Local area fire chiefs recently recognized Senator Frerichs and Representative Jakobsson with plaues to express appreciation for their ongoing support of disaster preparedness and the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS). Senator Frerichs then spent some time visiting with local firefighters. See photos below.

Click here to learn more about how MABAS and IEMA (Illinois Emergency Management Agency) have established a statwide aid response system for fire.

Click here to read the press release from the City of Champaign.

In an effort to celebrate Illinois’ role in agricultural and technological advancements over the last 150 years, Senator Frerichs recently introduced a senate resolution recognizing the importance of the Morrill Land Grant College Act of 1862. 

“The passage of the Morrill Act led to the creation of University of Illinois in 1867,” Frerichs said.  “Today the main campus in Urbana-Champaign serves over 40,000 students annually, many more thousands through online courses and its two satellite campuses, and over two million people annually through its extension services across the state.  Every family in the state has had some experience with higher education or learning programs provided for them because of the University of Illinois and the Morrill Act.”

Click "Read More" to read the news release.

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Senator Frerichs recently met with dozens of social studies and AP government seniors at Danville High School. 

He discussed how a bill becomes a law, the structure of the state legislature, and the role of lobbying and interest groups. Students asked questions about fracking- a controversial mining practice - a new law dealing with purchasing household chemicals, concealed carry of firearms, and the gaming bill in the General Assembly. Click here to see a gallery of more photos.

Senator Frerichs recently hosted a legislative roundtable in Danville on agricultural issues. Senator Frerichs is Chair of the Senate's Agriculture and Conservation Committee. The group discussed a wide range of issues from the State’s backlog of unpaid bills, to Illinois’ tax structure, to education reform. Frerichs was joined by members of the Vermilion County Farm Bureau and Mike Marron of the Illinois Soybean Association. Click here to see a gallery of images. Click "Read More" to read the news release.

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Senator Frerichs got to see some of the latest developments in medicine and technology being put to use at Carle Hospital on a recent tour. In addition to tours of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the Cardiovascular Procedure unit, Senator Frerichs was also shown some of the new tele-medicine technology that links Carle doctors to specialists at other hospitals and a new electronics record system Carle hopes to put in place early next year.