SPRINGFIELD –To honor the one million Irish-Americans living in Illinois, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is working to designate April 18 as the Republic of Ireland Day in Illinois.

“I am proud that my district is home to a diverse group of immigrants and the descendants of immigrants, a large group of whom are of Irish descent,” Murphy said. “It is important for us to commemorate the lasting impact Irish-Americans have made by designating this day.”

On April 18, 1949, Ireland officially declared itself independent from Great Britain. Therefore, this date is significant to many Irish-Americans, and there are many events and celebrations in its honor across the state.

Murphy’s bill would require the governor to issue a proclamation announcing the recognition of Republic of Ireland Day 10 days in advance, and designate the official events that are being held in honor of the day. Since Illinois has a large population of Irish-American immigrants and many gatherings in celebration of Irish holidays, such as the country’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago, designating the Republic of Ireland Day as a commemorative day would further honor Irish-American immigrants in Illinois.

“Irish-Americans are a fundamental part of Illinois history and our state’s culture,” Murphy said. “Designating April 18 as the Republic of Ireland Day will let them know how much we appreciate their contributions throughout history, and how they are presently valued as members of our communities.”

Murphy is the chief sponsor for House Bill 4811. The bill awaits review in the Senate State Government committee.

SPRINGFIELD –Affording higher education could get easier for middle class students in Illinois, thanks to a new measure sponsored by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines).

“Middle class families often struggle with the cost of higher education,” Murphy said. “This measure can provide some relief to ease this financial burden that many working parents face."

Currently, there are many initiatives making higher education more affordable for children of low-income families. However, there are few programs that provide assistance to middle-class families, who also come under large financial strain when sending their children to college but are unqualified to apply for existing relief programs because of their income.

To address this issue, Murphy passed a measure which would allow a taxpayer who either is a student or claims one or more students as dependents to earn a tax credit of up to $1,000 toward tuition and fees for Illinois public institutions of higher education.

“Studies prove that students who pursue additional education post high school are financially more successful in life. Providing some relief of this financial burden gives students the tools to succeed,” Murphy said. “Granting tax credits for middle-class students at Illinois public universities will inspire them to look into great opportunities they may have from attending an Illinois school. I am confident this program will be transformative for middle-class student’s success.”

Senate Bill 1145 passed the Senate on Wednesday. It now goes to the House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD –In efforts to provide an additional level of protection to renters who pay for parking, State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is sponsoring a new measure which would require property seeking to tow their vehicles provide a personal notice to residents before removing their vehicle.

“Towing a resident’s car without their knowledge creates many issues for the car owner—finding the money to get the car back, finding alternative transportation to work, running late for work and many other issues,” Murphy said. “We must ensure that car owners are receiving appropriate notice before their car is towed.”

Under current law, property owners are required to provide written instructions before towing vehicles. However, distributing only physical warnings causes many residents who may not be able to physically receive mail to miss the notice, leaving them to deal with the cost to get their car back. In one such instance, a resident in the district Senator Murphy represents was out of town and could not receive the written notice, and came back to find their vehicles were taken to a storage facility without their knowledge. One of which was sold at auction and demolished. After hearing from this constituent, the Senator wanted to modernize this law to ensure there is clear communication between property and vehicle owners in the event of a vehicle being towed and prevent similar situations from happening.

Murphy’s measure would require property owners to provide notice and ensure the notice was received by the lessor when there is an established agreement for parkings. This means property owners are required to, at a minimum, contact the vehicle owner via a telephone call, text message, or an email to the address or number provided by the vehicle owner at least three hours before the vehicle is towed.

“Having your car towed can be extremely inconvenient, costly and frustrating,” Murphy said. “I know most residents would do anything they can to prevent it from happening. This bill will make sure property owners actually make contact with a vehicle owner before towing their vehicle without their knowledge, so that residents have all the information they need to act if their car is at risk of being towed.”

Senate Bill 3629 passed the Senate on Wednesday with bipartisan support. It now goes to the House for further consideration.

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) was proud to stand with her colleagues to announce the founding of the Illinois Assyrian Caucus at a press conference on Wednesday, as well as her role as a founding member the group.

“The district I represent is strengthened by its diverse population, including a large community of Assyrian immigrants” Murphy said. “Forming this caucus will help us highlight issues that are concerning to the Assyrian-American community and represent them like they deserve.”

Assyrians are a transnational ethnic group indigenous to parts of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. Over 80,000 Assyrian-Americans live in Illinois, and they have formed vibrant cultural communities throughout the state. To ensure this community is represented best in government, Murphy and her colleagues formed the Assyrian caucus.

The group is made up of eighteen founding members with bipartisan support and is committed to learn about the challenges Assyrian-Americans face to better address these issues through their work as Senators. Senator Murphy is hopeful that this caucus will give Assyrian-Americans a greater voice in state government.

“For a community that has been historically oppressed, it is especially important to make sure they are being heard moving forward and that’s being reflected in our initiatives,” Murphy said. “I want to make sure that everyone in my district feels welcome and represented by their government.”

Senator Murphy and the rest of the Assyrian caucus look forward to supporting Assyrian-American interests as the legislative session continues.