Lyons Township – To enhance educational opportunities over the summer break and foster a love for reading, State Senator Mike Porfirio is hosting a Summer Book Club.

“Understanding the significance of literacy skills and the need for continued learning over the summer is extremely important,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This program will help engage and inspire young minds. I encourage families in the area to participate in the Summer Book Club and explore the joys of reading.”

The Summer Book Club requires students to read eight books of their choice during the summer break, record the names of the books on a form, and return the form to Porfirio’s office by Aug. 18. Every child who completes the Summer Book Club will receive a gift card and a certificate from Senator Porfirio.

Summer Book Club forms are available to download at SenatorPorfirio.com. People with questions can reach out to Porfirio’s office at 708-430-2510.

SPRINGFIELD – To bolster the public’s trust and establish ethical guidelines, State Senator Mike Porfirio supported a measure that addresses ongoing concerns regarding automated traffic enforcement.

“As legislators, we must continuously strive to earn the trust and confidence of the people we serve,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “It is through ethical reforms like this that we can achieve this.”

The measure prohibits campaign contributions from contractors who provide the automated traffic enforcement equipment, any political action committee created by such a contractor and any affiliates. Campaign contributions from such sources have been a cause for controversy in past years.

Further, beginning six months before an automated traffic law enforcement system is installed at an intersection, a county or municipality may not change the yellow light interval at that intersection.

Additionally, IDOT can revoke any permit for red light cameras if any official or employee who serves that county or municipality is charged with bribery, official misconduct or a similar crime related to the placement, installation or operation of the automated traffic law enforcement system in the county or municipality.

“We must be unwavering in our commitment to ethical behavior, as it ensures that we serve the public interest above all else and maintain the public’s trust in our institutions,” Porfirio said.

House Bill 3903 passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Porfirio helped spearhead a measure through the Senate making significant strides to expand the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program.

“Making the AIM HIGH program permanent will have profound impacts for our universities and residents,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This program gives our residents more in-state opportunities to pursue higher education.”

The Aspirational Institutional Match Helping Illinois Grow Higher Education (AIM HIGH) has provided merit-based, means-tested student financial aid to first-time, full-time undergraduate students and transfer students who are Illinois residents attending any of the 12 Illinois public four-year universities since 2019.

House Bill 301 makes the AIM HIGH Grant Pilot Program permanent, increases transparency in the program to allow more students to take advantage of it, increases access for part-time students and makes changes to the matching requirements for the public universities.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to provide greater protections for military service members who are survivors of sexual misconduct, State Senator Mike Porfirio, a Navy veteran, and State Representative Stephanie Kifowit, a Marine Corps veteran, partnered to advance House Bill 3103 through the Senate.

“Survivors of sexual assault must receive all the protections they deserve,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “Service members sacrifice their lives to defend our country; the least we can do is ensure that they are protected as well.”

The proposal ensures that Illinois National Guard and reserve military service members who are survivors of non-consensual sexual conduct and have received a military protective order are also protected under the state’s civil no-contact and stalking no-contact orders.

“Beyond legislative action, I know that the Illinois National Guard is working to decrease instances of military sexual assault and ensure that victims are protected in addition to raising awareness of available programs and services offered to individuals,” said Kifowit (D-Oswego). “I will continue to do what I can in Springfield to be responsive to ensure all service members can serve proudly and without fear for their safety.”

In 2022, close to 36,000 service members reported experiencing unwanted sexual contact. Broken down further, the numbers equate to 8.4% of women at nearly 16,000 service members and 1.5% of men at nearly 15,000 service members. Porfirio’s measure would align Illinois laws to ensure that survivors receive protection from both the military and the state.

“Service members who have tragically dealt with unwanted and unwarranted advances deserve the peace of mind that the state will protect them,” said Porfirio. “Everyone deserves to be protected, including those who protect us abroad.”

House Bill 3103 passed through the Senate on Thursday.