Senate Appropriations, Commerce Committees to hold joint hearing on Back 2 Business grant program

OAKBROOK TERRACE – State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) and members of the Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees will hold a joint hearing Thursday, Aug. 12 at noon to discuss the Back 2 Business small business recovery program. 

“Local businesses of all sizes and industries have faced various economic disruptions over the past year,” Glowiak Hilton said, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee. “This hearing is a collaborative effort to encourage open conversation and provide the small business community an opportunity to address DCEO and their elected officials directly.”

The B2B program, administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, is expected to distribute $300 million in economic relief to small businesses across the state to help offset losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Only testimony on the subject matter will be heard.

A livestream of the committee hearing can be viewed when proceedings begin at www.ilga.gov.  

Who: Members of the Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees

What: Subject matter hearing on the Back 2 Business grant program

When: Thursday, Aug. 12 at noon

Where: Room C600 of the Bilandic Building, 160 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60601 or Virtual Room 1 on www.ilga.gov

Glowiak Hilton to host document shred event in Elmhurst

OAKBROOK TERRACE – To provide residents with a secure option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) is hosting an event in Elmhurst offering free, safe discarding services.

Shredding trucks will be available at York Commons, located at 665 S. York Rd., from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or until the trucks are full on Saturday, Aug. 21. A limit of two boxes of documents per car will be encouraged.

“Securely discarding vulnerable documents is a strong effort to protect yourself and your family from identity fraud,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Many of us have piles of old, unnecessary documents cluttering our homes, and I encourage families to take advantage of this free community event to safely dispose unwanted papers containing personal information.”

Examples of documents with personally identifiable information that should be safely discarded include bank statements, outdated medical records, tax returns, utility bills, junk mail, credit card applications and receipts.

For more information, call Glowiak Hilton’s office at 630-785-3177.

Glowiak Hilton law aims to protect survivors of human trafficking

SPRINGFIELD – More survivors of violent crime will be able to keep their home addresses private as participants in the Illinois Address Confidentiality Program under a new law by State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) that expands protections for survivors of human trafficking.

“Violent crime survivors undergo substantial emotional and mental trauma,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By adding human trafficking to the list of crimes protected by the ACP, we’re offering survivors some peace of mind that their sensitive personal information is safe and protected against abusers.”

Glowiak Hilton’s law strengthens the ACP managed by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office by allowing survivors of human trafficking to participate and keep their addresses private.

Originally, the ACP was established to protect the locations of domestic violence survivors. Last year, Glowiak Hilton passed a law expanding protections for survivors of sexual assault and stalking, and she has now expanded the law to allow human trafficking survivors to opt in as well.

Currently, the ACP provides survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and their household members with a substitute address to use in place of their actual home, school and work addresses in public records. This helps survivors prevent their former abusers from being able to locate them.

For example, the ACP substitute address can be used by participants when creating or updating public records, such as driver’s license or state-issued identification card.

“Expanding the ACP is an integral part of a safety plan for survivors to feel protected in their communities,” Glowiak Hilton said. “This proposal works to ensure survivors have a sense of security to allow them to heal without fear of retaliation from their abusers.”

Senate Bill 593 goes into effect Jan. 1, 2022.

Glowiak Hilton to host events educating seniors on avoiding fraud, identity theft

OAKBROOK TERRACE – To help older residents protect their financial futures, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) is hosting two Silver Beat Seminars—one in Elmhurst and one in Westmont.

“We’ve seen numerous scams recently that use deceitful tactics to prey on residents,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By bringing in experts from the attorney general’s office to present and answer questions, we can better guard older residents from falling victim to scams or fraud.”

Glowiak Hilton’s Silver Beat Seminars, featuring representatives from the Illinois attorney general’s office, will be held Friday, Aug. 13. The first will start at 10 a.m. at the Wilder Mansion at 211 S. Prospect Ave. in Elmhurst, and the second will start at noon at Westmont Public Library at 428 N. Cass Ave. in Westmont.

Participants will receive information on protecting themselves from scams, tips to avoid identity theft and other useful financial services information.

“Scammers are known to target older, vulnerable residents,” Glowiak Hilton said. “By attending and participating in a Silver Beat Seminar, residents can learn how to better protect their assets.”

The seminars are not sponsored or endorsed by the Westmont Public Library nor the Elmhurst Park District.

Residents with questions can call Glowiak Hilton’s office at 630-785-3177 for more information.