Sen. Suzy Glowiak passes measure to fight human trafficking in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD – One of the fastest-growing criminal activities in the world remains largely invisible, but that could change as State Senator Suzy Glowiak works to provide hospitality workers with the tools to spot and report on human trafficking.

Glowiak (D-Western Springs) passed House Bill 3101 on Tuesday, which would require hotels and motels to train employees to recognize the signs of human trafficking and know what to do when reporting it to authorities.

“Just as we’ve discovered that teachers or hairdressers can be the ones who most readily spot the telltale signs of domestic violence, we’re learning that hotel employees might be the ones who spot human trafficking,” Glowiak said. “We all are taught to step up when we see wrongdoing, and this training will give hospitality workers the knowledge and build the confidence to be able to identify signs of human trafficking and act quickly to do the right thing.”

Under the proposal, the Illinois Department of Human Services would develop a human trafficking recognition training program for hotel and motel employees. Human trafficking is now the second-largest criminal activity in the world and the fastest-growing. The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally.

“It’s crucial that we take the lessons learned by other states and implement them in Illinois to help put a stop to this criminal activity,” Glowiak said.

House Bill 3101 passed the Senate’s Human Services Committee with unanimous support and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.

Suzy Glowiak announces 24th Senate District Photo Contest

OAKBROOK TERRACE— State Senator Suzy Glowiak (D-Western Springs) is asking local residents to highlight the rich history of the 24th State Senate District by hosting a photo contest.

“Communities across the 24th Senate District have built a strong economy, affordable housing options and solid education systems,” Glowiak said. “This competition is open to all residents of our district to join me in sharing the beauty we see every day with people across our state.”

Participants will be asked to submit a photo that encompasses the communities of the 24th State Senate District. The winners will be displayed in Glowiak’s Springfield and district offices.

“These photographers will encompass the magnificent sights of our communities,” Glowiak said. “I’m excited to see our district from your point of view.”

The 24th State Senate District includes all or parts of Elmhurst, Oakbrook Terrace, Wheaton, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Darien, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, Lisle, Lombard, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Westmont and Willowbrook. To find look up addresses in the district please visit www.SenatorSuzyGlowiak.com.

Contest rules are as follows:

• Photos can be of historical sites, buildings or landmarks as well as scenic sights within the 24th State Senate District. Participants must identify locations with street addresses or the closest intersections. The name of the location is also acceptable if it is a park or school.
• May submit as many entries as you would like before the deadline of 5 p.m. on Friday, June 14, 2019.
• Include name, phone number and location of the picture with every entry.
• Winning entries will be displayed in Glowiak’s district and Springfield offices. The photographer will be invited to the unveiling of their photograph.
• The contest is open to all ages.

Glowiak urges interested participants to call her Oak Terrance Office at (630) 785-3177 with any questions or concerns.

Suzy Glowiak rejects tax increases

SPRINGFIELD – Breaking from her colleagues, State Senator Suzy Glowiak voted against instituting tax rates that would increase the burden on residents in DuPage and Cook counties.

Glowiak voted against Senate Bill 687 which would institute tax rates if voters approve instituting a new tax system.

“Suburban families have been overtaxed for years,” Glowiak said. “Illinois voters first need to voice their opinions on the tax system before attempting to institute the means to tax residents. Instituting tax rates simply puts the cart before the horse.”

Glowiak supported a separate measure, Senate Bill 690, which would freeze property tax bills as long as the state fully funds the evidence-based school funding formula.

“It is about time that legislators provide residents with property tax relief,” Glowiak said. “This proposal will move us in the right direction to put a stop to high tax bills.”

Glowiak also voted in favor of ending the estate tax.

“The focus needs to shift to creating jobs and encouraging economic development in our communities,” Glowiak said. “I pledge to continue to work to find ways that eliminates government waste and abuse in our budget to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and effectively in Springfield.”

Glowiak urges local residents to call her office at (630) 785-3177 with questions and concerns.

Sen. Suzy Glowiak passes measure to strengthen cybersecurity breach notification laws

SPRINGFIELD – Companies would need to notify Illinois consumers of cybersecurity breaches and compromised personal data sooner under a plan by State Senator Suzy Glowiak.

Glowiak (D-Western Springs) passed Senate Bill 1624 this month, which would require companies that hold Illinois residents’ personal information to report data breaches which affect more than 500 Illinois residents to the Attorney General as soon as possible.

“Every day, we all go online to do all sorts of tasks, from paying our electricity bill to buying groceries,” Glowiak said. “We should have the peace of mind that comes with knowing our sensitive information is safe, but in the unfortunate event that a company experiences a security breach, Illinois residents should be notified in a timely manner.”

Senate Bill 1624 will require the Attorney General to publish breach notices, ensuring the information is easily and promptly accessible to residents who may need to take steps to protect themselves.

Under current law, if there is a data breach that compromises Illinois residents’ personal information, the company is required to notify the residents, but there is not yet a mechanism in place to ensure compliance.

“Illinois residents deserve to be notified as soon as possible to take steps to protect themselves,” Glowiak said. “Empowering the Illinois Attorney General to step in on behalf of consumers will help ensure there are protections in place during these unfortunate events and give them enough notice to make sound decisions.”

Senate Bill 1624 passed the Senate with bipartisan support and moves to the House for consideration.