Across the state, emergency services volunteers spend hours training, responding to incidents and assisting first responders. In many cases, their response efforts allow law enforcement and fire personnel to return to patrol or to their stations to respond to the next call.

To ensure these volunteers receive compensation for their often-thankless work, State Senator Cristina Castro is working to pass a measure that would enable disaster and emergency services volunteers in Illinois to qualify for the volunteer emergency worker tax credit.

To give people the opportunity to ask questions, engage in discussions with their neighbors and learn more about what’s going on in the community, State Senator Cristina Castro is inviting residents to join her for a cup of coffee and conversations.

“The voice of community members shapes the work I do each day – in our district and in Springfield,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “I encourage anyone who wants to meet and chat about how we can work together to make our neighborhoods even stronger to stop by and join us.”

The event will be held Tuesday, April 2 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Bear Family McDonald’s located at 1480 Larkin Ave. in Elgin. This event serves as an open forum for community members to engage in informal conversations with the senator and each other about issues facing the region and the state.

A new measure led by State Senator Cristina Castro to proactively address substance use disorders during pregnancy and safeguard maternal and infant health cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

“Compassion and support are crucial for upholding the health and wellbeing of all mothers and infants,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “By establishing this task force, we can take a proactive stance to address substance use disorders during pregnancy and find ways to holistically support families with newborns.”

The bill is a response to recommendations from the Illinois Maternal Mortality Review Committee, as substance use disorders are a leading cause of maternal mortality in the state. The Illinois Department of Public Health found that the leading cause of pregnancy-related death from 2018 to 2020 was substance use disorder, which comprised 32% of pregnancy-related deaths.

State Senator Cristina Castro advanced a measure that would enable volunteers who serve at local disaster and emergency services agencies in Illinois to qualify for the volunteer emergency worker tax credit.

“When disaster strikes, emergency services volunteers are there to provide assistance, perform damage assessments, remove debris and, ultimately, help our communities recover,” said Castro (D-Elgin). “Giving them the ability to claim the same tax credit as volunteer firefighters is one small way we can extend our gratitude for their service while providing an incentive for others to volunteer in their communities.”