Welcome to Illinois State Senator Mike Halpin Legislative Website

Halpin secures $69,600 for Potter’s Lake East boat launch

ROCK ISLAND – State Senator Mike Halpin has secured grant funding to replace the boat launch on Potter’s Lake in Sunset Park.

“This funding is going toward practical upgrades on Lake Potter,” said State Senator Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island). “I am glad to see an emphasis on safety and recreation with this project. Riverfront development is key to building Western Illinois’ economy, and projects like this not only bring jobs but benefit the whole community.”

The grant project will replace the existing courtesy dock at the east boat launch on Potter’s Lake in Sunset Park with a new disabled-accessible gangway and dock system. The dock will be designed to adjust to changing water levels for year-round use. Handrails will be installed to improve safety and accessibility for boating, fishing and other recreational activities.

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Halpin secures funding for Safe Routes to School in Macomb and Bushnell

ROCK ISLAND – State Senator Mike Halpin has secured a total $350,000 for projects in Macomb and Bushnell as a part of the Illinois’ Safe Routes to School Program.

“Safety is a parent’s number one concern when it comes to their children,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “We advocated for these investments to make sure students in Western Illinois have a safe way to get to school.”

The $250,000 investment to benefit Bushnell-Prairie City Elementary will bring new construction and replacement of unsafe areas of existing sidewalk and installation of ADA compliant ramps at all necessary intersections. A $100,000 investment in Macomb is being implemented to develop a community travel plan. A community travel plan is a strategic blueprint to map out specific ways to improve pedestrian and bicycle travel to and from school. Several schools in Macomb will be involved in the planning including Macomb SD 185, West Central Illinois Special Education, St. Paul Catholic and Project Insight School

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Halpin measure to keep track of Illinois student loan market passes Senate

SPRINGFIELD – In the face of higher student debt for many in Illinois and across the country, State Senator Mike Halpin’s measure to keep track of the private student loan borrowing market has passed the Senate.

“With the Trump administration placing caps on federal lending for student borrowers, we need to keep track of where the Illinois student loan market is at,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “Monitoring student loan default rates and loans with cosigners will give us a clearer picture of how students are doing with their debt and what actions Illinois can make to assist them.”

Halpin’s measure would provide that the annual report to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation should include the total number and dollar amount – instead of the volume – of private education loans made annually by a private educational lender. It should also include the total number and dollar amount of private education loans made annually at institutions of higher education, the total number and dollar amount of private education loans made annually with a cosigner, and the default rate for the private education loans reported by the private educational lender.

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Halpin secures nearly $400,000 in back wages for workers

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to a law sponsored by State Senator Mike Halpin, nearly $400,000 in back wages for workers have been secured.

“Skipping out on paying hard working Illinoisans for the wages they earned is completely unacceptable,” said Halpin (D-Rock Island). “I am glad to see this legislation paying back dividends, but we have to remain vigilant and ensure our workers are being compensated in a timely and fair manner.”

The secured back wages are, in part, a result of Senator Halpin’s Senate Bill 1344 passed last year. This law provides that any contractor or subcontractor, who the Department of Labor finds has failed to file the certified payroll for any public works project, is subject to a civil penalty. The fine would be payable to the Department of Labor, of up to $1,000 for a first offense and up to $2,000 for a second or subsequent offense no more than five years after the first offense.

The legislation allows the Illinois Department of Labor to file a verified petition against the contractor or subcontractor to enforce the final administrative decision and to collect any amounts due in the circuit court of any county where an office of IDOL is located.

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