State Rep. Joe Sosnowski hosted a coffee talk with constituents at Ned's Diner in Belvidere on Thursday to discuss state issues and recap the spring legislative session and state budget.

Rep. Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford

SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation on Monday to make achieving a high school diploma more attainable for students who are struggling academically or those who have truancy issues.  

Prior to the signing of this law, an Illinois school or school district could deny enrollment to a student 17 years of age or older for one semester for failure to meet minimum academic standards, under certain conditions.  The new law, Public Act 100-0825, removes those provisions from state law. The bill was introduced and sponsored by State Representative Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford.

The law also raises the standard for addressing students with school attendance issues by providing that a truant minor may not be expelled for nonattendance unless he or she has accrued 15 consecutive days of absences without valid cause and the student cannot be located by the school district; or the school district has located the student but cannot, after exhausting all available support services, compel the student to return to school.

BELVIDERE – Local residents with questions or concerns on issues impacting the State of Illinois are invited to attend an early morning “Coffee Talk with Joe” hosted by State Representative Joe Sosnowski in Belvidere on Thursday, August 16.  The coffee talk is open to the public. All are welcome. Coffee will be provided courtesy of Representative Sosnowski. Details for the coffee talk are as follows:  

Coffee Talk With Joe

Thursday, August 16, 2018

7:30 am to 8:30 am

Ned’s Restaurant

2132 Business Route 20

Belvidere, IL 61008

“Coffee talks are a valuable opportunity for me to have conversations with local residents one-on-one,” Representative Sosnowski said. “I encourage everyone who has questions, comments or concerns about state issues to come make their voice heard at my coffee talk in Belvidere.”

Constituents who are unable to attend the coffee talk but still wish to provide feedback to Representative Sosnowski can do so online by visiting www.joesosnowski.org and clicking “Contact” on the homepage menu, or by calling the District Office in Rockford at (815) 547-3436.

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Rep. Joe Sosnowski enjoys meeting constituents and local families at the annual Boone County Fair in Belvidere. Rep. Sosnowski and his staff have a booth in Exhibit Hall #1 open from 10am - 9pm each day of the Fair. Stop by and say hello to us!

CHICAGO – Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation on Friday strengthening public notice law for Illinois residents and local newspapers throughout Illinois with respect to legally-required notices concerning real estate.  The legislation, House Bill 5176, was sponsored by State Representative Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford. Prior to the passage of this new law, Cook County was treated differently than the rest of the state in provisions regulating the process for publishing property-related legal notices.

Specifically, the new law provides that legal notices concerning real estate be published in the township (rather than in the county) of the property in question; and that the required Cook County newspaper notice of foreclosure-related sales of property be published in a newspaper different from the paper used for the legal notice. The new law is expected to help increase public awareness of court proceedings and rulings involving local property before a final judgment is made.

“This new law brings Illinois’ public notice law closer to home,” Representative Sosnowski said. “Whether you live in Cook County or anywhere else in Illinois, you should be able to read public notices in your local newspaper, not have to subscribe to a special legal publication. Thanks to this new law, every Illinois family and taxpayer will have the same access to public notices in their community.”

Hundreds of local families came out for Representative Joe Sosnowski's Kids Health & Safety Fair held at Rockford Christian Schools on Saturday. Family-friendly activities included a petting zoo, rock climbing wall, knockerball, bouncy houses, ice cream truck, Air Methods Medical Helicopter and more. Thank you to everyone who donated canned food items to benefit the Rockford Rescue Mission. Over 200 canned food items were collected in addition to $424 in cash donations to the Rockford Rescue Mission. We look forward to seeing you again next year!