SPRINGFIELD – At a meeting of the Illinois Senate Black Caucus earlier this week, State Senator Willie Preston was elected by his colleagues as the new caucus chair.
"I am deeply humbled and grateful to my colleagues for entrusting me with the honor of serving as Senate Chair of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “This is an extraordinary responsibility, and I do not take it lightly. Together, we stand on the shoulders of the trailblazers who came before us, and it is our duty to continue fighting for the progress Black communities deserve.”

The Illinois Legislative Black Caucus advocates on behalf of the Black community, ensures inclusion and diversity within legislation, and works diligently to improve the health and social outcomes for Black Illinoisans.

“As chair, my focus will be ensuring that every Black family in Illinois has the tools they need to thrive,” said Preston. “We must continue the work of building a strong and inclusive middle class where families have access to good-paying jobs that provide dignity and stability.”

Preston intends to use his position to address and find solutions to the systemic inequalities continuing to face Black Americans daily.

“Every child, regardless of their ZIP code, deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for a bright future. We must confront the inequities in our healthcare system, ensuring that Black Illinoisans can access affordable, comprehensive care, and we must work tirelessly to make our neighborhoods safe and vibrant places to live and grow,” said Preston. “From expanding access to trade schools to fostering economic opportunities for minority-owned businesses, I am committed to advancing policies that address the systemic barriers Black Illinoisans face and championing initiatives that create a fairer, more just state for all.”

Preston will serve as chair during the transition into the 104th General Assembly, which is scheduled to be inaugurated on Jan. 8, 2025.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston’s measure to overhaul archaic testing and promotion procedures for Chicago firefighters will go into effect Jan. 1.

“Previous legislation contributed to a divide between the Chicago Firefighters and the state resulting in a weakened Chicago Fire Service,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “I take pride in the men and women of the Chicago Fire Department trusting me to lead this measure and overhaul an archaic testing and promotional process that hindered the career of so many of our bravest residents.”

The law changes the current promotion process for Chicago firefighters enacting that Chicago firefighters will no longer be exempt from the Fire Department Promotion Act. The purpose of the law is to create a more standardized process of promotions to align with every other fire department in the state where the Fire Department Promotion Act works.

The Fire Department Promotion Act oversees the promotion process for firefighters and requires fire departments to prepare a promotion list, which determines an employee's position in line for a promotion. A number of factors including the score on a written test, a person’s seniority, and a person’s score on a subjective evaluation will determine a person’s position on the list. This measure will particularly help minorities in the department who have long proposed changes to the old system.

“Our first responders put our communities first and risk their lives each time the sirens go off,” said Preston. “This law puts them first by listening to their concerns and providing them with long overdue changes to their promotion process.”

Senate Bill 1707 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

CHICAGO — State Senator Willie Preston announced that three school districts across the 16th District would receive over $25 million in funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.

“Students in the community and across Illinois deserve to have their education prioritized,” said Preston (D-Chicago). I am pleased to see us deliver on these promises through evidence-based funding, ensuring that the schools who need it most are taken care of.”

The funding comes from the 2017 Illinois Senate Democrat-backed evidence-based funding formula — an overhaul of the way the state funds K-12 education. The law made school funding more equitable by calculating the needs of individual school districts and basing its state revenue on those needs. The formula takes into account a district’s total enrollment, poverty rate and number of special education or English language learners, among other factors.

Local school districts set to receive funding through the formula:
• Indian Springs School District 109: $817,795
• Ridgeland School District 122: $1,596,159
• Chicago Public School District 299: $23,357,289

The Fiscal Year 24 budget invested $350 million in funding into students’ success through the evidence-based funding model.

For more information on the FY 24 evidence-based funding distribution, visit the Illinois State Board of Education’s website.

CHICAGO – State Senator Willie Preston is thrilled to announce a Juneteenth Day celebration in his community, taking place at O'Hallaren Park on June 19 from 1-5 p.m.

“By holding events in our community we can educate the next generation on the importance of this historic date, while also giving them an opportunity to have some fun and enjoy the festivities!” said Preston (D-Chicago).