ARLINGTON HEIGHTS –State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) and State Rep. Jonathan Carroll (D-Northbrook) released the following statements after the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced new rules that would continue to allow students to be restrained in a prone position:

“We are disappointed in the decision to allow for prone restraints to continue to be used in schools,” Gillespie said. “Prone restraints carry the most serious risk to students and are unacceptable. When students return to school after the Stay at Home order, they should not be put in a situation where their most basic dignity can be stripped away.”

“We’ve been working in good faith with all stakeholders to ensure that students are protected, and this decision undermines all that work,” Carroll said. “It’s disappointing that special interests have manipulated this process beyond the work we’ve done to produce a comprehensive bill. We will continue our work to make classrooms a safe learning environment for all students.”

Senator Gillespie and Rep. Carroll will continue to advocate for a ban on prone restraints in their pending legislation on seclusion rooms, Senate Bill 2315 and House Bill 3975.

To keep vulnerable populations healthy during the outbreak of the new coronavirus, grocery stores throughout Illinois are offering special senior hours. See the list below for your favorite store's hours.

Read more: Find Senior Hours at Your Local Grocery Store

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Ann Gillespie issued the following statement today following Gov. JB Pritzker’s budget address:

“There were many laudable goals in the governor’s proposal today, and as we begin the work of negotiating a budget in the General Assembly, I want to ensure we don’t lose sight of many of them,” Gillespie said. “I know what my constituents demand: A budget that is balanced, that ensures we continue the growth and investment in our public schools of the last few years, and that deals honestly with the state’s pension obligations.

“We may be appropriating a budget for the coming year, but we are also creating the first part of a road map for the many years to come. For the future of Illinois, we need a responsible budget.”

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS – To commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s 211th birthday, State Senator Ann Gillespie (D-Arlington Heights) and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum announced the winners of an essay contest in the 16th President’s honor.

“I’m proud of all the students who submitted essays,” Gillespie said. “As we look to these young people to become tomorrow’s leaders, we know that an understanding of historical events and how they relate to our present-day politics is an important skill for them to learn.”

Kathryn Cataldo of Olive-Mary Stitt Elementary School in Arlington Heights won the contest for 4th and 5th Graders. Madeline Aldworth of Lincoln Middle School in Mount Prospect won the contest for 7th and 8th Graders.

Read more: Gillespie announces winners of Lincoln essay contest