Joyce reminds drivers to buckle up when traveling this Memorial Day

• IDOT
• Illinois State Police
• Memorial Day

PARK FOREST – With many people expected to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) is joining the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and law enforcement across the state for the national ‘Border to Border’ campaign, which increases seatbelt patrols and enforcement zones through Memorial Day.

“This weekend will kick off a return to summer recreation, so it’s important that every person riding in a vehicle wears their seatbelt and carefully travels to their destination,” Joyce said. “Wearing your seatbelt is the best way to protect yourself in case of an accident, and I urge all drivers and passengers to remember to do so anytime they get in a vehicle.”

Organized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as part of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign, Border to Border harnesses the power of 10,000 agencies across the nation – between states, cities and jurisdictions – to increase seat belt use in order to save lives.

Read more: Joyce reminds drivers to buckle up when traveling this Memorial Day

Joyce fights to make residents’ voices heard on neighborhood school closures

• education
• HB 1785

SPRINGFIELD – After hearing from residents who felt helpless when Rich East High School closed their doors in 2020, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) passed legislation through the Senate Thursday to prevent neighborhood schools from closing without public input.

“Closing a neighborhood school without public input can have serious consequences on the lives of students, families and educators,” Joyce said. “It’s important that residents have the chance to offer feedback on decisions that would impact their kids and the communities they live in.”

In 2019, District 227 was faced with the decision to close one or more of their three schools due to a lack of funding, declining enrollment and aging facilities. The Rich Township High School District in Cook County voted to close Rich East High School, which served Matteson, Park Forest, Olympia Fields, Chicago Heights and Richton Park residents. This decision forced these students to move to either Rich Central or Rich South High Schools.

Read more: Joyce fights to make residents’ voices heard on neighborhood school closures

Joyce announces $8.6 million in infrastructure improvements for Coal City, Bourbonnais and Park Forest

• Rebuild Illinois
• IDOT
• 40th District

PARK FOREST – In partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced three infrastructure projects to improve roads and bridges throughout the 40th Senate District.

“These local infrastructure investments come at a critical time for our communities and will help build a brighter future through a transportation network that serves all Illinoisans,” Joyce said. “By improving road conditions for drivers, we are creating new jobs and giving our community a much-needed economic boost.”

IDOT announced three major infrastructure projects representing an estimated $8.6 million in investments for the area, including:

• $1.2 million to improve 1.58 miles of Illinois Route 113 on Lincoln Street in Coal City to the Will County line;
• $5 million to reconstruct 8.14 miles of Illinois Route 102 on the Will County line to US 45/52 in Bourbonnais; and
• $2.4 million to improve 2.53 miles of Western Avenue from US 30 (Lincoln Highway) to Steger Road in Park Forest.

Read more: Joyce announces $8.6 million in infrastructure improvements for Coal City, Bourbonnais and Park...

Joyce backs legislation to ban right-to-work laws in Illinois

• SJRCA011
• Labor

SPRINGFIELD – To protect Illinois’ working class, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) supported a constitutional amendment that would ban “right-to-work” legislation in Illinois.

“Right-to-work laws are a threat to Illinois workers and are extremely dangerous to workers’ basic rights on the job,” Joyce said. “This proposed constitutional amendment shows our support to unions, and all workers across the state, by giving them the opportunity to earn a living wage and work in good conditions.”
 
The amendment would provide that no law passed may prohibit the ability of workers to collectively bargain over wages, hours, terms and conditions of work. The measure would effectively ban right-to-work laws in Illinois, which prohibit union security agreements in which an employer and a labor union agree on the extent to which employees are compelled to join the union and pay union dues.

Non-members in a collective bargaining unit still receive the benefits of collective bargaining agreements, including the higher wages and benefits that unions earn through the bargaining process. Right-to-work laws effectively serve to increase the non-member proportion of the labor force, reducing the bargaining power of the collective.

Read more: Joyce backs legislation to ban right-to-work laws in Illinois