Welcome to Illinois State Senator Mike Halpin Legislative Website

Halpin secures grants for local fire protection districts

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin has secured over $7,500 in grant money for two local fire protection districts.

“Rural Illinois cannot be left behind when it comes to fire safety,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “This money is for fire training and purchasing equipment. I am glad to see these state dollars go to good use.”

The Volunteer Fire Capacity grant program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, matches funds to aid fire departments in the purchase of new equipment and helps fund training. Funding is passed through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to local fire departments and fire training academies.

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Halpin’s office to continue annual Summer Book Club tradition in Western Illinois

ROCK ISLAND – To keep students minds engaged and foster creativity, State Senator Mike Halpin is continuing the annual Summer Book Club this year.

“At a time when the future looks uncertain and our young people have to navigate all the modern pressures of life in the 21^st Century, we have a responsibility to teach the value of reading to our students,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “With AI tools, misinformation and short form content running rampant, I believe reading is necessary to prepare our next generation not for what to learn, but how to learn. Books foster new ideas, expand a child’s outlook and reinforce the values of education.”

The Summer Book Club requires students to read eight books of their choice during the summer break, record the names of the books on a form, and return the form to Halpin’s Rock Island, Galesburg or Springfield office by Aug. 14. Every child who completes the Summer Book Club will receive a gift card from Halpin. Information forms are available at these local, Western Illinois libraries:

• Rock Island Downtown Library
• Rock Island Library Southwest Branch
• Rock Island Public Library Watts-Midtown Branch
• Macomb Public Library
• New Windsor Public Library
• Clover Public Library
• Galesburg Public Library
• Knoxville Public Library
• Alexis Library
• Warren County Public Library District
• Moline Public Library
• East Moline Public Library
• Silvis Public Library
• Robert R. Jones Public Library
• Colona Public Library
• Roseville Branch Library
• Village of Avon Public Library
• Bushnell Public Library
• Western District Library
• Sherrard Public Library District

Summer Book Club forms are available to download at Senator Halpin’s website. People can also fill out the form online here. People with questions can reach out to Halpin’s office at (309) 558-3612.

Halpin effort to protect student free speech on college campuses passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin’s measure to secure the rights of students, faculty and higher education institutions has passed the Senate.

“Speech, free expression and free assembly are fundamental rights guaranteed to all Americans,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “We need to stand by our higher education institutions and our students in the midst of pressure online and from the federal government to restrict these rights.”

House Bill 4304 would protect the constitutional rights of students in higher education institutions and spell out additional academic rights. These rights would include an inclusive and safe learning environment, accessibility, free expression and academic access, freedom of association and organization, peaceful protest, academic transparency, fair evaluation, educational records, protection of academic programs from political interference, career preparation, educational quality, due process, institutional accountability, financial transparency, refunds and withdrawals and right to transfer. 

The legislation would reinforce the core principles and preservation of integrity, independence, and academic freedom of its public institutions of higher education and in supporting students' pursuit of learning, inquiry, and career readiness.

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Halpin applauds plan to support schools, feed the hungry and provide tax relief to Illinoisans

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Mike Halpin released the following statement after the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2027 budget:

“There are key initiatives in this package that combat food insecurity and provide tax relief to working families. I am supportive of policies that make sure that we’re holding big multinational corporations and big tech companies financially accountable. They’re out there every day mining our data, taking that data and selling it to advertisers for a profit. They should be paying their fair share into the state’s tax system. The digital ad tax and social media license fee will support a balanced budget without placing the burden on working people.”

“This is a populist issue. I represent a district that has a median income much lower than a lot of places in northeast Illinois and Chicago, and we’re being taken advantage of by big corporations. Alongside these commonsense revenue reforms, I fought for the release of needed funds for higher education. I fought for increasing funds for lunch programs at K-12 schools to feed our kids. I fought for supplemental food assistance programs to prevent hunger as the Administration in Washington DC ruthlessly cuts SNAP benefits. I am supporting the balanced and measured spending package that prioritizes Western Illinois families with a school sales tax holiday. At the same time, I sponsored a bill to prevent retailers from using data mining to gouge consumers at the checkout lane.

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