SPRINGFIELD – April 18th will now be considered Republic of Ireland Day and official events held on the day will be officially designated by the governor, thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines).

“It is important for us to show our respect for Irish-Americans’ history, culture and impact on our great state by designating events on Republic of Ireland Day,” Murphy said. “This measure will send a message to the Irish-American community that we appreciate their history and contributions to Illinois, and will continue to celebrate them for years to come.”

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

Murphy’s law called for the governor to issue a proclamation announcing the recognition of Republic of Ireland Day within 10 days of April 18th, 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, designating the Republic of Ireland Day as a commemorative day would further honor Irish-American immigrants in Illinois.

“Irish-American immigrants and their decedents have made immense impacts on our state—in the past and in the present,” Murphy said. “Designating the Republic of Ireland Day celebrates the one million Irish-Americans who call Illinois home, and ensures we remember their contributions to our diverse community.”

House Bill 4811 was signed into law Tuesday, April 19.

SPRINGFIELD – More counties across the state may soon have access to funding for expressway cameras, thanks to a measure championed by State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines).

“Crimes on expressways are not exclusive to Cook County,” Murphy said. “If we want to prioritize public safety, we need to make sure Illinoisans in all parts of the state have access to the best crime deterring technology—expressway cameras assist the police as they investigate crimes on the road.”

Cameras are an important resource for law enforcement to investigate crimes that occur on the road. Under current law, the Illinois Department of Transportation must use revenue from the Road Fund to fund any cameras on expressways under their jurisdiction. Murphy’s House Bill 4481 would expand the funds available for cameras by including expressways under the Illinois Tollway Authority’s jurisdiction. The Tollway must include funds intended for cameras in their annual budget request.

House Bill 4481 would also expand this law to allow for expressway cameras to be purchased for Boone, Bureau, Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Henry, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Macon, Madison, McHenry, Morgan, Peoria, Rock Island, Sangamon, St. Clair, Will and Winnebago counties—making sure these communities are also able to monitor and investigate any unlawful activities on their expressways. The program is subject to appropriation.

This measure is part of the Senate Democrats’ public safety initiative, a group of bills aimed at addressing rising rates of crime throughout the state. Senator Murphy is hopeful that this measure will help bring justice in the event of a crime on expressways, and to deter them from happening in the first place.

“My constituents are concerned about rising crime across the state,” Murphy said. “This bill, and many others this session, will give law enforcement officers the tools they need to investigate crimes—making our communities safer for our families.”

House Bill 4481 passed the Senate on Friday. It now goes to the governor’s desk for final consideration.

SPRINGFIELD – After months of negotiations with lawmakers, state agencies, and other stakeholders, State Senator Laura Murphy (D—Des Plaines) is declaring the budget and tax relief plan a win for working families, who will receive nearly $2 billion in financial assistance.

“Not only did we pass a balanced budget and an ample tax relief plan, it’s a package that provides an unprecedented investment to help low and middle-class families,” Murphy said. “I’m proud to have helped create a plan that prioritizes working families in our community, and will give them a path to bounce back after the challenges of the past two years.”

In addition to providing relief for working families, the budget invests an additional $200 million than what was initially proposed for public safety. The budget allocates funds to strengthen violence prevention programs, the tools law enforcement need to prevent and solve crimes, and more.

Further, the tax relief plan includes a suspension on the 1% state grocery tax for a year, as well as a suspension of the state’s portion of the gas tax increase—saving consumers approximately $470 million in total.

Additional support for working families and teachers is back-to-school tax relief through a sales tax holiday in August, a teacher classroom supplies reimbursement and an increase in MAP grants permitting more college students access to tuition assistance.

"This package makes essential investments in our communities. It’s the right path for families and small businesses to reap success,” Murphy said. "We are also making providing additional funding to law enforcement—permitting additional tools to make our communities safer.”

If signed by the governor, the Fiscal Year 23 budget will take effect July 1, 2022.

SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Laura Murphy (D-Des Plaines) is strongly supporting the Illinois State Democrats’ package of initiatives focused on supporting law enforcement officers and improving the state’s criminal justice system.

“Law enforcement officers bravely risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe,” Murphy said. “I am proud to support legislation aiming to keep them safe in the line of duty, and make sure they have the tools they need to address rising crime rates.”

Among the measures Murphy supports are: House Bill 4608, which allows grants for body cameras to cover storage of video data, and House Bill 3893 allows investigators to continue recording conversations for qualified sex and drug offenders.

The package also includes legislation to address mental health concerns many law enforcement personnel experience from witnessing difficult situations in the line of duty. House Bill 1321 would create a fund to provide behavioral health services to first responders, making mental health care more accessible for the law enforcement community.

Further, to encourage people to consider a career in law enforcement and support those who continue to serve their community in this field, House Bill 4228 would require a county sheriff’s salary to equal at least 80% of the county states attorney’s salary; this promotes fair compensation across the state. The measure ensures sheriffs are adequately compensated for their current duties and prior work experience as officers. House Bill 3863 creates the Law Enforcement Recruitment and Retention Fund to support departments through the hiring and training processes and improve retention strategies.

“Our law enforcement officers are willing to protect us at great cost to their own safety,” Murphy said. “I’m happy to stand up and advocate for their concerns and needs.”

With the support of The Illinois Sheriff’s Association, the Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Senator Murphy plans to continue to work with her colleagues to advance these bills before the scheduled April 8 adjournment.