Collins responds to State of the State address
Katharine Eastvold
Published: February 6, 2013
Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus
Department of Communications
www.IllinoisSenateDemocrats.com
State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins
www.SenatorJacquelineCollins.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
February 6, 2013 Katharine Eastvold 217-782-0591
keastvold@senatedem.ilga.gov
Collins responds to State of the State address
SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-16th) issued the following statement in response to the governor’s State of the State address:
I'm thankful to the governor and his administration for partnering with me to protect homeowners threatened by foreclosure. The governor mentioned that on Friday he will sign Senate Bill 16, landmark legislation we negotiated with the banks to provide more resources for homeowner counseling and abandoned property rehabilitation. I look forward to continuing our collective work on this issue.
I’m encouraged by the governor’s initiative to raise the minimum wage and his strong support for expanding Medicaid. Last year, low-income seniors and other vulnerable people were asked to bear the brunt of devastating Medicaid cuts. Now we have the opportunity to offer quality, coordinated medical care to people who previously had no options other than the emergency room. We should not hesitate to embrace that opportunity.
Finally, I appreciate the governor’s bold statements on gun safety and his tribute to 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton. Not only in Chicago, which led the nation in homicides last year, but throughout America, people are living in war zones. It’s time — no, it’s past time — for commonsense gun legislation in response to the reality that children are dying because deadly weapons are so readily available.
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