SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison’s (D-Deerfield) plan to improve the transparency, accountability and effectiveness of the Department of Children and Family Services has cleared the Illinois General Assembly. It now goes to the governor for his approval.

“We have to hold DCFS to the highest standards possible,” Morrison said. “Thousands of children are depending on state government to keep them safe.”

Recycling is one of simplest and easiest ways that we can help improve our environment. Currently, Illinois has laws that require us all to recycle electronics. This not only allows for rare metals, such as copper and silver, to be harvested, but it also saves energy. Recycling one million laptops saves the amount of electricity used by more than 3,500 US homes in a year.

State Senator Julie Morrison is currently sponsoring House Bill 4227, which would make it much easier for everyone to recycle computers, cell phones and other electronics. The legislation would require the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to post the mailing addresses of electronics recycling collection sites so that people will be able to conveniently find their nearest recycler.

“I hear from people all the time who want to recycle their old cell phones and laptops, but don’t know where to go,” Morrison said. “Having a handy list of all drop-off locations on the EPA’s website would make electronics recycling much easier.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) and State Representative Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) want to end a disturbing trend: parents turning their children over to the Department of Children and Family Services because it is the only way the kids can get the mental health care they need.

“DCFS exists to help children who are the victims of abuse and neglect. It’s common knowledge that the agency is underfunded and struggles to meet its obligations,” said Morrison, who is working with the agency to try to help improve performance. “The fact that there are parents who are so desperate to get their children mental health services that they will surrender them to DCFS is a real black mark on our state. This situation needs to change.”

Morrison and Feigenholtz are sponsoring a plan that would give exhausted parents the ability to get state assistance without giving up their children to the foster care system.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) is sponsoring legislation that will allow the state to hold parents accountable when they knowingly allow children to consume alcohol in their cars, boats, campers, airplanes and other vehicles. State law already punishes parents who allow children to drink in their homes.

“We don’t allow children to drink alcohol for a very good reason,” Morrison said. “They’re bodies are still developing, and they can experience long-term health effects. Young, inexperienced people who drink are also even more likely to make dangerous decisions.”

The state legislature began to crack down on parents who knowingly turn a blind eye to teenagers’ drinking parties after several incidents where drunk teenage drivers were involved in deadly accidents.