Harris fights to protect the rights of student athletes

SPRINGFIELD – Student athletes at Illinois colleges and universities would receive compensation from the use of their name, image, or likeness under a measure sponsored by Senator Napoleon Harris III (D-Harvey). Currently, college athletes cannot receive compensation for participating in the sports other than scholarships.

"I played college football for four years, and I remember the many times when my family couldn’t afford things we needed and wanted," Harris said. "However, on game days, the stadiums were packed, and university was making millions of dollars."

Senate Bill 2278 would also prohibit athletic association or conference from preventing a school or a student from participating in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and will not affect the student's scholarship eligibility. Ultimately this measure will ok student-athletes to generate profits for themselves through the use of their names and likenesses, such as in video games.  

The legislation would also help Illinois stay competitive with other states, like California. On September 30, 2019, California's governor a similar law, which may make that state more appealing to student athletes.

"During my time at Northwestern, I saw a lot of my jerseys with my name on them in the stands, and I didn’t make a dime from those jersey sales," Harris said. "This legislation is not just about money, it's about rights. We need to protect the rights of student athletes.”

Harris is also a co-sponsor of House Bill 3904, an identical bill moving in the Illinois House.

$35.8 Million for New Health Facility at South Suburban Community College

SPRINGFIELD – South Suburban Community College is receiving $35.8 million from the Rebuild Illinois statewide construction plan to build a new allied health facility.

The new four-story facility will be approximately 130,000 square feet. It will provide the college with a cutting-edge teaching facility to train students for health care careers. The estimated cost for the project is roughly $70 million, with nearly $17 million in state funding already released and the remaining funding being provided locally.

“I’m thrilled to see Illinois investing into a state-of-the-art teaching facility in the south suburbs,” said State Senator Napoleon Harris (D-Harvey). “This new facility will provide better job opportunities and bring more resources to students who want a career in the medical industry.”

An average of 24 percent of students at South Suburban Community College choose careers in nursing and allied professions. This new facility will help meet growing student demand for health-related education and training.

The facility will provide training for health care careers such as registered nurses and nursing assistants, community health workers, emergency medical technicians, radiologists, echocardiography technicians, occupational therapy assistants, phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, medical assistants, and medical records and coding specialists.

The facility will also provide space for new career programs, including dental hygienist, respiratory technician, physical therapy assistant, and patient care technician. In addition, it will serve as a community health center and child care center.

Clean Energy Town Hall Meeting

Senator Napoleon Harris and Representative Thadeus Jones are hosting a Clean Energy Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, September 19 at Carver Park Children's Building.

2020 Census outreach grants

• Census 2020

The deadline for the 2020 Census Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is Friday, September 6, 2019 at 5:00 pm CT. IDHS will award grants to eligible community organizations and local governments to serve as Regional Intermediaries, using their expertise and experience in executing and managing subawards, to encourage a complete count.

If your organization is interested in applying for this funding opportunity either as a potential Regional Intermediary or subrecipient, please complete one or both of these short surveys, linked below. Please note, this survey is for informational purposes only, so that potential Regional Intermediaries and potential subrecipients can connect with each other. Survey responses, including contact information, will be made public on www.census.illinois.gov.

Potential Regional Intermediary Survey
Potential Subrecipient Survey

IDHS staff have developed resources to help everyone with the NOFO application process including:

• A technical assistance webinar/slide presentation
• A catalog of GATA (Grant Accountability and Transparency Act) training webinars that dive into the specifics of the GATA process
• An outline of pre-qualification requirements for potential grantees/Regional Intermediaries and subrecipients
• A Question and Answer web page

If you have questions concerning the NOFO, please email the Illinois Census Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . If you have additional questions or suggestions, please contact Marishonta Wilker-son, Census Office Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 312-793-1756.