Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) co-sponsored a measure to protect undocumented immigrant tenants from landlord harassment that passed the Senate on Thursday.

Senate Bill 1290 creates the Immigrant Tenant Protection Act, which prohibits landlords from questioning a tenant’s immigration status as a means of harassment or to force an eviction.

“Tenants should be able to report issues to their landlord without worrying about their immigration status,” Munoz said. “This measure keeps families from being harassed or forced out of their homes.”

The proposal would allow tenants to report criminal activity or habitability issues without being targeted based on their immigration status.
Currently, the Illinois Human Rights Act does not protect individuals based on immigration status, nor does it place any limitations on when a landlord may request or share that information.

The legislation now moves to the House for consideration.

47th Annual American Legion Youth Police Camp Accepting Teen Participants

Springfield, IL – The Illinois State Police (ISP) and the American Legion announce plans for the 47th Annual American Legion Youth Police Camp (ALYPC) at Camp Lincoln, located 1301 North MacArthur Boulevard, Springfield, Illinois, from June 23-28, 2019.

Dozens of aspiring teens from across Illinois will discover career opportunities through training with police and military. The primary purpose of the ALYPC is to establish an interactive and positive relationship between Illinois teens and law enforcement officers. The week-long residency camp is structured to promote educational and learning opportunities for youth ages 15-17 in the areas of law enforcement, military, leadership, cultural diversity, personal development, social and interpersonal skills, and physical fitness.

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SPRINGFIELD – Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) reacted to Gov. JB Pritzker’s first Budget Address on Wednesday with the following statement:

“Our state is in a rebuilding phase, and it’s going to take investment to get some of our most vulnerable populations back on track. I agree with the governor that we need to fund education not only from K-12, but job training and child care assistance that allows parents to seek a higher education.

“We still have a lot of work ahead of us. Now is the time to look into his revenue proposals enhancements and figure out what works for our state.”

SPRINGFIELD – A new law raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2025 was approved on Tuesday. Assistant Majority Leader Tony Munoz (D-Chicago), chief co-sponsor of the measure, released the following statement after the governor signed the legislation:

“In order to move our state forward, there needs to be a commitment to the work force that keeps our businesses going,” Munoz said. “Our people are our most important asset, and we have a responsibility to take care of them first.”

The measure also increases the minimum wage for individuals under the age of 18 but at a slower pace, going from $8 on Jan. 1, 2020 to $13 on Jan. 1, 2022.

Under Illinois law, workers who receive tips, like servers and delivery drivers, receive 60 percent of minimum wage and receive the rest in tips or are supplemented by their employer. That dynamic will mean the tipped wage would increase to $9 per hour by 2025.