CHICAGO — State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest) issued the following statement after a verdict was reached in the trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan:

“Today we are reminded that integrity must be at the foundation of public service. As lawmakers, our duty is to work in the best interest of the people — not ourselves. We are entrusted with the responsibility to place ethics above power and profit.

“It is time to turn the page on corruption in the statehouse. For years, I have championed ethics reform legislation to strengthen transparency and accountability within our state government. The people of Illinois expect credibility, trust and honesty from their elected officials, and they deserve nothing less.”

DEERFIELD — Building on Illinois’ commitment to expand job creation and support capital investment throughout the state, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the expansion of Fortune Brands Innovations headquarters in Deerfield.

“The State of Illinois’ business attraction incentives are stronger than ever under Governor Pritzker’s leadership,” said State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “EDGE incentives are supporting Fortune Brands Innovations’ HQ expansion in Deerfield, and I’m proud to see this innovative company poised for continued growth as it creates and retains hundreds of good-paying jobs.”

Fortune Brands Innovations — an industry leader in creating home products under brands such as Moen, Larson, SentrySafe and Master Lock — will consolidate and streamline its U.S. divisional headquarters operations into a single global headquarters in Deerfield, creating at least 400 new full-time jobs.

LAKE FORESET – State Senator Julie Morrison is hosting a mobile Secretary of State event in Lake Forest, which will give area residents the opportunity to access some Secretary of State services at a location in the community, rather than visiting a Secretary of State facility.

“The Mobile Unit makes it easier for some to receive necessary services at a convenient location,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “Spots are very limited, so make an appointment today.”

The event will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Lake Forest City Hall – located at 220 E. Deerpath Rd. – in the City Council Chambers.  Appointments are required and limited to 48 and must be made by calling Senator Morrison’s office at 847-945-5200. Walk-ins are not guaranteed service.

The ability to apply for a first-time Real ID at mobile events was recently added to the list of services available through the Mobile Unit. Other services that will be available are

• Driver’s Licenses (Renewal, Duplicate, Corrected)
• State ID Cards (First Time, Renewal, Duplicate, Corrected) (no fee for ages 65 and older.)
• Vehicle Registration Stickers (expiring within the current year)
• Organ and Tissue Donor/Voter Registration with License or ID Application. (Not available as a standalone service)

Proper documentation must be provided in order for Mobile Unit staff to accept license and ID applications for processing. A chart of acceptable documents may be found at https://www.ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_x173.pdf

Accepted forms of payment are Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover Credit, and Debit cards. Personal check or money order for the exact amount due for services dated on the date of the transaction.

No written or road exams will be administered. Drivers aged 78 and older will need to visit a Secretary of State facility to renew their driver’s license.

SPRINGFIELD – Nearly a year after State Senator Julie Morrison, her family and hundreds of people in the Highland Park community ran for their lives as a gunman opened fire on the town from a rooftop, she championed a new law to enhance public safety at large outdoor gatherings through the use of drones.

“As we enter parade and festival season, it’s more pertinent than ever that law enforcement are equipped with the most  modern tools and training to keep communities safe,” said Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “It’s simple: drones will save lives. We can’t let another community feel the sheer terror and heartbreak that Highland Park still feels a year later. Today we’ve taken a positive and commonsense step toward a safer Illinois.”

Tragically last year, a sniper fired into the Highland Park Fourth of July parade, killing seven and injuring 48. Morrison was walking in the parade with her family at the time.

She filed legislation last fall, and teamed up with her colleague State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) – who had a separate mass shooting tragedy in her district in 2019 – to bring their efforts together this spring.

The two tragedies led Morrison and Holmes to work in tandem with their local police departments to enhance public safety for future events. Together, they passed House Bill 3902. It allows law enforcement to use drones to monitor special events, like parades and festivals, to detect breaches and identify public safety issues.

“The City of Highland Park appreciates the work of Senators Morrison and Holmes leading on legislation that will broaden the use of drones by public safety in certain situations, specifically for preventative use against public safety threats towards public gatherings,” said Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering. “Allowing our public safety personnel the use of drones to monitor large scale public events will increase their ability to secure an area, and save time while improving the delivery of life-saving services.”

Addressing concerns about drone surveillance and privacy, the law sets specific limits on where and how drones can be used, restricts photography, prohibits facial recognition or onboard weapons, and adds reporting and retention constraints. Only events held in public outdoor spaces owned by the state, county or municipality can be monitored.

House Bill 3902 was signed into law Friday and takes immediate effect.