AURORA – Building upon the Illinois Department of Transportations’ Multi-Year Plan under Rebuild Illinois, State Senator Linda Holmes is pleased to announce infrastructure investments of $162,156,000 in road, bridge and rail crossing improvement projects in the 42^nd District. The 31 projects in the plan for Fiscal Years 2024 – 2029 include repaving, adding lanes, rebuilding bridges, replacing culverts, improving railroad crossings and upgrading safety features.

“Thanks to the ongoing Rebuild Illinois program, these investments will improve roads and bridges across the state and provide improved access to jobs and opportunities in our area,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Our counties are seeing considerable growth; transportation infrastructure expands our capacity for those commuting for work, running errands, or providing goods and services. This work also improves accessibility and safety, and creates a number of good-paying jobs.”

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AURORA – State Senator Linda Holmes announced the launch of her Summer Book Club designed to encourage young readers in the 42nd Senate District to read over summer break.

“Reading skills aren’t just for academic work at school, they help students expand their vocabulary and learn about sports, art, music, or any other thing they’re curious about or participate in,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “I hope students will pick up a book and enjoy being transported to another world and new perspectives.”

To participate in the Summer Book Club, students must read eight books of their choice during the summer break, record the names of the books on a form and return the form to Holmes’ office by Aug. 18. Each student who completes the Summer Book Club will receive a gift card for a sweet treat.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes, a frequent sponsor of animal welfare legislation, saw two of her recent measures signed into law last week: one addresses the dwindling need to use cats and dogs in laboratory settings for testing, the other takes action against roadside zoos that allow public contact with wild animals that are unsafe for the animals and visitors.

Senate Bill 1883 is Holmes’ Wild Animal Public Safety Act to address concerns with roadside zoos by prohibiting public contact with all primates and bears. These collections of animals in cages where passing motorists may stop and see, feed or play with the animals are notoriously unsafe and dangerous for people, and inhumane for the captive animals. It will take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

“The use of these animals continues a cycle of endless breeding where they are born into captivity to be used as props and business commodities,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “Their lifetime of confinement and mistreatment could contribute to an interaction resulting in harm to the person or animal in such a situation. That risk could create a terrible tragedy.”

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SPRINGFIELD – As a frightening pandemic swept across our country and the world in 2020, medical researchers and doctors scrambled to find ways to stop the spread and save lives. As during most catastrophic events, ways to commit fraud spread everywhere, creating even more victims and an extra element of suffering. Initial action was established to prosecute scammers and now, a measure from State Senator Linda Holmes has been signed into law to extend the period of limitation on prosecutions from three years to five.

House Bill 3304 says that prosecution may begin within five years following the discovery of the fraudulent act. The current statute of limitations period for fraud relating to COVID-19 relief programs is three years; this change allows the Attorney General’s Office more time to act.

“The variety of scams is staggering, perpetrated in the form of stolen identities to claim unemployment benefits, or posing as government officials demanding personal information or threatening fines, forfeiture or arrest if you don’t pay them,” said Holmes (D-Aurora). “The volume and ongoing attempts of COVID-related fraud warrant additional time to bring the fraudsters to justice.”

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