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Illinois Lawmakers Take Action on Sexual Harassment at the State Capitol

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The Illinois Senate is voting to extend the statute of limitations for misconduct claims in the legislature.
With no legislative Inspector General in office for the past three years...the 27 complaints filed against lawmakers or staff during that period have sat untouched. This legislation extends the current one-year limit for investigating the backlog of claims.

Senator Heather Steans says since that office has sat empty since 2015, those complaints were never investigated.

Senator Karen McConnaughay says more must be done.

One of these cases is reportedly about Democratic state Senator Ira Silverstein. A victims-right advocate says he sexually harassed her last year.
 
Silverstein was present and voted for the proposal. He told reporters he'd love to talk …
 
“… but my first conversation is going to be with the inspector general ...which I hope to have as soon as possible.”
 
The Senate also gave final approval to a new task force on sexual harassment awareness and prevention.

Democrats and Republicans will hold sexual harassment training for legislators this week.
 

 

 

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