Non-Perishable Food Drive a Tremendous Success!
I want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who donated non-perishable food items and toiletries to my recent food drive. The items we received benefitted the Spring Grove Food Pantry and the Northern Illinois Helping Hands Food Pantry.
A special thank you goes out to Prairie Ridge High School Junior Bryce Schroeder (shown in the photo) for bringing over a large donation from a food drive he coordinated for his school’s Club America.
During the cold months, food pantries often run low on supplies while demand for assistance remains quite high. It was a pleasure to help restock the shelves at these two pantries that serve hundreds of families from this region.
Wilcox Supports Legislative Package to Strengthen Protections for Children and Crack Down on Exploitation
This year I am supporting a legislative package to strengthen protections for children and crack down on trafficking, grooming, sexual exploitation, and predatory offenders.
The package, brought forward by Senate Republicans, is designed to close dangerous gaps in Illinois law, increase penalties for serious crimes involving minors, and ensure offenders who exploit children face stronger consequences.
The legislative package includes:
- Senate Bill 284, also known as Andrew’s Law, would eliminate plea deals for individuals charged with involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, trafficking in persons involving a minor, or grooming, preventing those charges from being reduced to lesser offenses. The bill would also make it a Class 4 felony for a child sex offender to work at, volunteer at, or be present at a facility that exclusively provides entertainment for minors.
- Senate Bill 1572 would increase penalties for human trafficking and related crimes by raising each offense by one felony class. For the most serious Class X offenses, the bill would set a prison sentence of 9 to 45 years.
- Senate Bill 2381 would require sex offender registration for individuals convicted of unauthorized video recording of minors in private spaces if the offense was found to be sexually motivated. The measure responds to a gap in current Illinois law that has allowed some offenders to avoid registration even in cases involving the secret recording of children in bathrooms, locker rooms, or other private areas.
Protecting children must remain a top priority, and Illinois laws should reflect the seriousness and lasting harm caused by trafficking, grooming, and sexual exploitation.
Senator Wilcox Launches Third Annual “My Inspirational Teacher” Essay Contest
Teachers shape lives in ways that often extend far beyond the classroom. To celebrate McHenry and Lake County teachers during Illinois’ Teacher Appreciation Week this May, I am launching my third annual My Inspirational Teacher Essay Contest for students in 6th through 8th grade in the 32nd Senate District.
The contest offers students an opportunity to showcase their favorite teacher’s talents and explain how that teacher has made a special difference in their lives. Specifically, students are invited to write a 250-500-word essay about the one teacher who has been the most inspirational to them in their educational journey thus far.
When writing the essays, students should relay how a teacher’s specific actions made a positive impact and also outline the results of exactly how the teacher changed them as they continued through school. Each entry must include the child’s name, school, and grade level, and the teacher’s name, school, and the subject taught. A panel of education leaders will read and evaluate the essays, and will consider persuasiveness, correct spelling and grammar, and adherence to contest instructions.
There will be several winning essays, and the grand prize-winning essay will be posted on my website (SenatorWilcox.com). Excerpts from all of the winning essays will be displayed for a week in the State Capitol rotunda in Springfield.
Eligible Participants: Students in Grades 6-8
Theme: How My Teacher Inspires Me
Entry Deadline: April 24, 2026
Announcement of Winners: Winners will be notified by email
The 32nd Senate District includes all or portions of the following communities: Antioch, Bull Valley, Cary, Crystal Lake, Fox Lake, Island Lake, Johnsburg, Lake Villa, Lakemoor, Lakewood, Lindenhurst, McCullom Lake, McHenry, Oakwood Hills, Port Barrington, Prairie Grove, Richmond, Ringwood, Round Lake Beach, Spring Grove, Trout Valley, Volo, Woodstock, and Wonder Lake.
For additional information about this essay contest, please contact Abby at amccarthy@sgop.ilga.gov.
Legislation Introduced to Create Illinois Pediatric Cancer Fund
Legislation has recently been introduced to strengthen research efforts to help fight childhood cancer and improve outcomes for young patients across Illinois. I am a strong supporter of this initiative.
Senate Bill 3954 would create the Illinois Pediatric Cancer Fund, a special fund within the State Treasury Department dedicated to supporting research, prevention, and treatment efforts related to pediatric cancer. The fund would provide grants to physicians, hospitals, laboratories, universities, and other eligible organizations conducting research focused on childhood cancers.
Under the proposal, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services would administer the fund and oversee a grant program designed to support scientific research and innovation related to pediatric cancer. Funding could come from legislative appropriations as well as private donations and other contributions made to support the cause.
The legislation also ensures transparency by requiring the department to submit annual reports to the General Assembly detailing how funds are used and the progress of research initiatives.
In addition to supporting research grants, the bill allows a small portion of the fund to be used to promote awareness and encourage donations to further expand research opportunities within the state.
SB 3954 is currently assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee.
Eligibility Expanded for ABLE Accounts
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office recently announced that an estimated 250,000 Illinoisans with disabilities are now eligible to open ABLE accounts, allowing them to save and invest money without jeopardizing access to certain federal benefits.
The expanded eligibility is the result of a change to the federal Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act. Previously, individuals were required to acquire their disability before age 26 to qualify for an account. Beginning in 2026, that age threshold has been raised to 46, broadening access to ABLE accounts for people with disabilities in Illinois and across the country.
ABLE accounts are designed to help individuals with disabilities save for important life expenses while maintaining eligibility for programs such as Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid. Prior to the creation of ABLE accounts, people with disabilities generally could not accumulate more than $2,000 in assets without putting those benefits at risk.
The expansion will provide greater financial flexibility for people facing disability-related expenses, including housing, transportation, assistive technology, vocational training, and other quality-of-life needs.
More information about the program can be found at illinoisable.com.