CHICAGO – The Community Youth Development Institute of Chicago will receive a $500,000 grant thanks to a $9.6 million state investment program, State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) announced Friday.

“Funding apprenticeship programs funds job opportunity and supports the diversification of the state’s most important workforces,” Collins said. “I am honored to represent a community organization that is committed to creating, crafting and assisting the careers in our local economies.”

The Community Youth Development Institute of Chicago focuses on the development of skills needed to thrive in students’ careers. The program offers an array of areas in which to conduct work-based learning. Activities are designed to provide students with the resources needed to access local career fields despite economic and other forms of disadvantage.

“Just as increasing representation in other fields allows for important and relevant information exchange, equity in the construction industry opens the door for our underrepresented populations and prepares them for the essential work they do for our state,” Collins said. “This is an opportunity to advance our communities of color, giving them the exposure and connections they need to launch successful and fulfilling careers.”

The $9.6 million grant comes from the Illinois Works Jobs Program Act. Funds are disbursed to organizations that will provide pre-apprenticeship training and supportive services in the construction industry as part of the Rebuild Illinois initiative, which seeks to expand equity in Illinois’ construction workforce. Diverse communities have not been appropriately represented in the construction industry and the trades, and the funds awarded through the grant program help overcome systemic barriers that inhibit entry into the trades for diverse populations.
Supporting pre-apprenticeship training programs that primarily serve underrepresented groups helps establish a pipeline of qualified candidates for the future. More information on Illinois Works can be found on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s website.

SPRINGFIELD – Restaurants and truck stops will provide their employees with trainings and protocols to recognize the human trafficking problem in the state thanks to a law sponsored by State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) that took effect Jan. 1.

“Human trafficking is a form of industrialized kidnapping and modern-day slavery that hides in plain sight,” Collins said. “Measures like this begin to confront the problem, which disproportionately affects the number of missing Black girls and women in Illinois.”

Collins’ new law brings awareness to state businesses and informs employees on how to report human trafficking to protect potential victims in all corners of the state. The training teaches employees to recognize the signs of human trafficking, allowing them to then enact protocols that signal the appropriate authorities.

The law also follows recent appointments to the Human Trafficking Task Force, which was created by a measure Collins sponsored. The Task Force is responsible for studying the growing number of missing women and girls in the state and giving recommendations to the General Assembly on how to fight it.

“I am proud to sponsor legislation that keeps the safety of at-risk Illinois residents in mind,” Collins said. “These efforts make our communities more aware of the situation while also equipping them with the knowledge they need to act accordingly.”

Human trafficking is an ever-present issue in every corner of the country. In passing the law, Illinois increases the protection of its residents.

CHICAGO – State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago) released the following statement about the refugee crisis confronting the people of Haiti:

“‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’

“Do the inscribed words of poet Emma Lazarus on the Statue of Liberty have any meaning for the thousands of our Haitian brothers and sisters seeking shelter in this country, or even an opportunity for asylum?

“Are they not the tired, having endured devastating earthquakes and tropical storms that have left thousands homeless, injured or missing?

“Are they not the poor, being the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, partly due to the 150 million francs ($21 billion) the country was forced to pay France in ‘reparations’ after Haiti’s slave rebellion defeated Napoleon forces in 1804 and gained independence?

“Are they not ‘your huddled masses yearning to breathe free’ of the political turmoil in the aftermath of President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination, the recurring gang violence and government instability?

Read more ...

CHICAGO – Felony prostitution charges, which have not existed in Illinois since 2013, will be expunged under a new law signed today, the result of legislation by State Senator Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago).

“The fact we have stopped charging prostitution as a felony means nothing to those whose records continue to be hurt by these charges,” said Collins (D-Chicago). “I want to thank Gov. Pritzker for signing this legislation and moving us beyond a dynamic that only serves to harm sex workers and perpetuate a dangerous, exploitative environment for them.”

While prostitution has not been prosecuted as a felony in Illinois since 2013, those with such convictions are still subject to all the penalties that come with a felony record. Included in the law is another provision that also allows defendants whose convictions may cause consequences under federal immigration law to file for a post-conviction hearing.

“Our justice system must operate on the premise that a defendant is well-informed of their rights and the consequences of their choices. There have been numerous cases in which those who plead guilty are unaware of how it may affect their immigration status, and are not well-informed by their defenders,” Collins said. “This is a step toward rectifying that.”

The legislation, originally Senate Bill 2136, is effective immediately.