CARLINVILLE – Carlinville school district officials, Mayor Deanna Demuzio, and State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) welcomed Illinois Governor JB Pritzker to Carlinville Intermediate School last week for a tour of the district’s pre-kindergarten program facilities and a meeting to discuss the governor’s early childhood education goals.

“I’m deeply optimistic about the future of child care and early education in rural communities like Carlinville and the one I grew up in,” Manar said. “We have a governor who is committed to building an early childhood education system that empowers every student in Illinois to start kindergarten off on a strong foot, and I look forward to working with him to make it happen.”

The visit took place as Pritzker gears up to build on the state’s record investment of $100 million in early childhood education programs, which will provide pre-K to 14,000 new children across Illinois. Last month, Pritzker announced a 20% increase to the reimbursement rate for child-care centers and home-based providers in certain rural and downstate communities, including Macoupin County.

"From our aggressive efforts to secure federal funding to our historic investments in early childhood programs and facilities, Illinois will become the best state in the nation for families raising young children," Pritzker declared last month. "We have so much more to accomplish for Illinois families and their children, and this administration will continue investing in the care and education our kids need to succeed."

Manar, the architect of the state’s landmark Evidence-Based Funding reform for K-12 schools in 2017, plans to help push the state’s long-term plan to deliver equitable access to high-quality early childhood education and care services for all children birth to age 5.

In December, Pritzker selected Manar to co-chair the Governor’s Commission for Equitable Funding for Early Childhood Education and Care.

(13-year old type 1 diabetic Josie Edlefson displays the newly enacted Senate Bill 667)

SPRINGFIELD - The ability of pharmaceutical companies to line their pockets on the backs of Illinoisans with diabetes is coming to an end.

Surrounded by advocates and diabetes patients young and old, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 667, sponsored by State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), making Illinois the second state in the nation to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $100 per month for all patients regardless of the supply they require. The cap applies to commercial insurance plans regulated by the state starting on Jan. 1, 2021.

“I’m deeply grateful for the brave individuals and families, some of whom are here today, who stepped up and challenged the status quo on behalf of millions of people who share their experience,” Manar said. “Their stories propelled Senate Bill 667 through the legislature with bipartisan support by evoking a shared belief that unites us all — the health and humanity of our neighbors isn’t a tool to be leveraged for exorbitant profit.”

Roughly 1.3 million Illinoisans are living with diabetes and rely on insulin to manage their blood sugar levels. Price increases have left many of them struggling to pay for the drug and at risk of deadly consequences.

“After being diagnosed almost four years ago as a type 1 diabetic, I quickly learned that I did nothing to cause this disease,” said Josie Edlefson, a 13-year old with diabetes whose family will be directly affected by the new law. “Because of this law, fewer Americans will have to make the choice to ration their insulin. No one should have to worry about paying for a necessary drug to live.”

The new law also requires the Department of Insurance, in conjunction with the Department of Human Services and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, to issue an "insulin pricing report" to the public that details findings on insulin pricing practices and recommendations to control and prevent overpricing of prescription insulin drugs.

“Health care is a right for all, not a privilege and that is why I am so proud that we created an insulin price cap that successfully puts patients above profit,” said Governor Pritzker. “As we work to address the high cost of prescription drug prices that are burdening millions all across our state, this new law is an essential step in fulfilling our promise to put state government back on the side of working families.”

Last fall, Manar worked closely with advocacy groups, including Insulin For All and AARP, to build a grassroots advocacy campaign to generate statewide support for the measure, which led to overwhelming bipartisan support in the House and Senate.

“We’ve all heard heartbreaking stories from Illinois residents struggling with the cost of prescription drugs,” said Ryan Gruenenfelder, AARP Illinois Director of Advocacy and Outreach.  “This law will undoubtedly help everyday Illinois residents who are being forced to decide whether to pay for insulin or other basic necessities with their fixed incomes.”

Manar is expected to unveil an extensive package of legislation aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs during the upcoming legislative session.

SPRINGFIELD - Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) released the following statement regarding reports that fewer than 600 non-citizens were added to voter rolls due to administrative error:

“There is absolutely no room for administrative error when it comes to properly conducting our election system. Democrats and Republicans came together and unanimously approved automatic voter registration, and we expect it to be done correctly. We need a gaugeable plan of action from the Secretary of State’s office to make sure such errors never happen again. If it takes a Senate committee hearing to get those answers, that’s the course I’ll pursue.”

GILLESPIE – The City of Gillespie will receive a $1 million state grant to support the city’s five-year plan to streetscape its downtown business district, State Senator Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) announced Monday at a joint press conference with Gillespie Mayor John Hicks and Grow Gillespie leader Dan Fisher.

The City of Gillespie is investing $700,000 into the streetscape project, which will make a series of significant infrastructure updates and reinvent the esthetic of downtown Gillespie’s Macoupin Street as a regional destination for shopping, dining, and other commerce. The project will also improve pedestrian safety and make downtown more accessible for residents with mobility challenges.

“The future of Gillespie is strong thanks to Grow Gillespie and the commitment of local leaders to working with the state to build a vibrant and welcoming business environment,” Manar said. “For the young and talented, these efforts proclaim that you don’t have to move away to get ahead in the 21st century economy. You have a right to your rural roots, and Grow Gillespie is doing the work to ensure Gillespie is a great place to raise a family and start a business for the next generation.”

Negotiated by Manar last year, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity grant was approved as part of the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure plan.

Laying the groundwork for the streetscape project is the city’s $11 million investment in a city-wide water line replacement, which is currently underway.

The streetscape design is a collaborative effort between the city and Grow Gillespie, a local group made up of volunteers, focused on fostering local pride and improving the business environment of downtown Gillespie.

“One of the our primary goals with both the city and Grow Gillespie is to make downtown ‘the place’ to be by creating an attractive and comfortable ambiance that residents and visitors alike look forward to experiencing,” said Dan Fisher, the Gillespie City Treasurer and a Grow Gillespie organizer. “Thanks to Senator Manar, we have the opportunity to move forward on our plan to revitalize our community.”