Koehler on education funding proposal: Local schools to receive fairer funding

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Senate passed Sen. Andy Manar’s proposal to overhaul the state’s outdated education funding formula. Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) supported the measure that would change the way school districts receive state funding based on need rather than geography.

“Senator Andy Manar’s education funding reform gives every student in Illinois a chance for success regardless of their ZIP code or socioeconomic background. The current formula, created more than 20 years ago, no longer fits the issues many of our communities are currently facing, especially in many urban and rural areas.

“I voted in favor of Senate Bill 231 so that we can continue to find real solutions that provide relief and give stability to our most underserved communities. The overhaul of classroom funding would start us on the right path of education funding stability, which many of our school districts need.”

Senate Bill 231 now goes to the House for further consideration.

Sen. Koehler advances emergency funding for MAP recipients, higher ed, human services

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Senate passed an emergency funding bill to keep public universities open and help MAP grant recipients attend classes.

“Students should be able to attend college without worrying about piling up excessive amounts of debt,” said Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria). “Funding MAP grants and helping our public universities remain open will allow thousands of students to learn and grow in a stable environment.”

Senate Bill 2059 will provide $600 million in funding for public universities, community colleges, city colleges and MAP grant recipients.

The Illinois Senate also passed Senate Bill 2047, which provides emergency funding for human services.

“Today, my colleagues and I passed emergency funding in the Senate to give human service providers a necessary relief while we work to end the budget impasse,” said Koehler.

Senate Bills 2059 and 2047 passed the Senate 55-0. Senate Bill 2047 now goes to the House for further consideration.

Ensuring quality care for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia

SPRINGFIELD - Elderly care facilities along with community programs may soon be required to have staffs that are adequately trained to deal with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. Under new legislation proposed by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), elderly care facility and community program staff persons will undergo special training if the staff person cares for patients with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

There is an expected 25 percent increase in dementia patients in the next decade because of aging Boomers. This has created the need for reforms in care. With SB 2301, Sen. Koehler has answered the call to ensure these facilities have trained professional staffs to deal with these increases.

“Over 200 thousand Illinois residents are affected by Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia,” Koehler said. “My plan will make sure elderly care facilities along with community programs’ staffs are trained to properly take care of our most vulnerable elderly.”

The measure, Senate Bill 2301, sets a standard of a minimum of 6 hours of initial training within 3 months of the law’s effective date for staff with direct access to clients with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Senate Bill 2301 passed out of the Illinois Senate today. It now goes to the Illinois House for approval.

Among the deadlock, Koehler still finds savings for the vulnerable

SPRINGFIELD – Seniors and disabled property owners in supportive living facilities will soon be able to keep their property tax savings thanks to successful legislation from Senator Dave Koehler (D – Peoria).

The measure updates current law to allow a taxpayer moving into a supportive living facility to keep their homestead exemption. Currently, homestead exemptions apply to specific nursing facilities, not including supportive living facilities.

“Seniors and disabled property owners should not have to pay more in property taxes because their health or family situations have forced them into a nursing facility,” said Sen. Koehler. “And we cannot allow some facility residents to keep their benefits, while residents in other similar facilities cannot.”

Supportive living facilities are a newer type of nursing home care option officially defined in 2006 as an alternative, more independent-living option for low-income seniors and disabled persons under Medicaid.

“Even in these trying times, we can still find substantive solutions to protect the well-being of our state’s most vulnerable,” Koehler said.

The legislation, Senate Bill 2934, passed the Senate and now heads to the House for further action.