Ronald McDonald House donation drive

Cunningham announces new investments in local parks

Chicago- Thanks to support from Senator Bill Cunningham, the southwest side and nearby suburbs received a combined total of $955,000 from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant to help continue ongoing improvements.

“Whether it be a child’s birthday party or for a club sporting event, our local parks are an essential gathering spot for every member of our community,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “With this investment, we are ensuring our community members can participate in the activities they enjoy safely.”

OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. It’s become one of the most popular grant programs in Illinois. Since its establishment, OSLAD has awarded $675 million for park projects throughout Illinois.

A total of $36 million in grant funding was awarded to 67 local park projects across Illinois to help communities acquire land and develop recreational opportunities. In Cunningham’s district, a combined $955,000 will be used to renovate portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs, which received $600,000 to make improvements to Worth Park District’s, Gale Moore Park and an additional $355,000 for the City of Palos Hills, Krasowski Park.

Visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website for more information on the OSLAD grants.

Cunningham’s landmark energy relief measure becomes law

SPRINGFIELD- State Senator Bill Cunningham’s energy relief package has become law, which is projected to save Illinois households more than $13 billion over the next two decades, bolstering Illinois in the pursuit of a more sustainable and renewable energy future.

"This law gives Illinois the tools to keep costs under control and prepare our energy system for the future,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “It’s about making smart investments today that pay off for consumers tomorrow.”

Senate Bill 25 aims to give Illinois new tools to reduce utility rate hikes, strengthen the state’s power grid, expand renewable energy sources and keep bills low for consumers. The law contains multiple provisions to tackle rising energy costs while transitioning Illinois to a cleaner, more reliable grid.

The law incentivizes measures that lower electricity prices by addressing the demand for energy and increasing grid capacity through things like energy storage. Battery storage lowers costs over time — meaning consumers will be on track to save more than $13 billion over the next 20 years with the added three gigawatts of energy storage provided by Senate Bill 25.

“This law ensures we’re not just reacting to energy problems — we’re planning ahead,” said Cunningham. “It will help lower utility bills while strengthening the power grid that residents of our state rely on every day.”

Senate Bill 25 was signed into law Thursday.

Cunningham’s law to upgrade Chicago’s firetrucks and ambulances takes effect

SPRINGFEILD - State Senator Bill Cunningham’s led a new law that sets aside funding for the city of Chicago to modernize and purchase emergency service vehicles, like fire trucks and ambulances. “Dedicating funding to emergency vehicles will help keep our community safe during emergencies,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “Money collected from ambulance rides will now go directly toward upgrading emergency vehicles.”

Cunningham’s law sets aside 10% of funds collected from ambulance rides and places them in a dedicated fund for upgrades emergency service vehicles in the city of Chicago. The city collects around $200 million every year from private insurance companies for ambulance transportation. These collected funds are placed into the city’s general revenue fund where they are being used for purposes unrelated to emergencies.

“Making sure our community is safe has always been a top priority for me,” said Cunningham. “This will make sure that we can continue to upgrade lifesaving equipment our emergency responders depend on.”

Senate Bill 2977 takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.