Senator David Koehler News

“I’m pleased to see such broad, bipartisan consensus on issues like cutting lawmakers’ pay and eliminating General Assembly Scholarships.  I think it’s a good sign that we can work together to resolve major issues.”

—State Senator Dave Koehler

Springfield, IL – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) praised his colleagues in the Illinois House for voting to pass legislation cutting lawmakers’ pay and ending the sometimes-controversial Legislative Scholarship program.  Koehler opted out of the program earlier this year, frustrated that attempts to reform it had failed and concerned that the state would be better off focusing its financial aid efforts on need-based programs like MAP (Monetary Award Program) grants.

Read more: Koehler applauds House’s votes to cut lawmakers’ pay, end General Assembly Scholarships, urges quick action from governor

The adoption process is traumatic for everyone involved—the children, the adoptive parents, and the biological parents, and one of the reasons it can be so difficult is that it takes a long time.  If we can cut down the wait time safely, we should.
- Sen. Dave Koehler

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Springfield – In Illinois, the average time a child waits to be adopted is nearly 16 months from the time their birth parents give them up to the time their adoptive parents can legally take them home.  Only 10 other states take longer.  State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is sponsoring legislation to cut the wait time for kids who are being adopted by families approved by the birth parent.

“The adoption process is traumatic for everyone involved—the children, the adoptive parents, and the biological parents,” Koehler said, “and one of the reasons it can be so difficult is that it takes a long time.  If we can cut down the wait time safely, we should.”

Read more: Koehler legislation speeds adoption process, improves child welfare

We’re going to have to cut almost every part of the state budget this year.  Eliminating legislative tuition waivers is much more responsible than cutting need-based financial aid programs or state universities’ funding.
- Sen. Dave Koehler

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Springfield– State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), who stopped awarding legislative scholarships earlier this year, joined his colleagues in the Illinois Senate in a vote to end the controversial program.

The Legislative Tuition Waiver Program allows each member of the General Assembly to send residents of their districts to Illinois’ public universities.  Legislators can award eight one-year waivers, four two-year waivers, or two four-year waivers each year.  Although often referred to as a scholarship program, in reality, state universities receive no extra funding to cover the cost of students who receive these waivers.

“We’re going to have to cut almost every part of the state budget this year,” Koehler explained.  “Eliminating legislative tuition waivers is much more responsible than cutting need-based financial aid programs or state universities’ funding.”

When we had the hearing in Peoria, everyone in the community testified about how important the Peoria halfway house is.  It really does help people return to productive lives in the community after they’ve served their time.  I’m glad the commission was convinced by our message.
- "Sen. Dave Koehler

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Springfield – Earlier today, an important legislative commission unanimously voted down Governor Pat Quinn’s proposal to close the Peoria Adult Transition Center.

“I was very pleased with the commission’s decision,” said State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria).  “When we had the hearing in Peoria, everyone in the community testified about how important the Peoria halfway house is.  It really does help people return to productive lives in the community after they’ve served their time.  I’m glad the commission was convinced by our message.”

Read more: Koehler: Keeping Peoria halfway house open a good decision

’Cramming’ is a simple, if pervasive, problem.  Companies are billing people for services they don’t want and that may not even actually exist.  We need a simple solution.  Prohibiting third-party charges on telephone bills should end cramming once and for all.
- Sen. Dave Koehler

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Springfield–State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) is sponsoring legislation to keep unwanted charges off of consumers’ phone bills.  The legislation, supported by Attorney General Lisa Madigan, would go a long way toward ending the phone scam known as “cramming.”  Cramming occurs when a third party company places an unwanted charge on a customers’ phone bill.

Read more: Koehler pushes plan to prevent phone bill fraud