JOLIET – The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program is now open to all income-eligible households, and State Senator Rachel Ventura is urging eligible families to apply to receive assistance with natural gas, propane and electricity bills.

“As colder winter weather quickly approaches, keeping warm can be expensive,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “With that in mind, I encourage all eligible residents to apply for assistance.”

LIHEAP provides one-time payments directly to energy service providers on behalf of recipients. While the amount of support varies based on the needs of individual families, last year over 311,000 households received LIHEAP, with an average of over $1,000 per household.

All income-eligible households can now apply for assistance, and applications will be accepted through Aug. 15, 2024, or until funds are exhausted. The energy bill assistance program offered through the Help Illinois Families Program in program year 2024 will provide $237 million to eligible families for energy bill assistance.

For more information or to apply to the program, visit HelpIllinoisFamilies.com or your local agency.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois is now leading the way toward a cleaner, greener future thanks to a new law championed by State Senator Rachel Ventura that will require state-owned vehicles to be zero emission.

“To tackle the ongoing climate crisis, Illinois needs to be a frontrunner in clean energy investments,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “One such way to help is by investing in zero emission vehicles to deliver big gains for both our environment and our economy.”

Senate Bill 1769 will require passenger vehicles purchased or leased by the state to either be a manufactured zero-emission vehicle or converted into a zero-emission vehicle by 2030. Exceptions will be made for law enforcement and IDOT vehicles.

Highway vehicles release about 1.4 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year — mostly in the form of carbon dioxide — which contribute to the global climate crisis. The continuous adoption of zero-emission vehicles has the ability to move the nation close to an 80% decrease in transportation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Ventura’s measure will play a major part in reducing emissions at the state level – ensuring Illinois keeps its promise to build a healthier, more equitable and energy efficient state following the passage of the historic Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021.

“I’m proud to see the state implementing tangible solutions to meet clean air standards as transportation is the leading source of air pollution,” said Ventura. “I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure our state is taking bold and substantial steps toward 100% clean energy reliance.”

Senate Bill 1769 was signed into law by the governor on Friday.

JOLIET – State Senator Rachel Ventura announced that a total of $400,000 has been awarded for recreational trail development projects in the 43rd Senate District to help meet the growing demand for improved trails and outdoor recreation facilities thanks to funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“These projects will provide improved trails so that families, bike riders and more can safely travel throughout our community,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Necessary recreation improvements will increase trail connectivity for people in Lockport and Woodridge.”

Lockport will receive $200,000 toward its Eighth Street pedestrian bridge and Woodridge Park District will also receive $200,000 for a new bike trail through Hawthorn Hill Woods.

The IDNR program provides up to 80% reimbursement to local grant recipients for the cost of trail projects, with local sponsors providing the balance of the funding.

“It’s crucial that the state continues to focus on improvements in park districts as they provide a safe space for people to relax and come together as a community,” said Ventura. “I look forward to seeing more improvements in the future to ensure every resident has an easily accessible, safe and well-maintained space within their local parks.”

A total of 19 projects were recommended for funding by the Illinois Greenways and Trails Council, which is overseen by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and is made up of representatives of statewide motorized and non-motorized user organizations, state agencies, organizations involved in greenways and trails, and metro-area greenways and trails coalitions.

To see a full list of recipients, click here.

CREST HILL – Shortly after taking office, State Senator Rachel Ventura visited Stateville Correctional Center to learn more about their educational programs and how she could address recidivism. Under a pilot program, Ventura worked with DePaul University and the Illinois Department of Corrections to onboard an intern at Stateville who would work closely with her office to advance legislative initiatives.

“We still don’t know how these individuals’ lives will be transformed once they are out of prison, but we know for sure they have the capacity to learn and succeed academically,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Every time I step foot into Stateville, I can see and feel the transformative change that is happening through this program. We need to expand these programs to ensure these individuals can live honest, successful lives.”

Ventura’s intern, Lynn Green, is one of the first students to graduate from Northwestern’s Prison Education Program (NPEP) with his bachelor’s degree while at Stateville, as well as the first student to serve as an intern for a state senator. As part of his internship, he analyzed several Department of Juvenile Justice reports from state agencies and the ACLU regarding Illinois’ county-run juvenile detention facilities. He shared his findings and recommendations with Ventura and her staff to be used in future legislative initiatives. Green also wrote case studies on some of his peers who are participating in the NPEP program to document the progress of an incarcerated individual.

Green aspires to be a teacher, therapist or psychologist and plans to pursue a master’s degree while behind bars and staying engaged with Ventura’s office on legislative matters.

“My perceptions of self were low, false and without real ambition. It was difficult for me to see myself as anything but a failure,” Green said about the program. “But that slowly began to change as my educational opportunities grew … as if I were given a new set of eyes.”

“I will continue to work with the Department of Corrections and higher educational programs to recruit a new group of interns who will be able to assist me in working on issues for the 2024 spring legislative session,” said Ventura. “I hope more lawmakers will onboard interns from the NPEP to assist their offices and help open doors for these individuals once they return to society.”