Joyce measure to expand mental health counseling to coroners passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce passed a measure through the Senate that would ensure county coroners and medical examiners are able to receive mental health counseling if needed. 

“Coroners are critical in assisting law enforcement and our judicial system,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “By taking care of these employees we can prevent turnover and burnout.”

Senate Bill 2770 would add coroners, deputy coroners, county medical examiners and deputy county medical examiners to the definition of first responders for the purpose of providing them mental health counseling without any cost-sharing.

Coroners and medical examiners, like other first responders, are regularly exposed to traumatic scenes. This legislation would ensure they have access to no-cost mental health counseling, promoting workforce well-being and retention.

Read more: Joyce measure to expand mental health counseling to coroners passes Senate

Joyce moves to expedite safety decisions at dangerous intersections

SPRINGFIELD – After calls for change from local communities, State Senator Patrick Joyce advanced a measure that would expedite safety and infrastructure decisions at problematic intersections on state roads in Will County.

“I think about the communities of Manhattan, Peotone and Manteno who feel helpless when accidents keep happening,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “Some of these communities have seen massive growth over the last ten years, and the infrastructure needs to keep up with that growth.”

Senate Bill 3275 would require the Illinois Department of Transportation, in consultation with local agencies, to identify and conduct a road safety assessment of the 10 most hazardous state-controlled intersections in Will County located south of Interstate 80. The legislation would address delays faced by municipalities and counties in the 40^th District when seeking IDOT review.

By requiring a formal safety review and report to the Illinois General Assembly, the bill would prioritize potential fixes, such as design changes, traffic control adjustments or other safety measures, to reduce crashes and improve roadway safety in that region.

Read more: Joyce moves to expedite safety decisions at dangerous intersections

Joyce hunting rifle bill passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Patrick Joyce passed a bill through the Senate that would increase the max capacity of centerfire hunting rifles.

“Looking at youth hunting, this specific type of rifle is easier to handle and therefore safer to use,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “This would put us on par with other states and give a nice boost to the hunting industry statewide.”

Senate Bill 2756 would increase the max capacity of centerfire rifles from one to three rounds. This would put Illinois on par with all other states, as Illinois is the only state that institutes a single-shot limit on centerfire rifle capacity. Joyce led previous legislation that formally legalized the use of single shot centerfire rifles for deer hunting season. Since its introduction, centerfire rifle use among youth hunters has jumped to just over 50 percent.

Read more: Joyce hunting rifle bill passes Senate

Joyce encourages residents to pursue repairs from storm damage

KANKAKEE – State Senator Patrick Joyce is encouraging Kankakee County residents affected by the March 10 storm to begin pursuing repairs now that preliminary damage assessments are complete. The assessments were conducted by the Kankakee County Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“My gratitude goes out to the officials at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency for their hard work over the last few weeks getting these damage assessments done,” said Joyce (D-Essex). “Now residents in the area can begin to rebuild what they’ve lost.”

Read more: Joyce encourages residents to pursue repairs from storm damage