SPRINGFIELD--State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes led legislation to clear up the timeline for people who were committed an offense under the age of 21 to petition for parole is one step closer to becoming law, passing the Senate on Thursday. 

“In Illinois, we believe in second chances, and the power of rehabilitation to transform the lives of people who have committed criminal offenses,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “We are continuing to work toward a more humane criminal justice system, and give young people the chance to apply for parole earlier and get a fresh start.”

Currently, young people who were under 21 at the time of committing a criminal offense can file a petition for a parole hearing up to three years before they are eligible for parole. If appropriately filed, the Prisoner Review Board sets a parole hearing date three years from the date it received the petition. However, sometimes a person is already eligible for a youthful parole hearing when they file a petition because they have already served the required number of years. This has caused some confusion when they file a petition over if the parole hearing can take place within a year, or if they have to wait three years for a hearing.

SPRINGFIELD—High school students may soon have access to more supports when applying for college and filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as the FAFSA, thanks to two measures led by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, which recently passed the Senate.

“There are many barriers for young people to fill out the FAFSA, including the forms being confusing for students who may be the oldest in their family or the children of immigrants with English as a second language,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “If we want our young people to pursue higher education, we need to make the process of applying for financial aid easier. Ensuring their schools have designated times and an expert on the application is an easy way to do that.”

After many students struggled to complete FAFSA applications for the 2024-2025 academic year, Cervantes and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission developed legislation to offer assistance for students wishing to fill out the FAFSA. First, House Bill 3096 would require high schools to designate a member of their staff to serve as a point of contact for students on matters concerning the application. This would create clarity on who young people can turn to if they have questions or need assistance with the process.  

SPRINGFIELD – Thanks to an initiative led by State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes, the Board of Nursing at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will have more authority to oversee the establishment and administration of new and existing nursing programs, creating consistency and a high standard of quality across all programs statewide.

“Nurses are essential to maintaining the health of our communities. It is important, for their well-being and ours, that our nursing programs meet national standards and provide transferable skills to young professionals,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This measure will allow nurses to move around the state if they choose and be recognized nationally for having an IL RN license.”

House Bill 1807 would require the Board of Nursing at the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to oversee a variety of elements of new and existing nursing programs, including accreditation standards, program remediation, withdrawal or closure of programs, and more. The measure would give the Board of Nursing authority to approve or disapprove of program directors to ensure that the person selected is qualified for the role, as well as purview over the program curriculum and faculty members.

SPRINGFIELD – To ensure more skilled health care professionals can practice in Illinois, State Senator Javier Loera Cervantes introduced legislation to better support the state’s physician assistant workforce and improve access to care.

“Too many Illinoisans are suffering adverse health effects because they have to wait to see health care providers,” said Cervantes (D-Chicago). “This initiative will streamline the process of becoming a licensed physician assistant, decreasing the shortage in the health care workforce so that more people can get the care they need more quickly.”

According to a 2020 workforce report prepared by the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center, Illinois currently has a shortage of more than 15,000 nurses. With projections of a shortage of more than 6,000 doctors by 2030, patients could face significant delays in seeing a provider, which can negatively impact their health.