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.

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.

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.

PARK FOREST – State Senator Patrick Joyce (D-Essex) announced Tuesday that local governments he represents in the 40th Senate District will receive more than $52 million in the latest round of Rebuild Illinois infrastructure grants.

“The Rebuild Illinois program represents the state’s commitment to restoring our aging infrastructure,” Joyce said. “The projects ahead will not only create safer, smoother, and more accessible transportation options for drivers, but will also provide jobs in our community and across the state.”

The funding is being distributed in an effort to ensure that local governments have the necessary resources to repair and maintain infrastructure, as well as create jobs and boost the economy on a local level. Cities and municipalities may choose to use the grant for road and bridge improvements, traffic signal upgrades, new storm sewers and bike paths, sidewalk replacements and other long-term maintenance needs, with financial oversight from the Illinois Department of Transportation.