Jones pushes for parents to be on charter school boards

SPRINGFIELD – A parent or guardian would be required to be on charter school boards of directors under an initiative from State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago).

“Parents have the strongest interest in a school doing well because they have a child attending there,” Jones said. “They wouldn’t be using the position as a springboard for higher office.”

Currently, charter schools are administered and governed by their boards of directors or other governing bodies in the manner provided in their charters.

Also under the legislation, every voting member of a charter school’s board or governing body must complete a minimum of four hours of professional development leadership training.

“Parents will be getting training to make certain they are familiar with the roles and responsibilities of being on the school board,” Jones said. “Overall, parents will ensure the students’ interests are the top priority.”

House Bill 3659 passed the Senate Education Committee and is scheduled to go to the Senate floor for further debate.

Jones: Laquan McDonald death will not be swept under the rug

SPRINGFIELD – Associate judgeships in Cook County circuit court would be converted to resident judgeships under a proposal sponsored by State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago).

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Jones votes to raise the minimum wage to $15

• Minimum wage

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago) voted today to increase the Illinois minimum wage to $15 by 2025.

If approved and signed by the governor, it would be the first minimum wage increase in Illinois in a decade.

“Increasing the minimum wage is something we have been waiting to do for years,” Jones said. “Personally, I’ve been eager to see the minimum wage increase again since coming to the Senate in 2009.”

Under the proposal, the state’s minimum hourly wage of $8.25 would increase incrementally to $15 per hour between now and 2025. The legislation, Senate Bill 1, also calls for a tax credit to help businesses that employ fewer than 50 workers offset the wage increase.

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