SPRINGFIELD – Illinois is one step closer to an inclusive curriculum after State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago) joined his colleagues in voting for a measure that celebrates the contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

Sandoval co-sponsored and helped pass Senate Bill 3249 through the Senate with 34 votes this week, moving it to the House for further consideration.

Under the bill, students will learn about the contributions LGBT individuals made to Illinois and the United States while learning about history.

"Without laws like this already on the books in Illinois, many of our students would never have learned about the many contributions of Latinos to our nation’s history," said Sandoval said. "LGBT people are a marginalized group in our history as well, and they deserve a place in our history books."

Currently, Illinois schools are required to teach students about the role and contributions of African-Americans and other ethnic groups, as well as about women’s history and disability history.

According to a 2015 survey conducted by GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, nearly 70 percent of LGBTQ students in Illinois have been verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation.

"We have to work to cut down harassment of all people," Sandoval said. "Teaching the contributions of all people will help do so."

Under Senate Bill 3249, only public schools in Illinois would be required to teach an inclusive historical curriculum.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago) continues to combat a nationwide trend of deportations by fighting for immigrant rights in Illinois.

Today, Sandoval – co-chairman of the Illinois Latino Caucus – co-sponsored and helped pass a bill to create safe zones for immigrants and limit coordination between those zones and federal immigration forces.

"Donald Trump thinks he has unlimited authority to target and deport Mexican people. He’s even threatened to get the National Guard involved and our governor said he would oblige," Sandoval said. "This bill sends a message that America is still a welcoming place and Donald Trump can’t bully us into submission."

The legislation, Senate Bill 35, would limit assistance with immigration enforcement agents at safe zones that would include state-funded schools, medical treatment and health care facilities, public libraries, facilities operated by the Secretary of State and state courts, among others.

It would also prohibit applications for state benefits from requiring information related to citizenship or immigration status unless otherwise required by law.

"It’s a difficult time to be an immigrant in America," Sandoval said. "These are hard-working people like my mother and father, who are Mexican immigrants. Whatever I can do to protect these people, I will do. And this is a good step."

The bill was supported by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), National Immigrant Justice Center and several other immigrant advocacy groups. It passed the Senate Wednesday and will now move to the House for consideration.