SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin sponsored and successfully passed two measures that will benefit students and higher education institutions in the new year.

“Throughout the year, I visited numerous colleges and universities across the state and was able to identify some problems that we could address immediately,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Our higher education institutions wanted easier access to recruit in-state students, and community college students needed to be able to utilize technical education programs that their home districts do not offer. We addressed both of these this year.”

House Bill 3759 makes student directory information electronically available through a secure centralized data system for official recruiting representatives of public higher education institutions in Illinois. The measure will allow colleges and universities to reach high school students with educational and career opportunities more effectively and at a lower cost.

House Bill 2503 will give community college students access to career and technical education programs at surrounding community colleges if the student’s home district does not offer the program. Under current law, for example, a Galesburg resident enrolled at Carl Sandburg College who wants to enroll in the Highway Construction Careers Training Program (HCCTP) at Black Hawk College would have to transfer to Black Hawk and pay out-of-district tuition rates. With Halpin’s new law, the Galesburg student will now be considered a member of the Black Hawk College district for the HCCTP, allowing them to pay in-district tuition rates while still being enrolled at Carl Sandburg for other courses.

“Our state has a bright future and so many kids who want to learn and stay in Illinois for school,” said Halpin. “It’s important that we provide them the opportunities to do just that.”

Both laws take effect on Jan. 1.

ROCK ISLAND — State Senator Mike Halpin announced Hodge Park in Rock Island will be receiving $44,800 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for a new walking trail.

“Hodge Park is a familiar place to my family. Whether it was learning tennis on its courts, or spending time with friends on the playground as part of the city's Adventure Camp, my kids enjoyed their time spent there,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “These improvements will allow future generations of Rock Island kids to create those same, lasting memories.”

More than $3.7 million was awarded to 19 different communities, which will be used to help meet the growing demand for improved trails and outdoor recreational facilities. Grants may be used for land acquisition, trail construction and rehabilitation, purchase of equipment for trail development and maintenance, restoration of areas damaged by unauthorized trail use, construction of trail-related support facilities such as parking and restrooms, and educational programs.

The 19 recipients were recommended for funding by the Illinois Greenways and Trails Council, which is overseen by IDNR and is made up of representatives of statewide motorized and non-motorized user organizations, state agencies, organizations involved in greenways and trails and metro-area greenways and trails coalitions.

“We are most appreciative of the grant support for the trail at Hodge Park in Rock Island,” said Rock Island Parks and Recreation Executive Director John Gripp. “The trail will be located in an area that does not have trails and will be appreciated and used often by the community.”

To see a full list of recipients, click here.

ROCK ISLAND — State Senator Mike Halpin joined State Representative Gregg Johnson and the Illinois Department of Transportation on Wednesday to announce the completion of the I-280 bridge over the Mississippi River in Rock Island.

“I am grateful for the leaders that prioritized this funding and helped make this bridge a reality,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “But I want to offer a special 'thank you' to the skilled tradesmen and women that built this bridge from the riverbed up. We are lucky to have an amazing workforce in Illinois and we are a better state because of it.”

The $49.7 million project began in 2021 with the demolition and replacement of the I-280 westbound bridge deck, followed by the eastbound bridge deck in 2022. The final stage of the project, which patched and resurfaced I-280 from the bridge to the Illinois 92 interchange, was combined with another $16 million improvement that extended the work from the Illinois 92 interchange to east of the Milan Beltway. Additional work included bridge painting and lighting upgrades at Illinois 92.

The combined projects improved more than six miles of I-280 through Coal Valley, Moline, Milan and Rock Island. The interstate also serves the Quad City International Airport, which is estimated to generate nearly $650 million annually in economic impact and support nearly 4,400 jobs, according to an IDOT analysis of the state’s airports.

“We call it the Quad Cities for a reason: every town on both sides of the river needs one another to thrive,” said Johnson (D-East Moline). “This bridge is not just connecting two neighboring states, it is connecting one community split by a mighty river.”

Four years of Rebuild Illinois projects have seen over $12 billion invested in 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges, and 762 additional safety improvements. For information on other Rebuild Illinois projects happening throughout the state, visit idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois.

SPRINGFIELD — A measure sponsored by State Senator Mike Halpin that changes the minimum amount of coverage farm mutual insurance companies are required to provide was signed into law Friday.

“Protecting our farmers against unpredictable forces of nature is crucial for sustaining our agricultural output,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “It is our duty to ensure farmers have access to insurance coverage that protects their investments and keeps our agricultural division resilient.”

Senate Bill 765 requires farm mutual insurance companies to have and maintain adequate catastrophic reinsurance, rather than unlimited catastrophic reinsurance—which limits the company’s exposure on any loss to 20% of its policyholders’ surplus. ACR provides coverage up to a predetermined limit, which allows the insurer to manage costs more effectively. UCR, on the other hand, can incur higher premiums due to the increased risk transferred to the reinsurer.

The Illinois Department of Insurance had previously interpreted the Farm Mutual Insurance Company Act as requiring unlimited catastrophic aggregate reinsurance coverage. This would have led to 44 farm mutual insurance companies in Illinois being unable to offer coverage this year under the requirement, potentially leaving over 51,000 policyholders uninsured. Under the new law, companies will allow broader access to reinsurance products and risk capital, helping to avoid disruptions in the farm mutual community. This will allow the marketplace to correct and set appropriate pricing for policyholders, ensuring farmers have access to coverage.

“This is a major win for farmers and farm mutual insurance companies,” said Halpin. “This law is proof of our commitment to the wellbeing of our state’s agriculture. ACR will be a lifeline for farmers, ensuring they can continue to feed our communities and drive our state’s agricultural success.”

Senate Bill 765 was signed into law on Friday and goes into effect immediately.