SPRINGFIELD – After nearly a year of advocating for health care reform, State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) is excited that the massive health care reform bill she supported is finally becoming law.

“The Black community has experienced so much premature death at the hands of systemic racism,” Van Pelt said. “While this legislation won’t solve everything with the sign of a pen, I am confident that the measures in this bill will right the wrongs in our state healthcare system, giving Illinoisans of color increased opportunity to attain emotional and physical wellness.”

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SPRINGFIELD – A measure sponsored by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) that would create a Forensic Science Commission passed the Senate Thursday.

“This very measure is why we have hearings, to guide the legislation that impacts culture,” Van Pelt said. “There are still people awaiting answers as the DNA backlog decreases, and a commission is needed to improve coordination between police and forensic scientists to help further the decrease in the backlog.”

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CHICAGO – Nearly a year after the world saw George Floyd murdered on tape, a jury found ex-police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of his murder. State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) released the following statement in reaction to his verdict:

“Last summer, the entire world was horrified by a murder that lasted eight minutes and 46 seconds. Though a trial was not necessary to prove what we all saw with our eyes, I am satisfied that this time, the criminal justice system worked.

“Though Derek Chauvin’s direct actions resulted in George Floyd’s murder, Chauvin is not the only one responsible for this tragedy. Chauvin and his actions are a part of a larger problem in this country, where racism has been embedded in our largest systems, policing included.

“Convicting Chauvin is just the beginning, and we must take more action to dismantle systemic racism, similar to the SAFE-T Act in Illinois, if we want to increase equity in the criminal justice system.

“I vow that as long as I am living, I will do all that I can to support and enact such measures. I hope that George Floyd’s family is able to find peace and comfort with this verdict.”

CHICAGO – State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) is outraged after viewing the footage of police shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo, and released the following statement:

“My heart goes out to the family of Adam Toledo. The video confirms something Black and Brown Americans have known for centuries: The police force was never created to protect us.

“People who have vowed to protect and serve cannot keep lying to the public and expect trust and civility in return – especially when Black and Brown families keep losing their loved ones to police bullets. The marginalized cannot keep witnessing the death of their kin and believe their lives matter in this unjust world.

“This cycle of police violence cannot continue, and I will continue to advocate for more justice and accountability from such oppressive systems, starting with the Chicago Police Department.”