CHICAGO – Thanks to a new round of funding from the Illinois State Board of Education, State Senator Bill Cunningham announced seven area schools will receive a total of $350,000 in grants for infrastructure improvements.

“Funding school projects helps improve the education experience of our students,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “Prioritizing schools shows we are prioritizing students.”

A total of $30 million in 2022 School Maintenance Grants was distributed to districts across the state. To be eligible for the grants, applicants were required to match the state funds and commit to completing proposed projects within two years.

Projects made possible thanks to these grants include updates to heating and cooling, improvements to ventilation, increased accessibility throughout buildings and more.

Projects in Cunningham’s district include the following schools:

• Palos Community Consolidated School District 118
• Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123
• Evergreen Park Elementary School District 124
• Worth School District 127
• Chicago Ridge School District 127-5
• Orland School District 135
• Oak Lawn Community High School District 229

“The type of learning environment a student is in can make all the difference,” Cunningham said. “These grants show we see the needs of our students and we are stepping up by investing in their futures.”

A full list of grantees and awards can be viewed on the ISBE website.

CHICAGO – In the last month alone, three Chicago police officers devastatingly lost their lives to suicide – leading wellness professionals to call the department’s practice of canceling days off as “inhumane.”

State Senator Bill Cunningham and State Representative Fran Hurley are sponsoring measures to require the City of Chicago to give police officers a minimum of one day off each week – a move they hope will lead to a better work-life balance and, in turn, help officers prioritize their mental health.

“The overwhelming stress officers face combined with a lack of time off has become detrimental to their mental health,” said Cunningham, who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest suburbs. “This practice of canceling days off isn’t just unfair, it’s harmful.”

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CHICAGO – State Senator Bill Cunningham and State Representative Fran Hurley introduced legislation to legally require the city of Chicago to give police officers a minimum of one day off each week. The proposal is designed to end the city’s practice of routinely canceling officer’s regularly-scheduled days off to make up for chronic staffing shortages. 

“The Chicago Police Department has approximately 1,500 fewer officer than it is budgeted for,” said Hurley. “The way to fix this problem is to hire more officers, not cancel scheduled days off for existing officers and force them to work 12 or 13 days in a row without relief.”

“Canceling days off might make sense on a temporary basis during an emergency situation, but it has become a routine staffing policy for CPD and part of misguided crime-fighting strategy,” said Cunningham. “It is not only grossly unfair to officers and their families, it produces a fatigued and burned out police force that is less effective at fighting crime.”

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CHICAGO – New law co-sponsored by State Senator Bill Cunningham to give taxpayers more opportunities to provide support and resources to first responders was signed into law Friday.

“This new law creates a convenient way for us to give back to first responders,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs.

House Bill 4161 aims to increase donations to the 100 Club of Illinois by making a convenient donation option on individual state income tax returns. The 100 Club of Illinois is a nonprofit that provides resources, financial support, training and moral support to both the families of first responders killed in the line of duty and active duty first responders. All sworn federal, state, county and local first responders stationed in Illinois are included.

Similar donation options on state individual tax returns include the Wildlife Preservation Fund, Diabetes Research Fund, Hunger Relief Fund, among others.

“Funding groups like the 100 Club serves to benefit the first responder community who put their lives on the line to protect us,” said Cunningham. 

House Bill 4161 took effect immediately upon signing. The 100 Club of Illinois Fund checkoff will be available starting next year.