SPRINGFIELD – To give a boost to the horse racing industry and Illinois’ economy, State Senator Patrick Joyce passed a bill in the Senate that would, among multiple other items, allow for the development of new horse racing tracks in Illinois.

“Illinois used to be a powerhouse in horse racing and horse breeding,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “We are trying to advance the ball on an industry that employs thousands.”

House Bill 2724 would allow for the construction of a new harness track in Macon County. The bill would also set a deadline for the development of an additional harness race track and horse racetrack casino, or racino, in Cook County’s south suburbs.

KANKAKEE – State Senator Patrick Joyce is urging federal lawmakers to resolve the ongoing government shutdown to prevent the cessation of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits, come Nov. 1. Nearly two million Illinois residents rely on SNAP to provide basic nutrition for themselves and their families.

"If November comes and a solution isn’t brought to the table, there will be a lot of pain in the 40^th," said Joyce (D-Essex). "I have families in every corner of my district, both urban and rural, Republican and Democrat, who depend on these benefits to put food on the table."

SNAP provides critical support for children, seniors, veterans and individuals with disabilities, offering the nutrition they need to live healthy, productive lives. The federal government shutdown threatens to halt these benefits immediately, putting millions at risk of food insecurity – including the 39,131 people in the district Joyce represents who rely on SNAP benefits.

KANKAKEE – State Senator Patrick Joyce secured over $90 million to build and repair infrastructure in the South Suburbs and greater Kankakee area.

“From Wilmington to Park Forest, these local projects will improve road safety and bring good-paying jobs to the district,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “We made a bipartisan commitment to improve our state’s aging infrastructure and now, over the years, we are seeing that vision come to life.”

The largest multi-year program to build and repair infrastructure in state history will invest $50.6 billion over six years, continuing an unprecedented investment in safety, mobility and quality of life made possible by the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. The Illinois Department of Transportation’s new multi-year program is both comprehensive and multimodal, with investments in roads and bridges, aviation, transit, freight and passenger rail, waterways, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations touching every Illinois county.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce’s proposal to help farmers protect their crop yields was signed into law on Friday.

“Legislation like this highlights the moments where government works,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “Through the Illinois Farm Bureau I was able to hear and see the issues our farmers were experiencing and from there I was able to do my job by getting this bill to the governor’s desk.”

Senate Bill 710 addresses multiple issues with the nuisance deer program and deer hunting tags. Currently for nuisance deer, a property owner has to prove each year that there has been damage to property, like destruction of crops, by the deer. Farmers have been requesting a better way to handle this because under the current program, they cannot manage the deer population until after a problem has occurred. The bill would allow the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to issue deer removal permits based on the percentage of permits redeemed in the previous season by the recipient. The bill would also allow for an expansion of youth hunting tags from one to two.