GURNEE — Lake County State Senators Mary Edly-Allen (D-Grayslake), Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) and Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) released the following joint statement regarding a pursuit of individuals involving federal agents near Warren Township High School in Gurnee on Thursday:

“Our community deserves safety, transparency and respect — not reckless behavior that endangers children and residents. Today’s event made it clear that federal agents were not taking residents’ safety into consideration, resulting in a reckless high-speed chase during a time when children were being dropped off at school.

SPRINGFIELD – To better protect the safety and privacy of public officials and their families, Senator Adriane Johnson championed legislation to remove personal information from the public domain and prevent online targeting.

“Public service should never come with threats to personal safety,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “We’ve seen far too many examples of harassment and intimidation directed at officials for simply doing their jobs. This measure provides common-sense protections that keep our public servants and their families safe, without compromising government transparency.”

WAUKEGAN — State Senator Adriane Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove) released the following statement:

“The news that Vista Hospital will no longer have emergency OB-GYN care is yet another blow to our community. The failed leadership of the previous Vista heads has left the current CEO in an impossible situation to save our hospital. It never should have come to this.

BUFFALO GROVE — Providing updates to members of the community, State Senators Adriane Johnson and Mary Edly-Allen hosted a State of Transit Town Hall last night, alongside Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart and Senate Transportation Chair State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago).

“Last night’s conversation reinforced what we already know — public transit is more than a way to get from point A to point B, it’s a lifeline for so many in our community,” said Johnson (D-Buffalo Grove). “Hearing directly from residents about their experiences helps guide our work in Springfield as we push for solutions that make transit safer, more reliable and more accessible for everyone. I’m grateful to Senator Edly-Allen, Senator Villivalam, Chair Hart and all the neighbors who joined us to share their voices and ideas.”

The Northeastern Illinois transit region is expected to hit a $771 million fiscal cliff as federal pandemic relief funding runs out. Public transit riders are currently facing issues with the system, including delayed service, a lack of routes and limited coordination of services between providers. This presents an issue for many, as they are left without reliable transportation to reach health care appointments, jobs, school and more.

During this spring’s legislative session, Villivalam, alongside his colleagues, passed House Bill 3438 through the Senate – a comprehensive piece of legislation aimed at providing safe, reliable, affordable, accessible, coordinated and economically impactful transit through viable, long-term solutions.

The town hall provided residents with information about the upcoming fiscal cliff and its potential impacts on riders, steps the Senate has taken to move Illinois toward a world-class public transit system and what is included in House Bill 3438.

“This town hall was crucial in fulfilling my office’s mission to listen to the voices of the 31st District. We had a robust discussion on the issues important to people who depend on public transportation,” said Edly-Allen (D-Libertyville). “We must focus on the transit crisis to resolve environmental and reliability concerns. Many seniors and individuals with disabilities have reached out to my office to highlight the need for reliable and consistent paratransit and other transportation options. This town hall displayed the urgency to come up with long-term, tangible solutions.” 

To learn more about House Bill 3438, click here.