ROMEOVILLE – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is inviting Romeoville residents to attend her February Coffee and Conversation event on Monday, Feb. 28.

“These casual events provide the perfect opportunity for constituents to meet with their elected officials,” Loughran Cappel said. “This is a great way to hear from community members first-hand and learn what is important to them.”

The event will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Romeoville Branch of the White Oak Library located at 201 Normantown Rd. in Romeoville.

SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) to create a Children’s Mental Health Council passed the Senate Behavioral & Mental Health Committee Tuesday.

The proposal – Senate Bill 3889 – would create a council that would provide recommendations to the General Assembly each year regarding children with mental health conditions and behavioral disabilities.

“As a state, we need to raise our level of ambition to support children’s mental health,” Loughran Cappel said. “The goal of this legislation is to give our children living with mental health conditions a voice to be heard by their state officials.”

The council would be tasked with collaborating to gain a better understanding of residential and emergency placements children experience and how the state can provide better support for children with mental health issues. 

Loughran Cappel’s proposal passed the committee 9-0.

SPRINGFIELD – Application fees may soon be waived for short-term substitute teaching licenses under a plan by State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) that advanced out of the Senate Education Committee Tuesday. 

“Staffing is one of the most important, if not the most important, challenges that our schools are facing during this awful pandemic,” said Senate Education Committee Vice-Chair Loughran Cappel. “We have a responsibility to do all we can to ensure our students have access to teachers, and it’s my goal to get them there.”

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, there are more than 4,000 unfilled positions in schools. In an attempt to address the void, Loughran Cappel’s plan would waive the application fee for short-term substitute teaching licensees when the governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency.

SPRINGFIELD – Following Governor JB Pritzker’s budget address Wednesday, State Senator Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) is pleased to see the state fully fund K-12 education and provide more funding for need-based higher education grants.

“The pandemic has created many difficulties for families with school-aged children and adults seeking further education,” said Loughran Cappel, vice-chair of the Senate Education Committee. “Now, more than ever, we must support educators and students — and this is a good starting point as we begin the budget process.”

The budget proposal builds upon the state’s promise to allocated money toward the K-12 education evidence-based funding formula, as well as increasing funds for early childhood education, state universities, and career and technical education programs. Loughran Cappel is especially supportive of proposed increases to MAP, or Monetary Award Program funding, which greatly improves access to higher education for low-income students. Under the proposal, more than 24,000 additional students would be able to receive assistance.

“In these unprecedented times, I am in strong support of prioritizing COVID-19 relief,” Loughran Cappel said. “However, COVID relief must include provisions to our education systems that have faced immense setbacks providing quality education and ensuring safe operations during this pandemic.”

Loughran Cappel looks forward to negotiating the budget with her colleagues this spring.