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Senate Majority Caucus Appropriations Leader Elgie R. Sims, Jr. celebrated Illinois receiving its 11th credit rating upgrade since 2021 as Moody’s Investors Service – one of the nation’s major rating agencies – announced Illinois’ latest upgrade Wednesday.

“This achievement is yet another signal of the fiscal stewardship of Illinois Democrats – proving that Illinois is an excellent investment under our leadership,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Our fiscal turnaround is a testament to our state’s resilience and our dedication to financial prudence without reducing essential services. This is what fiscal responsibility looks like in action.”

A state’s bond rating is a measure of its credit quality. A higher rating means the state can borrow at a lower rate, saving public dollars from going toward interest costs – benefiting not only taxpayers but also local governments.

CHICAGO – Families and businesses that have been impacted by the severe storms, tornadoes and flash flooding across the Chicagoland area this summer could be eligible for recovery assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration as well as waived tax penalties and interest, State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. announced Friday.

“Following a disaster, it’s important for the community to come together and help each other heal,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “Disaster tax relief and assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration can give families and business owners the boost they need to bounce back.”

Earlier this month, the SBA approved Illinois’ disaster declaration for Cook and Will counties for damage resulting from the July 27 and Aug. 9-11 storms. Residents in the surrounding counties of DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake and McHenry are also eligible to apply for the SBA’s long-term, low-interest disaster loans.

The declaration makes three types of loans available:

• Business Physical Disaster Loans: Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventory, supplies, machinery and equipment.  These applications must be received by the SBA no later than Oct. 19, 2026.
• Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private nonprofits meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a result of the disaster. These applications must be submitted to the SBA no later than May 18, 2027.
• Home Disaster Loans: Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles. These loan applications are due Oct. 19, 2026.

SPRINGFIELD — Illinois will distribute emergency payments to help cover the loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits caused by the Trump administration’s attacks on the program, thanks to a plan State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr. fought tirelessly to pass.

“The creation of the FRESH Program is Illinois stepping up to help our neighbors with food insecurity when the federal government fails to,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “This program provides immediate support for those who lost or received reduced SNAP benefits due to changing eligibility, ensuring that they will be able to put food on the table for themselves and their family.”

Over one hundred thousand Illinois residents have lost or are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits due to federal requirements signed into law last summer by the Trump administration – placing them at immediate risk of hunger. Beyond instituting new 80-hour-per-month work requirements, the federal administration also removed exemptions for veterans, homeless individuals and young adults aging out of foster care – people who already face significant hardships and are more likely to live in poverty.

To recognize and honor the history and legacy of Emmett Till, State Senators Mattie Hunter and Elgie R. Sims, Jr. led a newly signed law to honor July 25 of each year as Emmett Till Day in Illinois.

“Emmett Till’s legacy represents both the pain and power of our history and the ongoing fight for racial justice,” said Sims (D-Chicago). “As we teach our children and grandchildren about Emmett Till, let July 25 serve as an opportunity to remember our truth, demand justice and find strength in his life, story and memory.”

House Bill 4323 designates July 25 as Emmett Till Day in Illinois, recognizing Till’s life and legacy and acknowledging the significance of his death in the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Till’s story remains deeply connected to Illinois and serves as a powerful reminder of the work that remains in the pursuit of racial justice.

At just 14 years old, Emmett Till was abducted, tortured and lynched in Mississippi after being falsely accused of interacting with a white woman. His murder and the decision by his mother to publicly display the brutality of the crime galvanized the civil rights movement and awakened the conscience of the nation.

“Emmett Till’s story is a painful chapter in our nation’s history, but it is one we must continue to remember and teach,” said Hunter (D-Chicago). “By recognizing Emmett Till Day, we honor his life, the courage of his mother Mamie Till-Mobley and the generations of advocates who have fought for justice and equality.”

House Bill 4323 was signed into law Thursday.