CHICAGO – In order to give more students a chance to participate, State Senator Bill Cunningham is extending his Summer Book Club to Sept. 15.

“Reading is a great way for students to continue learning outside the classroom,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “We’re extending this year’s Summer Book Club to allow more kids a chance to participate.”

The Summer Book Club is open to18^th District students. Students are required to read eight books of their choice, record the names of the books on a form, and return the form to Cunningham’s district office by Sept.15. Every child who completes the Summer Book Club will receive a gift card and a certificate from Senator Cunningham.

The Summer Book Club deadline is extended from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15.

Summer Book Club forms are available to download at SenatorBillCunningham.com. People with questions can reach out to Cunningham’s office at (773) 445-8128.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced a bill through the Senate that gives law enforcement stronger tools to track down the criminals bringing illegal guns into Illinois neighborhoods.

“This is about giving our police the tools they need to track down illegal guns and the people that traffic them into our communities,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “When we can trace more guns and share more data across jurisdictions, we can solve more crimes and keep more dangerous individuals off our streets.”

Under current law, firearm tracing is limited to specific scenarios. The measure broadens that scope by requiring firearm tracing in all cases where a gun is recovered at the scene of a crime, used unlawfully or is believed to be associated with a crime. The bill also asks every law enforcement agency in Illinois to participate in the federal eTrace program, providing investigators with faster, more complete data on gun origins, trafficking patterns and crime links. This will ensure consistent reporting and firearm tracing across all counties, helping to close investigative loopholes and make communities safer statewide.

“We know most gun owners follow the law,” said Cunningham. “This bill is about finding the people who don’t—and stopping them before they can do more harm.”

House Bill 1373 passed the Senate on Saturday.

CHICAGO – State Senator Bill Cunningham secured $3 million for a sidewalk project near Hazelgreen Elementary School in Alsip. The grant was awarded under the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“Something as simple as an accessible sidewalk can provide peace of mind to parents who have kids going back a forth from school,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This is part of the village’s promise to keep kids safe, and I was glad to play a role in securing the funding.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced a measure through the Senate that would specifically set aside funding for the city of Chicago to purchase and repair emergency service vehicles like fire trucks and ambulances.

“In an emergency, people expect a reliable fire truck or ambulance to show up,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the Southwest Suburbs. “This legislation makes sure that the money collected from ambulance rides goes directly toward upgrading emergency vehicles, not diverted elsewhere.”