SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Senator Linda Holmes has released the following statement in response to Thursday’s vote in the Senate to amend a criminal justice reform law that address issues of pretrial fairness in House Bill 1095:

“I appreciate the months of work by the stakeholders in this long process to reach consensus in amending the SAFE-T Act,” Holmes (D-Aurora) said. “As promised, numerous clarifications were made so that the bill would be interpreted and enacted in a uniform manner throughout the state in each of our 102 counties.”

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Aurora – The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the health inequities facing communities throughout Illinois. Two organizations in Kane and Kendall counties have been awarded funding to implement health equity strategies, State Senator Linda Holmes announced Wednesday.  

“The pandemic revealed undesirable inequalities in health outcomes for people in minority and rural communities,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “This makes prioritizing access and inclusion in health care more crucial than ever.”

Activating Relationships in Illinois for Systemic Equity (ARISE) is a joint initiative of the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Center for Minority Health Services and The Center for Rural Health, in collaboration with Well-Being and Equity (WE) in the World.

Kane County’s Rainbow Café and Coordinated Care Alliance in Kane and Kendall counties are two of the 18 organizations across Illinois awarded funding to address systemic health disparities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Aurora, Ill. – Senator Linda Holmes is encouraging those who skipped mammograms in recent years get back to their health care provider as soon as possible, as the National Cancer Institute says an estimated 9.4 million screening tests did not happen during the pandemic.

“October 21 is National Mammography Day, and it is a particularly urgent time to schedule annual mammograms as we’ve learned how many screenings did not take place in recent years,” Holmes (D-Aurora) said. “Studies show that screening mammography can help reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer among women ages 40 to 74, and especially for those over age 50.”

The prognosis for breast cancer is best if the diagnosis occurs in the condition’s earliest stages. The Illinois Department of Public Health is urging women who have delayed their screenings to take action now.

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Aurora – Thanks to support from State Senator Linda Holmes, the City of Aurora will receive a $3 million investment as part of the Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets program.

“Aurora is a great, growing city and our local business districts are what make our area a fantastic place to live and work,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Investing in our business community will help build an equitable recovery from the pandemic, create jobs and grow a stronger local economy.”

With new federal funding made available through the American Rescue Plan Act, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity administered grants to 50 commercial corridors throughout the state. The City of Aurora received $3 million to make needed improvements to the Broadway Avenue corridor street and streetscape.

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