SPRINGFIELD –State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced legislation out of the General Assembly that would allow special education students to graduate with their peers, rather than leave school the day they turn 22.

“Special education students deserve a natural end to their final school year,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “They should be able to graduate with their friends and say goodbye the same way every other student does.”

Current Illinois law allows special education students to remain in school past the typical graduation age of 18, but it requires them to stop attending classes as soon as they turn 22.

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CHICAGO – State Senator Bill Cunningham announced the Illinois Department of Transportation has slated six miles of Harlem Avenue for major upgrades this year. The more-than-$7 million project includes repaving and increasing access for people with disabilities.

“Harlem Avenue is an important road connecting the southwest suburbs,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “The stretch seeing improvements is a heavily trafficked business corridor, so we need to keep it in good repair.”

The upgrades will begin just south of 62^nd St. in Chicago and end at 111^th St. in Worth. In addition to repaving, the repairs include better lane markings and divisions, and making street crossings safer and easier for people in wheelchairs or who otherwise have limited mobility.

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SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Bill Cunningham passed legislation out of the Senate Behavioral and Mental Health Committee that would help promote mental health treatment for police officers and firefighters by providing better focus for the First Responder Suicide Prevention Task Force.

“First responders have difficult, stressful, important jobs,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “They need and deserve more mental health support.”

According to studies cited by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, firefighters consider and attempt suicide at a higher rate than the general population, and nationally, between 125 and 300 police officers commit suicide every year.

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SPRINGFIELD – Under current state law, students are allowed to remain in special education courses until the day they turn 22, meaning many students are forced to leave school in the middle of the academic year. State Senator Bill Cunningham advanced legislation out of the Senate Education Committee that would allow them to continue attending classes until the end of the year.

“Special education students should be allowed to finish out their final school year,” said Cunningham, a Democrat who represents portions of Chicago and the southwest suburbs. “They deserve a more natural end to their school career and a chance to say goodbye to all of their friends.”

Cunningham and State Representative Fran Hurley introduced the legislation after they were approached by the parents of a local student who thought it was unfair that their child couldn’t finish school at the same time as their peers who weren’t in the special education program.

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