Illinois State Senator Mike Porfirio

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porfBURBANK – Members of the National Guard and Reserve who are college or university students could soon be able to make up coursework they missed due to military obligations, thanks to a measure sponsored by State Senator Mike Porfirio.

“It’s vital we support our servicemen and women in all facets of their lives, including their educational pursuits,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township), a member of the U.S. Navy Reserve. “This bill aims to alleviate the burden on National Guard and Reserve members by ensuring they have the opportunity to excel academically without being penalized for their commitment to military service.”

According to Student Veterans of America, around 16% of military students are members of the Reserve or National Guard. Porfirio’s measure would ensure fair treatment for these students by requiring public colleges and universities in Illinois to enact policies allowing students to complete missed classwork and assignments if the reason for the student’s absence was to fulfill military obligations. 

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040924CM0512 rSPRINGFIELD – Military service members on active duty status who are members of a public body – such as a village board, school district or township – may soon be allowed to attend meetings remotely, thanks to a measure State Senator Mike Porfirio advanced through the Senate.

“We’re recognizing the invaluable service of our military personnel while ensuring their voices are heard in discussions that impact their communities,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “Every sacrifice made by our military service members deserves recognition, and granting them the ability to engage in public service remotely is a small yet significant gesture of gratitude.”

Currently, a majority of the members of any public body can choose to allow another member to attend remotely in cases of illness, disability, employment related to the business of the public body, a family emergency or unforeseen child care obligations.

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041024KP0026 rSPRINGFIELD – To support the educational aspirations of refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan, State Senator Mike Porfirio has steered legislation through the Senate that would waive transcript evaluation fees for these individuals. 

“Denying refugees equal access to education reinforces marginalization,” said Porfirio. “By waiving transcript evaluation fees, we are not only promoting access to education, but also recognizing the valuable contributions that refugees bring to our colleges.”

Currently, transcript evaluations assess foreign transcripts as part of an admission process for higher education institutions. These evaluations are used to establish a U.S.-equivalent GPA, verify the accreditation of the foreign schools, and benchmark completed coursework to determine if the applicant has met the prerequisite requirements for their intended program.

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SB3479SPRINGFIELD – To protect our nation’s veterans from predatory business practices, State Senator Mike Porfirio championed legislation through the Senate aimed at combating companies who target veterans by offering veteran and military benefit services in exchange for financial compensation.

“Our veterans have sacrificed greatly for our country, and they deserve to be protected from exploitative, predatory practices,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “This bill sends a clear message that we will not tolerate those who seek to take advantage of our veterans and their benefits.”

Some of these predatory practices include guaranteeing an increased disability rating or percentage increase, advertising expedited VA claims decisions, requesting login credentials to access a veteran’s personal information through secure VA websites and more. Senate Bill 3479 aims to combat companies who target veterans in their deceptive business practices by ensuring transparency regarding these businesses’ lack of VA accreditation. To offer better consumer transparency, Porfirio’s legislation would require these entities to disclose that their businesses are neither endorsed by nor affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

More Articles …

  1. Porfirio measure to notify potential renters of flood risks one step closer to law
  2. Porfirio measure to notify potential renters of unit flooding risks
  3. Porfirio measure to combat deceptive ‘claim shark’ practices targeting veteran benefits
  4. Porfirio advances legislation to bridge military duties and civic engagement for service members on active duty status

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Welcome

Dear Friends,

Thank you for visiting my legislative website. It is my honor to serve the citizens of the 11th Senate District in the Illinois General Assembly. On this website, you can learn a little bit about me, my record in the General Assembly, and the services I can provide you.

I always welcome feedback from my constituents, so if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

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Senator Mike Porfirio

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Office Info

Springfield Office:
Stratton Office Building
Section F, Office L
401 S. Spring St.
Springfield, IL 62706
(217) 782-0054

District Office:
6215 W. 79th St., Suite 1A
Burbank, IL 60459
(708) 430-2510