SPRINGFIELD, IL – Several teachers from the Stewardson-Strasburg School District traveled to Springfield in May to meet with lawmakers about the issues facing local schools. The teachers urged legislators to work for a fairer way to fund rural school districts, protect state pensions, and make education funding a top priority.

Pictured (left to right) are teacher Karen Flach, State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon), and teachers Sheryl Rincker and Ruth Anderson.

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Legislative action in the Senate began to pick up steam this week as the spring session nears its scheduled end.  Among the activity was the approval of a measure that would move the date of next year’s general primary election date, new efforts to help provide some relief at the gas pumps, and a news conference to bring attention to a delay in addressing government reforms targeting corruption, according to State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon).

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Legislation moving up the Illinois primary to the first Tuesday in February will make the election process longer and costlier, warns State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon). On Tuesday, May 15, Righter voted against House Bill 426, which would change the Illinois primary date to February 5, 2008, the earliest it has ever been.

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois must do a better job of tracking a potentially dangerous chemical that can be used to make explosives, says State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon).

The Senator is the Senate sponsor of House Bill 1741 which requires greater tracking of ammonium nitrate, a substance commonly used in agriculture as a fertilizer. It is also a key component in many bomb-making materials.