CHICAGO– State Senate Bill Cunningham announced two social service providers in Alsip and Oak Lawn are set to receive a combined total of $432,000 to offer reliable and accessible transportation options for people living with disabilities.

“People with disabilities are valuable members of our community, and we need to look out for opportunities to increase accessibility in transportation wherever possible,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This is vital funding because it ensures residents have access to reliable transportation for things like medical appointments, the grocery store and service programs.”

Through the Consolidated Vehicle Procurement Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation, more than 500 paratransit vehicles valued at $57.1 million have been awarded to 113 transit providers. The vehicles are delivered to public transportation providers as well as nonprofit organizations serving seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Park Lawn School and Activity Center in Oak Lawn was awarded $240,000 for two vehicles. The nonprofit organization provides services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including community day services and supportive employment.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to shield Illinois employers from costly lawsuits without rolling back the state’s strict digital privacy protections, State Senator Bill Cunningham filed Senate Bill 2979, which makes changes to the liability guidelines in the Biometric Information Privacy Act.

“Given the rash of cybersecurity breaches we hear about, Illinoisans should be proud that we have arguably the strongest digital privacy laws in the nation. However, our laws have not kept up with changes in technology, which has left some small businesses facing overwhelming financial liabilities,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “SB 2979 will keep the current privacy restrictions in place and hold violators accountable, as well as ensure businesses are not unfairly punished for technical violations of the law.”

Under BIPA, private entities must obtain written consent before collecting and storing biometric information, such as an employee’s fingerprint. If a business is sued for violating BIPA, they can be ordered to pay damages for each instance where biometric information is collected — even if they repeatedly collect the same information. This has led to situations where an employer can be ordered to pay millions in liquidated damages, and in a case involving White Castle, billions of dollars, because each collection counts as a separate violation. For instance, businesses that use digital fingerprinting systems for employee timekeeping often take swipes of each employee’s fingerprint multiple times per shift — like when the employee arrives for work, leaves for and returns from a lunch break, or checks out at the end of the work day. Under BIPA, each of those swipes can qualify as a violation of the law if the employee has not provided written consent, exposing the business to a minimum of $1,000 in damages every time a swipe is taken.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham spearheaded legislation that expands access to savings accounts for people living with disabilities, known as the Senator Scott Bennett ABLE Program.

“ABLE accounts provide much-needed protections for people living with disabilities and their families by allowing them to build financial wellness without risking their federal government benefits,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “We chose to expand this program because it’s proven to work and is a testament to our commitment to those who deserve our support.”

House Bill 3641 makes expansive changes to the Senator Scott Bennett ABLE Program, which helps people with disabilities and their families save and invest for expenses related to living with a disability without jeopardizing their eligibility for certain government benefits. The measure allows people over the age of 18 to start an IL ABLE account and enables the accounts to conserve additional benefits, such as VA benefits.

“As our friends and neighbors with disabilities continue to navigate everything that life throws at them, it’s my hope that this measure can empower them to live with dignity,” said Cunningham.

House Bill 3641 was signed into law Friday. To read more about the Senator Scott Bennett ABLE Program including benefits and eligibility, click here.

CHICAGO – State Senator Bill Cunningham announced that 11 school districts across the Southwest Suburbs will receive over $8 million in evidence-based funding, in addition to the base funding that the state provides.

“Making sure that our schools are properly funded makes a big difference on student outcomes,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This evidence-based funding helps schools provide high-quality education that students and families deserve.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing its state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.