VILLA PARK – Starting Jan. 1, 2019, Illinois will have a new law on the books to fight the misuse of taxpayer dollars.

The law sponsored by State Senator Tom Cullerton will eliminate severance packages for employees that have been fired for misconduct and limit government-paid severance packages to an amount no greater than 20 weeks of compensation.

“This commonsense law will protect Illinois taxpayers from being on the hook for the actions of discredited public officials,” Cullerton said. “This will help put a stop to the state handing out blank checks to those who fail to do their jobs.”

The law was brought forward by Cullerton in partnership with the Better Government Association.

The Daily Herald reported that suburban taxpayers are often hit the hardest by this practice. Government administrators are frequently advised to grant rich severances in an attempt to head off employment litigation, so the law is aimed at counteracting these actions.

Some of the employees who were fired for misconduct have received severance pay packages.
Cullerton’s new law will be known as the Government Severance Pay Act and is expected to save taxpayers millions of dollars over the next decade.

“The days of handing out bloated severance packages to disgraced public officials are coming to an end,” Cullerton said. “Our state cannot afford to waste a single penny, especially to help folks who treat taxpayers like their own personal piggy bank.”

Senate Bill 3604 passed the Senate and House with unanimous support. Cullerton will continue to work to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in the 101st General Assembly which is scheduled to start at the beginning of the new year.

VILLA PARK – State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is proud of the efforts made by DuPage County Law Enforcement to safety dispose of unwanted prescription drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements and pet medications year long.

More than 10 local police departments will participate in National Drug Take on Saturday, Oct. 27, but Cullerton wants to remind residents that many of these locations are available year-round to promote efforts to eliminate the abuse of controlled prescription drugs.

“The opioid addiction does not discriminate,” Cullerton said. “We must work together to keep unnecessary drugs out of our homes to prevent and eliminate the opioid crisis in our communities.”

The following police departments are safe disposal locations for unwanted drugs year-round: Addison Police Department, Bensenville Police Department, Bloomingdale Police Department, Elmhurst Police Department, Glen Ellyn Police Department, Glendale Heights, Itasca Police Department, Roselle Police Department, Villa Park Police Department and Wood Dale Police Department.

Cullerton has worked to address the heroin and opioid abuse and addiction through monumental legislation. The law he championed combats the opioid epidemic in a variety of ways, such as requiring state agencies to develop a three-year heroin and opioid drug prevention program and expanding state-funded treatment to include addiction treatment and prescription costs.

“Our work to end the opioid overdose epidemic in Illinois and across our nation is far from done,” Cullerton said. “We cannot rest until this crisis is eliminated from our communities. Until then our top priority will remain putting protections and precautions in place to save lives.”

Cullerton urges DuPage County residents to give his Villa Park Office a call at (630) 903-6662 with any questions regarding where to receive help fighting opioid addiction.

Here is a list of permanent drug take back locations (or click here):

• Addison Police Department, 3 Friendship Plaza, Addison, IL 60101
• Bensenville Police Department, 345 E Green Street, Bensenville, IL 60106
• Bloomingdale Police Department, 201 S. Bloomingdale Road, Bloomingdale, IL 60108
• Carol Stream Police Department, 505 E. North Avenue, Carol Stream, IL 60188
• Elmhurst Police Department, 125 E. 1st Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
• Glendale Heights Police Department, 300 Civic Plaza, Glendale Heights, IL 60139
• Glen Ellyn Police Department, 65 S Park Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
• Itasca Police Department, 540 W. Irving Park Road, Itasca, IL 60143
• Roselle Police Department, 103 S. Prospect Street, Roselle, IL 60172
• Villa Park Police Department, 40 S. Ardmore Avenue, Villa Park, IL 60181
• Wood Dale Police Department, 404 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale, IL 60191

 Here is a list of all locations participating in National Drug Take Back Day (Saturday, October 27, 2018):

