Welcome to Senator Bill Cunningham Legislative Website

Cunningham measure expands opportunities for deputy sheriff recruitment

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced legislation that would help law enforcement agencies recruit and retain qualified deputy sheriffs.

“Departments across the state are facing ongoing staffing shortages, and we need to make sure qualified young adults have a pathway into public service careers,” said Cunningham a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This legislation helps modernize recruitment standards while maintaining important training and probationary requirements.”

Senate Bill 1700 would maintain the current minimum age requirement of 21 years old for county police officers, while allowing individuals to serve beginning at age 20 if they have completed two years of law enforcement studies at an accredited college or university. The measure would also allow correctional officers and full-time deputy sheriffs not employed as county police officers to be appointed beginning at age 18.

Under the bill, county police officers would continue to serve a probationary period of at least 12 months. Correctional officers and full-time deputy sheriffs not employed as county police officers would serve a 15-month probationary period.

“This is about giving departments more flexibility while ensuring public safety remains the priority,” Cunningham said. “By strengthening recruitment efforts and maintaining accountability standards, we can better support law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.”

Senate Bill 1700 passed the Senate on Wednesday.

Cunningham’s formalization of mobile IDs advances to the House

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham’s legislation to formalize mobile IDs and protect people’s personal device advanced to the House.

“Your phone holds some of your most personal information, and no one should be required to hand it over just to prove who they are,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “Losing possession of your phone for so many of us means losing your wallet, your ID and a bank of your personal information and photos.” 

Senate Bill 3449 —an initiative of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias – would update state law to align terminology and requirements related to mobile identification, ensuring clarity and consistency as digital ID technology becomes more widely used. In addition to formalizing mobile IDs, this bill would prohibit any relying party, including law enforcement, from physically taking a person’s phone to verify a mobile ID. The provision would ensure individuals maintain control of their personal devices during the verification process.

“People shouldn’t have to risk exposing personal information just to show identification,” said Cunningham. “This bill ensures mobile IDs are used in a way that protects both privacy and security.”

Senate Bill 3449 passed out of the Senate and moves to the House for further consideration.

Cunningham legislation to protect sensitive medical information moves to the house

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham’s legislation to prevent genetic marker data from being used by employers and insurers has passed out of the Senate.

“With the field of medicine progressing, we face a new set of privacy challenges,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “We want to encourage people to take part in these new beneficial practices, while keeping important genetic data about them out of the wrong hands.”

Senate Bill 2886 would update Genetic Information Privacy Act to expand existing safeguards to include biomarker testing, in addition to genetic testing. The measure clarifies that information derived from these tests is confidential and privileged, and may only be released to the individual tested or to those specifically authorized in writing.

Under this legislation, insurers would be prohibited from seeking or using information derived from genetic or biomarker testing, unless an individual voluntarily submits favorable results. The bill also would limit employer’s access to the information, protecting from discrimination.

“Your personal health and wellbeing should be shared with who you want, not with who’s looking,” said Cunningham. “This bill will ensure that your genetic marker information will not fall into the hands of prying employers or insurers.”

Senate Bill 2886 has passed out of the Senate and heads to the House for further consideration.

College Scholarship and Financial Aid Information

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