SPRINGFIELD – To memorialize a remarkable child’s life after his battle with cancer, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced a resolution through the Senate to rename 47th Street Bridge over Interstate 294 in Hinsdale after Brooks Tonn.

“Throughout his battle, Brooks was an inspiration to all who knew him by responding with positivity and resilience,” Glowiak Hilton. “With this prominent bridge dedication, his memory will be permanently celebrated in the Hinsdale community and serve as a reminder to all of his courage.”

For the last three and a half years, the bridge’s fence has been decorated with plastic cups spelling out “Brooks Strong.” Community members first decorated the bridge to show support for the Tonn family during Brooks’s fight against a rare childhood cancer, to which he succumbed in 2017, when he was only 10 years old.

To honor his generous spirit, the Tonn family created the Brooks Strong Foundation, which provides funding for pediatric cancer research and gives scholarships to children undergoing cancer treatment to cover the cost of sports or other activities.

House Joint Resolution 13 was adopted by the Senate Tuesday with unanimous support.

OAKBROOK TERRACE – To ensure residents have a safe option for shredding documents containing personal information, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) and State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) are hosting an event in Lombard offering free, secure shredding services.

Shredding trucks will be available at Lombard Village Hall, located at 255 E. Wilson Ave., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until the trucks are full on Saturday, June 12. A limit of three boxes of documents per car will be encouraged.

“A great way to protect yourself and your family from identity fraud is to securely destroy vulnerable documents,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Take advantage of this free community event by utilizing shredding equipment to safely dispose of documents with personal information, which can protect you, your loved ones or your business against fraud.”

Examples of documents with personally identifiable information that should be safely discarded include bank statements, outdated medical records, tax returns, utility bills, junk mail, credit card applications and receipts.

"Many of us have old documents with personal information piling up at home, and this event is an opportunity for residents to safely and conveniently dispose of them,” Costa Howard said. “Shredding documents is a simple way to prevent identity theft as you’re getting rid of paperwork you no longer need.”

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

SPRINGFIELD – Taking into account bipartisan input from lawmakers regarding the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s role in the state’s pandemic response, the Senate approved revisions to the agency’s unemployment benefits process with the support of State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs).

“Shortly after the pandemic started, IDES’s system was overwhelmed by applications, fraudulent claims and scammers,” Glowiak Hilton said. “These initiatives will work to ensure residents are protected against scammers and better equip IDES to handle a high volume of requests.”

The proposal was drafted using input from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to address concerns and enact solutions to IDES’s handling of the unemployment benefits application process.

Glowiak Hilton contributed a number of ideas to the plan, including a measure to protect applicants’ private information by prohibiting IDES from disclosing full social security numbers and requiring the agency to develop a process for providing identifying information other than a social security number.

“IDES has a responsibility to protect applicants’ identities against fraud and scammers,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Using an identifiable factor other than a social security number will help protect the privacy of already vulnerable applicants.”

House Bill 2643 passed the Senate Sunday.

SPRINGFIELD – To make sure students know the potentially life-threatening risks of vaping, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs) advanced an initiative through the Senate with bipartisan support to teach the dangers of e-cigarettes in school.

“As e-cigarettes become more popular among children, Illinois has a responsibility to educate our youth on the dangerous, potentially fatal side effects,” Glowiak Hilton said. “In order to keep kids from developing harmful nicotine addictions, it’s critical to teach students about the proven health risks associated with vaping.”

Glowiak Hilton’s proposal expands Illinois’ current tobacco health curricula taught in elementary and secondary schools to include health concerns associated with e-cigarettes and other vapor devices.

“Vaping can be detrimental to development for teens and young adults,” Glowiak Hilton said. “Adolescents are vulnerable to tobacco companies’ deceitful marketing ploys, and adding to the school tobacco health curricula is a strong defense to prevent children from becoming addicted at an early age.”

House Bill 3202 passed the Senate Saturday.