State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago 3rd) issued the following statement today in response to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the Gun Dealer Licensing Act:

“Gun violence continues to plague many communities across our state.

Gun violence is what took my two nephews away from me and my family during the summer of 2015. Gun violence is what left 17 families hopeless after their loved ones were murdered ruthlessly in the Florida mass shooting.

Gun violence is what threatens the streets of Chicago day in and day out. How many more people have to die before we enact critical gun reform legislation?

We have a public safety issue and this is a common sense solution. It is highly irresponsible of this administration to ignore the realities that plague our communities.

I urge Governor Rauner to put the people of this state first before partisan politics— Reconsider Governor.”

 SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) released the following statement after the governor’s Budget Address:

“This governor continues to offer dispassionate cuts to the programs that impact the lives of so many people in this state. I beg the governor to roll up his sleeves and join us at the bargaining table this year.

He and his administration need to take a walk in somebody else’s shoes for once, because these cuts do more harm than good to the people we serve. We in the Senate have reached bipartisan support on a number of budgetary issues, and I suggest he join us. Last year, we passed a plan that provided certainty and stability to violence prevention, health care and addiction treatment services, along with programs like Teen Reach.

This year, he plans to cut funding for those services. We understand we cannot have everything, but we need to, at least, keep the services that help people rebuild productive lives in the communities that need it most.”

In an effort to protect governmental information from phishing schemes and coordinated cyber-attacks legislation backed by State Senator Mattie Hunter (D- Chicago) was signed into law that will require state employees to take cyber-security training on an annual basis.

“Hacking experts are becoming more creative by identifying new ways to obstruct governmental information systems,” said Hunter. “Training our employees in cybersecurity is critical in reducing the risks of such sophisticated attacks.”

The initiative was modeled after a Florida law which was enacted to ensure that the state’s data and staff resources are maintained reliably and safely and are recoverable in the event of a disaster.

“This legislation will not only improve the accessibility of electronic information and information technology but will increase education, employment and access to governmental information and services,” said Hunter.

The security training attached to House Bill 2371 will include:

• Detecting phishing scams
• Preventing spyware infections
• Preventing identity thefts
• Preventing and responding to data breaches

The legislation becomes effective Jan. 1, 2018.