CHICAGO — State Senator Willie Preston secured $550,000 to help the Community Development Institute revitalize the community by providing a pathway to good-paying jobs in trades.

“The Illinois works Pre-Apprenticeship Program lays a solid foundation for rebuilding our communities, household by household, by equipping people with the skills to pay the bills,” said Preston (D-Chicago).  “Apprenticeships are bridges from low-income families to the middle class, from renting to home ownership, from simply surviving to thriving.”

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awarded $19 million in grant funding through the Illinois Works Pre-apprenticeship Program to 38 organizations across the state. The purpose of the funding is to create more pathways for kids to access pre-apprenticeship programs and registered apprenticeships, which provide greater opportunities to secure lifelong careers in the construction trades. In Preston’s district, the Community Development Institute will see a total of $550,000 to support pre-apprenticeship students.

“When I was 21 years old, with a desire to provide for my family, I took a chance and enrolled in the Carpenters Pre-Apprenticeship Program,” said Preston. That opportunity changed not only the trajectory of my life, but the life of my entire family, and ultimately led me to where I am today.”

To see a full list of organizations receiving grant funding across the state, click here.

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure through the Senate that would ban harmful food additives in products sold in Illinois.

“This legislation emphasizes the importance of consumer protection across our state,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “We must ensure that we prioritize keeping children and families safe from toxic chemicals and making sure they are informed and have access to safer alternative options.”

Under Preston’s measure, the manufacturing of food products containing potassium bromate or propylparaben would be banned. Additionally, the legislation would prohibit businesses from selling or distributing food products containing these additives.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Willie Preston passed a measure to require health insurance companies to provide coverage for speech therapy as a treatment for stuttering.

“In Illinois, we are committed to providing topnotch health care for all individuals,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “This legislation grants those from all financial backgrounds with an equal opportunity to receive speech therapy services. It also gives them confidence, relief, encouragement, and support.”

Senate Bill 40 would expand coverage for speech therapy to include rehabilitative services in addition to habilitative services for any child under 19 years of age with an early-acquired disorder that is diagnosed as a speech-language disorder, including stuttering.

Additionally, the legislation would ensure the coverage would not be subject to any maximum annual benefit limit, including the number of visits to a speech-language pathologist, and would not be permitted to be limited based on the type of disease, injury, disorder or other medical condition that resulted in stuttering.

SPRINGFIELD — Under a new law led by State Senator Willie Preston, a collective bargaining process for Chicago Public Schools principals and the Chicago Board of Education when an agreement can’t be reached is now made possible.

“This law takes the necessary steps to provide an equal, adequate and fair bargaining process for our state’s largest school district,” said Preston (D-Chicago). “We must protect and respect our schools leaders as they provide a quality education to every student in the Chicago School District.”

“We owe a debt of gratitude to Senator Preston and Representative Will Davis for their unwavering dedication and perseverance, “said CPAA President Troy LaRaviere. “Politics can often feel disheartening, but standing firm for what is right for our young people reminds us of the transformative power of staying the course. Illinois legislators have proven they are committed to doing what’s right and did not let us down.”