Sen. Hunter and Secretary White push the organ donor registry out of committee

Secretary of State Jesse White joined State Senator Mattie Hunter (D- Chicago) in the Senate Public Health Committee today, to announce new legislation that would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to register for the state’s First Person Consent Organ/Tissue Donor Registry when they receive their driver’s license or identification card.

“Choosing to give life to another is a wonderful gift,” Hunter said. “Opening the donor registry will broaden the number of overall donations and save countless lives.”

Under current law, an individual must be at least 18 to join the registry. While this legislation leaves the decision up to teenagers, Senator Hunter and Secretary White encourage youth to discuss their decision with their parents.

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Sen. Hunter: The Governor has turned his back on Illinois once again

Following the governor’s annual budget address State Senator Mattie Hunter (D- Chicago) released the following statement:

Here we are yet again, without a proposed balanced budget. The governor has failed his obligation to provide us with a balanced budget plan. Social service providers are closing their doors due to the lack of state funding causing continuing suffering to our most vulnerable.

Today, the governor addressed the heroin and opioid crisis plaguing our state. However, for two years, he’s failed to provide adequate funding for treatment centers and providers.  

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Sen. Hunter: The new plan will re-establish trust and peace in inner-city communities

In response to the result of the U.S. Department of Justice’s investigation of the Chicago Police Department, State Senator Mattie Hunter (D- Chicago) released the following statement:

“While moving in a positive direction I support the findings of the Justice Department and Attorney General Loretta Lynch. This report confirms what most Chicago residents already know. The Jon Burge police torture conviction was a pretty clear indication.
So too were the years of police shootings and beatings.
The world saw the Laquan McDonald video and recognized our reality.

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Sen Hunter: Wednesday should be sugarless in Illinois

A spoon full of sugar may help the medicine go down, but too much sugar in your diet can mean a lifetime of expensive health problems. That’s why Senator Mattie Hunter and the American Heart Association are teaming up to promote “Sugarless Wednesday”, an initiative aimed to raise awareness of the harmful effects of added sugar in our daily diets.

“Sugarless Wednesday” began Jan. 4 with a goal of people either eliminating soda or cutting back on sweets and sugary snacks each Wednesday of the month. Minority communities are disproportionately experiencing higher rates of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer which are often linked to excessive amounts of sugar consumption.

“By taking the proactive approach, I plan to protect children and families from the epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and obesity plaguing the country and this state,” said Hunter. “Sugary drinks and snacks contribute to more than 25,000 American deaths per year. We can reduce those deaths by starting programs that promote clean eating and exercise.”

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