illinois.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Senator Belts law, originally house built thirty five twenty two,
offers direct admission to qualify find applicants at all public
universities and community colleges that participate in the program. Under
the new law, which takes effect January first, students will
no longer face the burden of repeated application processes or
unnecessary application fees, ensuring a smoother transition into post secondary education.
(03:15):
Beginning with the twenty twenty seven twenty twenty eight school year,
high school students will be able to elect to participate
in the direct enrollment program through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
State Senator Laura Murphy's Law to bring Justice to Victims
of human Trafficking by expanding the expressway camera program to
target traffickers was signed into law on Monday. Senator Murphy
of Desk Planes said, in part with this law, we
(03:36):
send a clear message Illinois is not a safe haven
for human traffickers. By empowering law enforcement with the tools
necessary to identify human traffickers in real time, we are
helping with investigations, increasing public safety and saving lives. Human
traffickers often use highways to transport victims. Truck stops in particular,
are often hotspots for this kind of illicit activity, and
those vehicles can be tracked using an expressway camera. Build
(03:59):
Up on Senator Murphy's efforts in twenty twenty two to
address public safety, the new law will expand the existing
expressway camera program to lee Ogel and Whiteside Counties and
enable police to use expressway cameras for human trafficking and
involuntary servitude investigations. Previously, the camera program was limited to
target gun violence, vehicular hijacking, and other offenses. Law enforcement
has used these cameras to great effect in the twenty
(04:22):
counties previously authorized for their operation. According to the Illinois
State Police, automated license plate readers helped identify a suspect
or witness in eighty two percent of interstate shootings last year.
To protect the privacy of everyday Illinoians, the law exempt
images captured on expressway cameras from Freedom of Information Act requests.
This is in line with state laws prohibiting data collection
tools like license plate readers from being used by out
(04:44):
of state law enforcement to target people traveling to and
around Illinois to access reproductive and gender affirming care. Senator
Murphy continues, public safety is always a concern for the
people of Illinois, and by ensuring bad actors can't access
these images to stalk or track someone, we're protecting the
average citizen and everyone deserves to have their safety and
sensitive data protected. For more on the storays you just heard,
(05:10):
and others. Visit Illinois Senate Democrats dot com and subscribe
to our weekly Majority Report newsletter. You can listen to
the Sound of the State podcast series, as well as
our Spanish version, estadodella Stado with Carlos Mendez, featuring regular
updates and in depth conversations with our senators on your
choice of platforms, including the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Amazon Music,
(05:30):
Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. From the Springfield Office of
Senate to President Don Harmon, I'm coldy huff
Welcome to this edition of the News Brief, part of
the Sound of the State podcast series from the Illinois
Senate Democredit Caucus, keeping you up to date with what's
happening in Springfield and around the state. I'm colbe Huff.
Illinois students will soon have more opportunities to earn college
credit during high school thanks to a new LOS spearheaded
by State Senator Christina Castro of Elgin.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
House, built twenty nine sixty seven, empowers the school districts
in Illinois to offer more dual credit courses and facilitate
a successful transition between high school and college. Improves the
curriculum for high school students and the alignment of that
curriculum with college coursework, and it expands opportunities for local
partnerships between colleges and school districts. Investing in more seamless
path from high school to college makes it more attainable,
(00:41):
especially for first generations and lower income students. Students who
will earn dual credit and high school complete their degrees
at higher rates and typically save money on tuition for
credits since they earn them at no cost during high school.
In addition, if we put that investment on Illinois students,
they stay in Illinois and contribute to Illinois economy. Dual
credit courses are some of the most cost effective options
(01:03):
for students to get a jump start on their college degree.
Finishing high school and knowing you already earned college credit
can open the doors some meaningful experience in higher education beyond.
There is a growing student demand for dual credit coursework,
and we're working to meet those needs.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Capitalizing on increased interest, Senator Castro led the charge to
increase student access to high quality dual credit programs in Illinois.
Under the new law, school districts are required to seek
partnerships with local community colleges to offer dual credit courses
to students. School and community college districts will work together
to ensure their curriculum is inline and establish guidelines on
factors such as class sizes. Recognizing that some students might
(01:39):
not have access to a nearby college campus, the law
allows credentialed high school instructors to teach dual credit courses
at high schools for the reducing the burden upon students.
House Bill twenty nine sixty seven was signed into law
Monday and took effect immediately. Understanding that the college admissions
process can be difficult for students to navigate. State Senator
Christopher Belt worked to make the process easier for high
(01:59):
school gus, your seniors, and community college transfer students.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
The direct Admissions program streamlines the college admissions process. It
takes away the anxiety, It takes away the angst for
students and their parents. Recent Upjohn research reports states that
but approximately two thirds of all graduating seniors from college
(02:23):
remain in the state where they earn their degrees. Further,
it says that about half remain in the metropolitan area
where the college was This legislation will undoubtedly unlock the
untapped potential of Illinois students at Illinois public universities, allowing
them allaying to remain in Illinois, making Illinois more viable,
(02:47):
more vibrant economically. All of that lends over to Illinois
being stronger, more tough Illinois, and a proud Illinois.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Senator Belts law, originally house built thirty five twenty two,
offers direct admission to qualify find applicants at all public
universities and community colleges that participate in the program. Under
the new law, which takes effect January first, students will
no longer face the burden of repeated application processes or
unnecessary application fees, ensuring a smoother transition into post secondary education.
(03:15):
Beginning with the twenty twenty seven twenty twenty eight school year,
high school students will be able to elect to participate
in the direct enrollment program through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.
State Senator Laura Murphy's Law to bring Justice to Victims
of human Trafficking by expanding the expressway camera program to
target traffickers was signed into law on Monday. Senator Murphy
of Desk Planes said, in part with this law, we
(03:36):
send a clear message Illinois is not a safe haven
for human traffickers. By empowering law enforcement with the tools
necessary to identify human traffickers in real time, we are
helping with investigations, increasing public safety and saving lives. Human
traffickers often use highways to transport victims. Truck stops in particular,
are often hotspots for this kind of illicit activity, and
those vehicles can be tracked using an expressway camera. Build
(03:59):
Up on Senator Murphy's efforts in twenty twenty two to
address public safety, the new law will expand the existing
expressway camera program to lee Ogel and Whiteside Counties and
enable police to use expressway cameras for human trafficking and
involuntary servitude investigations. Previously, the camera program was limited to
target gun violence, vehicular hijacking, and other offenses. Law enforcement
has used these cameras to great effect in the twenty
(04:22):
counties previously authorized for their operation. According to the Illinois
State Police, automated license plate readers helped identify a suspect
or witness in eighty two percent of interstate shootings last year.
To protect the privacy of everyday Illinoians, the law exempt
images captured on expressway cameras from Freedom of Information Act requests.
This is in line with state laws prohibiting data collection
tools like license plate readers from being used by out
(04:44):
of state law enforcement to target people traveling to and
around Illinois to access reproductive and gender affirming care. Senator
Murphy continues, public safety is always a concern for the
people of Illinois, and by ensuring bad actors can't access
these images to stalk or track someone, we're protecting the
average citizen and everyone deserves to have their safety and
sensitive data protected. For more on the storays you just heard,
(05:10):
and others. Visit Illinois Senate Democrats dot com and subscribe
to our weekly Majority Report newsletter. You can listen to
the Sound of the State podcast series, as well as
our Spanish version, estadodella Stado with Carlos Mendez, featuring regular
updates and in depth conversations with our senators on your
choice of platforms, including the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Amazon Music,
(05:30):
Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and more. From the Springfield Office of
Senate to President Don Harmon, I'm coldy huff
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