Joyce reminds residents Illinois Department of Revenue will accept tax returns starting Feb. 12

• IDOR
• Taxes

PARK FOREST – Individual income tax returns for Illinois may be submitted starting Friday, Feb. 12, and State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) urges residents to file early this year.

“This is an important filing season, given the pandemic,” Joyce said. “I encourage folks to begin filing as soon as they’re able so they can receive their tax refunds as quickly as possible.”

According to the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), an error-free return filed electronically can trigger a direct-deposit refund within four to six weeks. The number of electronic filers increased by nearly 3% last year. Of 6.4 million returns filed, 87% were filed online and 63% qualified for refunds.

IDOR officials say that filing tax returns electronically and requesting direct deposit is still the fastest way for taxpayers to receive a refund. IDOR recommends filers create a MyTax Illinois account, particularly because of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, so that taxpayers may quickly respond to any filing inquiries and ensure swift processing.

IDOR is also working to protect filers from identity theft. The department encourages taxpayers to be vigilant in protecting personal information and to be alert to phone scams and email phishing.

The deadline to file 2020 income taxes is Thursday, April 15.

Joyce: New CDL facility to open in Bradley

• Bradley
• CDL

BRADLEY – A new 6,000-square-foot facility serving Commercial Driver’s License holders will open in Bradley on Tuesday, Feb. 23, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced.

“We have depended on transportation companies and truck drivers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to keep the supply chain running,” Joyce said. “This new location will maximize the facility’s traffic flow and efficiency to keep this essential industry operating smoothly.”

The new facility is located at 111 Village Square Shopping Plaza in Bradley. The current facility at 1111 Blatt Road is scheduled to close at the end of business on Thursday, Feb. 11.

After Feb. 11 and before the new facility opens on Feb. 23, customers are encouraged to visit the nearest driver services facilities, including:

• South Holland (CDL facility): 41 W. 162nd St.
• Joliet: 210 S. Joyce Road
• Watseka: 123 W. Walnut St.

For customers who decide to visit a facility, masks are required. Customers are advised to come prepared to wait outside because, due to social distancing, the number of people allowed inside a facility at one time is limited.

As a reminder, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has extended all expiration dates for driver’s licenses and ID cards to June 1, 2021. Joyce encourages people to conduct business online at www.cyberdriveillinois.com for services such as renewing license plate stickers, ID cards and driver’s licenses for those that are eligible.

Joyce offers tips to keep residents safe and warm this winter

• Illinois State Fire Marshal
• Winter Safety
• Carbon Monoxide

PARK FOREST – With temperatures dropping and more people staying indoors, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) joins the Office of the State Fire Marshal in reminding residents to have their furnaces checked, change furnace filters and make sure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are functioning properly.

“With many people working remotely due to COVID-19, thermostats are turned up all hours of the day,” Joyce said. “I encourage homeowners to make sure they are heating their homes safely to keep their families and loved ones safe this winter.” 

From 2012-2016, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 52,050 fires each year involving heating equipment, accounting for 15% of all reported home fires during that time. Half of heating-related fires are reported during December, January and February.

It’s not just fires that pose a danger during these cold months. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is only detectable by special detectors and alarms. These alarms, just like smoke alarms, need to be tested monthly to ensure they are working properly.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. If you are experiencing these symptoms, if you smell natural gas leaking in your home, or if your carbon monoxide alarm activates, evacuate the home immediately and open windows on the way out, if possible.

Read more: Joyce offers tips to keep residents safe and warm this winter

Joyce seeks to improve COVID-19 vaccination process

• COVID-19
• Vaccine

KANKAKEE – To help county health departments streamline the COVID-19 vaccination process and prevent the waste of precious vaccine supplies, State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) called for the implementation of a database that would allow nearby health care providers to redistribute extra vaccine doses more quickly and efficiently.

Joyce, along with several of his colleagues in the Illinois Senate, made the request of Gov. JB Pritzker via a joint letter.

“We all know vaccine supplies are scarce, and with their specific storage requirements, they must be distributed quickly to be effective,” Joyce said. “We are asking the state to implement a database system to cut down on waste. County health departments may not have the infrastructure to implement a major database system, but the state does. This change could immediately improve the distribution plan.”

The proposed database would allow for nearby health care providers to be notified when there are extra vaccines available that need to be administered quickly. This would simplify the redistribution process, give eligible individuals the chance to receive their vaccination and prevent the state’s supply from expiring.

Joyce proposed the idea after learning that the Kankakee County Health Department is already taking this approach. Their health department has moved toward the system described: Providers contact family members, friends and neighbors when there are leftover vaccines to ensure zero waste. 

“I appreciate the governor and IDPH’s efforts to work out a plan to vaccinate residents,” Joyce said. “I hope they will take this proposal into consideration.”