SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced legislation aimed at easing the growing stress that students face in classrooms, prioritizing their physical and emotional well-being to enhance focus and reduce anxiety during school hours.

“Purposeful relaxation time will empower students to develop effective stress and anxiety management strategies,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “As both a parent and mental health advocate I strongly believe that allocating at least 20 minutes per week for students to unwind and prioritize their mental health will alleviate the constant pressure to engage in mental tasks, leading to improved academic performance.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura announced that Senate Bill 3695 has been assigned to the Senate Executive Committee and has bipartisan support.

Senate Bill 3695, also known as the CURE Act – or the Compassionate Use and Research of Entheogens Act – aims to tackle treatment-resistant conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions. Additionally, it would facilitate research into the safety and efficacy of psilocybin through medical, psychological, and scientific studies. New Chief Co-Sponsor Senator Craig Wilcox has researched and considered filing a similar psilocybin bill focused on mental health and medicinal use for more than two years.

“After much discussion with my colleagues, I am proud to see the bipartisanship collaboration on this historic piece of legislation that would aid veterans and those suffering with mental illnesses, PTSD, substance abuse and more,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Psilocybin would open new pathways in the brain to help pinpoint things that need to be worked on. Integrated therapy-based sessions following its exposure would create real change in an individual’s life who have exhausted other methods previously.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Rachel Ventura led a new measure through the Senate that would require school districts to provide resources and services for special education students who do not have a guardian.

“Everybody deserves an education that provides them the resources they need to succeed,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “This measure was crafted to advocate for special high needs education students who do not have a guardian to petition schools to provide resources for them. We cannot leave these students to fend for themselves if they need a specialized school to meet their needs so they can succeed.”

SPRINGFIELD – To protect renters from additional payment transaction fees, State Senator Rachel Ventura advanced legislation through the Senate that would require landlords to be more flexible with payment options.

“By requiring landlords to also accept cash or check, we help save Illinoisans from unnecessary transaction fees on their rental payments,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “Some leases require 2-3% of rent to cover processing fees which adds a lot to an already high rent, so it is vital we ensure that we save residents money in any capacity we can.”