Toro initiative to improve cyclist infrastructure becomes law

SPRINGFIELD — After a 16-year-old was struck and killed by a car while riding his bike in the local community, State Senator Natalie Toro began advocating for changes to enhance bike lane safety. Today, her measure encouraging local governments to clearly label the safety features in designated bike lanes and create bicycle transportation plans was signed into law.

“Many of us commute on our bikes daily. Without high-quality infrastructure, we are frequently putting ourselves in danger just to get to work, visit friends or get home, which shouldn’t be the case,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “This law will ensure cyclists are better protected from vehicle traffic and better prioritized in future infrastructure planning as biking is an essential mode of transportation for thousands in Illinois.”

Cyclists frequently use maps of existing bike lanes when planning safe routes to ride. However, “bike lanes” have a variety of definitions — including lanes safely blocked off from motor traffic with barriers, but also lanes only separated by drawn lines that may be utilized by parked cars or people pulling over. Without more transparency about the safety features of designated “bike lanes,” cyclists have chosen routes without knowing they may be much closer to motorists without barriers to protect them — lanes that report significantly more accidents and injuries to bikers.

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Autism sensitivity training for police now required under Toro law

SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Natalie Toro’s legislation to protect people with disabilities from violent encounters with police has just become law.

“Autism sensitivity training will make interactions with police much more comfortable for people with disabilities and prevent tragic misunderstandings,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “Through learning about the unique communication challenges people with autism may face, especially in stressful situations like encounters with police officers, members of law enforcement will be able to respond with empathy and de-escalate before a situation turns tragic.”

People with autism may experience unique challenges when interacting with police. Without proper training on how some people with autism communicate, law enforcement officers may interpret their behavior as being noncompliant with questioning or instructions. This has caused interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism to escalate quickly, resulting in unnecessary use of force, trauma and even death.

Read more: Autism sensitivity training for police now required under Toro law

Toro and Andrade community resource fair to provide support with legal aid, affordable housing, and more

CHICAGO — On Saturday, Aug. 24, State Senator Natalie Toro and State Representative Jaime Andrade are co-hosting a Community Resource Fair, designed to be a “one-stop shop” for residents looking for assistance with a variety of government agency needs and other services.

“For working Chicagoans, it can be difficult to find time to visit a government agency they need assistance from, or even research which programs are most useful for their specific needs,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “My hope for this resource fair is to take the guesswork out of reaching out to agencies for help, and create a space where people can simply show up to get the support they deserve.”

The Community Resource Fair will offer support with legal aid, affordable housing, licensure renewal, identification cards, and more essential services. Currently, other co-sponsoring partners include Concordia Place, Access Living, 211, Legal Aid Chicago, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer, Oak Street Health, and Our Lady of Mercy Parish, where the event will also be held.

• Community Organizations
• Community Resource Fair
• Legal Aid

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Initiative supporting economic development signed into law with Toro support

SPRINGFIELD — Governor JB Pritzker signed House Bill 5005 into law Wednesday, and State Senator Natalie Toro is looking forward to the benefits this measure will bring to the state, including job creation and investments in clean energy.

“I spent my ten years of teaching hearing about what my students dreamed would be their career one day. While my fellow teachers and I would do the best we could to prepare them to achieve those dreams, it was upsetting that there may not be enough jobs available for all of them to meet their goals,” said Toro (D-Chicago). “I am confident that this legislation will address these concerns and foster more job creation for our future generations.”

House Bill 5005 provides incentives for several programs supporting business development. To bolster these programs, the measure offers several tax exemptions and tax credits to encourage businesses to prioritize their investment in their communities through job creation. Additionally, the law provides tax incentives for quantum computing, an emergent industry under development by top Illinois universities. These allocations will create an incentivized enterprise zone to support quantum computing jobs and the industry as a whole in the coming years.

Read more: Initiative supporting economic development signed into law with Toro support