Murphy outlines legislation to end violence against law enforcement

DES PLAINES – As violence against law enforcement officers increases, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) joined police chiefs and other public officials to call for change.

“There is a national trend of increased violence against law enforcement officers,” Murphy said. “The very people who put their lives on the line daily to protect us deserve to be protected.”

Murphy was joined by State Representative Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines), Senator John Conner (D-Lockport) and other representatives and public officials Thursday to outline proposed legislation designed to help protect law enforcement personnel.

House Bill 4159, which Murphy hopes to lead through the Senate, would create the Police Protection Act to increase penalties for assault and harassment offenses against members of law enforcement. Under the measure assaults harassment and “officer targeting” would be a classified as Class 3 felony.

Further, state’s attorneys from each county would be required to submit an annual report that outlines the number of offenses in which a law enforcement officer was a victim, the charges filed and the ultimate disposition of each case. 

The proposed legislative package follows recent statistics reported to the FBI citing that over 60,000 law enforcement officers were injured in the line of duty in 2020 alone.

“We must work to restore respect of law enforcement personnel in our communities in efforts  to keep our communities safe,” Murphy said. “That starts by building mutual trust between our officers and the community.” 

Murphy to host assessed value webinar with Cook County assessor

DES PLAINES – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) knows just how frustrating it can be to receive an assessed value – and, in return, property tax bill – that is much higher than expected. To help residents navigate how those numbers are determined, she is hosting a free virtual assessed value seminar next week.

“Home assessments and property taxes can be both confusing and burdensome,” Murphy said. “People deserve full transparency on how their assessed value is determined.”

Next Tuesday, Nov. 16, Murphy will host an online workshop at 6:30 p.m. to break down the process of property tax assessments. She will be joined by Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi's staff to teach residents more about how their assessed value is determined, what goes into determining the assessed value, and how that factors into  their property tax bill. Staff will provide an opportunity to ask questions.

The virtual event is free and open to the public, yet registration is required. To register visit bit.ly/3050HAR.

People with questions ahead of the event can contact Murphy’s office at 847-718-1110.

Murphy to help answer health coverage questions at Wednesday event

DES PLAINES – To help people navigate open enrollment of health insurance coverage, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is hosting a virtual event Wednesday.

“It can be difficult to know your health care options and where to find affordable options,” Murphy said. “Providing informative, easy-to-understand resources to ensure your health care choices is a top priority.”

Senator Murphy will be joined by Representative Michelle Mussman, Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison, and representatives from Get Covered Illinois, the Department of Human and Family Services, and Schaumburg Township. The Get Covered Illinois team will provide comprehensive information and resources about quality, affordable health insurance coverage provided under the Affordable Care Act.

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act marketplace opened last week and goes until Jan. 15, 2022. People searching for health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act may be subject to cheaper premiums for next year due to pandemic relief. This is the ninth annual open enrollment for the ACA plans, which are available for those without health insurance through a job, Medicare, Medicaid or other source.  

“It’s important to know the critical role the Affordable Care Act plays in keeping our communities healthy,” Murphy said. “Almost every person is eligible – find out how to apply by participating in our event.”

The free virtual event will take place this Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. People interested in attending must register ahead of time by clicking here.

Murphy: Applying to college just got easier

DES PLAINES – State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is encouraging incoming college students to take advantage of a newone-stop-shop to apply for Illinois colleges and universities.

“Applying to multiple colleges can take hours of entering the same information into numerous websites and end up costing hundreds of dollars,” Murphy said. “With Common App, applying to college just got easier.”

Incoming students applying to college will now be able to submit applications to any of Illinois’ 12 public universities and dozens of private institutions using just one form on commonapp.org. Once a student makes a Common App account, they will be asked to confirm which schools they’d like to apply to and review the admission requirements for those schools. They’ll then submit their application on the website, where they’ll be able to track its status.

Low-income students and their families can apply for a waiver to help cover the application cost. Over the last two years, more than 470,000 students using Common App across the country were granted a fee waiver.

“Common App will make the process of applying to college less tedious and stressful,” Murphy said. “It breaks down barriers to higher education for low-income students, giving them a better chance at success.”

The expansion of Common App comes thanks to $1 million set aside in partnership with the governor’s office, Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois General Assembly.