Memorial Day is a day to remember the lives of the brave men and women who answered the call of duty to serve their country and ultimately gave their lives. So many Americans and Illinoisans made sacrifices to provide us the freedoms we have today. Today is a time to remember the hero who made our freedom possible.

“This is a huge victory for the people of the state of Illinois. This is proof that when we speak up and call out governmental overreach for what it is, we can effect change,” said Anderson. “I’m proud to be part of a caucus that sounded the alarm on this and stood up for small businesses and employers in our state. Now, we must focus that energy on re-opening the state of Illinois.”

"The way we reopen our state will have far-reaching implications on public health and our state's economy," said Anderson. "I am calling on the Senate President and Speaker of the House to schedule legislative hearings on the governor's plan."

“Following weeks of calls from my colleagues and me to bring the General Assembly back to Springfield so the people’s representatives can weigh in on the critical issues facing our state, I’m happy today that legislative leaders have finally listened. These are unprecedented times, and legislators must be given the opportunity to weigh in on decisions about public health, reopening our state, and moving our economy forward.”

“A one-size-fits-all solution won’t help get Illinois back on track, and unfortunately, we didn’t hear anything today about a regional science-backed plan to safely re-open our state. For my constituents, knowing that a plan is in development to return our state and its economy to a ‘new normal’ would go a long way to ease their minds.”

In the last couple of weeks, my office has gotten a lot of calls about Firearm Owner Identification Cards (FOID) and Concealed Carry Licenses (CCL). This week, the Illinois State Police filed emergency rules to address renewals of FOID and CCL during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Many constituents have reached out in recent days with questions about how and where to file online for unemployment. Here, we’ve pulled together some simple directions.

Small businesses looking to keep workers on the payroll have a new option in the Paycheck Protection Program. Starting today, small businesses may apply for loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that will be forgiven loans for businesses that keep all employees on the payroll for eight weeks.

With the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases growing daily, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has announced that he will be extending the state’s disaster proclamation through the end of April. This is the second disaster declaration issued by the Governor in hopes of combatting the ongoing COVID-19 health issue. 

A number of options are available at the state level to help small businesses.

If you think you may have COVID-19, here's what to do.

The Census determines how billions in federal dollars are distributed to communities throughout the nation. Take 10 minutes out of your day to fill out the census!

"This move gives taxpayers in Illinois much-needed relief at this difficult time. I want to thank the Governor for listening to us and making this happen," said Anderson. "This action brings the state's deadline in line with the extension that the federal government has already implemented. It allows Illinoisans to maintain social-distancing while also providing financial relief that helps them now.

The state’s healthcare system could soon see a wave of reinforcements coming to help in the fight against COVID-19. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) has announced changes to licensing rules that will make it easier for medical professionals who have recently left the medical field to join the fight against COVID-19 and for out-of-state health professionals to work in Illinois.

The Governor has issued a stay-at-home order starting at 5 PM Saturday, March 21, until Tuesday, April 7. We want to make sure you understand what this means for you and dispel some rumors you may have heard.

“Increasing spending and relying on the approval of the Governor’s massive tax increase is extremely irresponsible. The continuous cycle of tax more, spend more has got to end. Illinoisans have been taxed enough. The status quo here in Illinois is that it’s never enough, when in reality, it’s very possible to balance the budget under our current revenues, we just have to live within our means.”

In an effort to lessen the tax burden on Illinois workers, State Senator Neil Anderson filed legislation that would exempt overtime wages from state income tax.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is reminding older Illinoisans about the importance of fire safety.

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 Senior Illinoisans Hall of Fame awards hosted by the Illinois Department on Aging.

A dozen sites in Illinois have been added to the National Register of Historic Places of 2019 based on recommendations from the State Historic Preservation Office.

This week, Senate Republicans joined a group of bipartisan lawmakers announcing the filing of a new constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 18, which would take sitting legislators out of Illinois’ legislative map-drawing process and prevent them from drawing their own districts.

Tax season has begun as federal and state W-2 forms arrive in the mail, but according to the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR), thousands of eligible taxpayers fail to claim the both the Illinois Earned Income Credit (EIC) and the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

On Jan. 5, it was announced that $50 million in funding is being released for the first round of matching grants of Illinois’ $420 million statewide broadband expansion. Applicants for the grant are anticipated to include Internet service providers, rural cooperatives, nonprofits and local governments.

As lawmakers made their way back to Springfield this week for the start of the 2020 spring legislative session, State Senator Neil Anderson filed a bill to repeal the outdated and redundant Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) Act.

“We heard a lot of talk about the need for ethics reform, but now it’s time to put those words into action. The recent investigations and indictments of state lawmakers make it clear that if there’s ever been a time to crack down on government corruption and enact real reforms, it’s now."