• ​Addison Police Department, ​3 Friendship Plaza, Addison, IL 60101
• Village of Bartlett, ​Village of Bartlett, 228 South Main Street, ​Bartlett, IL 60103
• Bensenville Police Department, 345 E Green Street, Bensenville, IL 60106
• Bloomingdale Police Department, 201 S. Bloomingdale Road, Bloomingdale, IL 60108
• Carol Stream Police Department, 505 E. North Avenue, Carol Stream, IL 60188
• Elmhurst Police Department, 125 E. 1st Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
• Glendale Heights Police Department, 300 Civic Plaza, Glendale Heights, IL 60139
• Glen Ellyn Police Department, 65 S Park Blvd, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
• Itasca Police Department, 540 W. Irving Park Road, Itasca, IL 60143
• Roselle Police Department, 103 S. Prospect Street, Roselle, IL 60172
• Villa Park Police Department, 40 S. Ardmore Avenue, Villa Park, IL 60181
• Wood Dale Police Department, 404 N. Wood Dale Road, Wood Dale, IL 60191

VILLA PARK— A new report from WBEZ confirms Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Administration withheld information that could have saved lives at the Illinois Veterans Home at Quincy, and State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) is calling for a criminal inquiry.

“This report confirms that the governor’s office deliberately delayed notifying families and the public of a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak,” Cullerton said. “This goes beyond negligence. This is willful endangerment of a vulnerable population that it is our sacred duty to protect. This is criminal neglect.”

Legionnaires’ disease claimed the lives of 14 veterans or their spouses at the Quincy home and sickened nearly 70 residents and staff. Now, state records show that Rauner’s administration waited weeks – and in some cases months – in 2016 and 2017 to publicly acknowledge additional cases of Legionnaires’ disease.

“Gov. Bruce Rauner prioritized political games over the lives of our U.S. service men and women and staff at the state-run veterans’ home,” Cullerton said.

Cullerton is urging the Illinois Attorney General’s office to consider criminal charges against Gov. Rauner and any other officials directly involved in the decisions to conceal the truth.

“If residents, loved ones and staff had all of the facts better decisions could have been made that would have saved lives,” Cullerton said. “The governor and his administration need to be held accountable.”

There is precedent for such charges. In Michigan, Attorney General Bill Schuette brought charges against high-ranking state and former city of Flint health officials related to the Flint drinking water crisis. Cullerton believes similar charges should be considered in Illinois.

“We need to find out how many more deaths were caused by exposure to Legionnaires’ disease at the veterans home. We need a larger investigation to further examine their criminal negligence,” he said.

Cullerton served in the Army from 1990 to 1993 as an infantryman and has been a staunch advocate for Illinois’ veterans, especially those at the Quincy home.

“The state of Illinois has failed to give the veterans at the home the same basic dignity they put their lives on the line to protect for all of us,” Cullerton said. “There has to be some accountability for those that willfully endanger the heroes under our care to save political face.”

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Department of Defense recently recognized State Senator Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park) for his leadership in shaping policies that positively impact the lives of service members and families in Illinois.

“I’m honored to receive this prestigious designation for my efforts to better the lives of our military personnel, veterans and their families,” Cullerton said. “Our nation’s heroes have served our great country with honor and respect and have made countless sacrifices to protect our freedoms. The new laws we passed this year serve as a small token of appreciation for all they do to keep us safe.”

Cullerton served in the Army from 1990 to 1993 as an infantryman. He continues to use his military experience to implement commonsense legislation that makes resources easily accessible for Illinois’ veterans.

The DoD award was signed by Ms. Ann G. Johnston, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, for Cullerton’s “leadership on public policy changes positively impacting the quality of life of Service members and their families residing in Illinois.”

As the Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Veterans Affairs, Cullerton passed a series of new laws that are now in effect in Illinois. For a list of the laws click here.

Cullerton urges DuPage County residents looking for military assistance or with questions or concerns regarding these new laws to call his Villa Park Office at (630) 903-6662.