SPRINGFIELD- This week, the Illinois Senate failed to garner bipartisan support for the remaining proposals in the bipartisan Grand Bargain compromise package they have been negotiating for weeks. State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) issued the statement below following the votes.

“For months, Republican Senators have asked for additional time to continue working on non-budget items. For months, universities have slashed their budgets and services for our most vulnerable citizens have been decimated while we continued to negotiate.

“There are less than three weeks left. Even the members of the governor’s own party didn’t support the reforms he has been demanding.

“It’s past time for Governor Rauner to drop his political agenda his own party can’t even support and get to work on a budget that protects Illinois families.”

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SPRINGFIELD- The Illinois Senate voted to advance House Bill 40 today to protect women’s health care choices in the event that Roe v. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court. State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines), a co-sponsor of the legsialtion, released the statement below following the vote.

“Women’s ability to make their own healthcare decisions is under attack with President Trump in the White House,” Murphy said. “I’m proud to support this proposal to protect the rights of women across Illinois.”

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SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) voted to create an automatic voter registration in Illinois last week. Senate Bill 1933, which Murphy co-sponsored, passed the Illinois Senate unopposed.

The legislation would allow Illinois citizens to automatically register to vote when they choose to renew their driver’s license or state ID. They can still opt out of registering to vote if they wish.

“Encouraging more people to get involved in the democratic process will only be beneficial to our state,” Murphy said. “The measures included in the legislation to save taxpayer money and prevent election fraud are additional benefits.”

Other states that have enacted similar proposals have seen the cost of processing an application to vote from 83 cents to 3 cents.

Penalties for submitting false voter registration data and increasing the number of cross-checks to the State Board of Elections must annually conduct between the statewide voter database and the National Change of Address Database were also included in the legislation.

It will now head to the Illinois House for consideration.

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