SPRINGFIELD – Penicillium rubens, a strain of penicillium discovered in Peoria, will officially be Illinois’ state microbe thanks to legislation sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria), signed into law Tuesday.

“The discovery of penicillium rubens in Peoria saved countless lives during World War II, and has saved many since,” Koehler said. “By making it our official microbe, we ensure that the story of P. rubens will be intertwined in our state history for generations to come.”

Penicillium was initially discovered by Scottish physician Alexander Fleming in 1928, and was found to be very effective in treating bacterial diseases. However, the drug was difficult to distribute on any large scale because it was not easy to produce. During World War II, there was a push to find a strain of the bacteria that could be quickly reproduced and distributed.

Penicillium rubens was discovered on a cantaloupe from a grocery store in Peoria, Illinois, and the fungus isolated from this cantaloupe produced several hundred times as much penicillin as Fleming's original cultures. This discovery allowed doctors and scientists to mass-produce penicillin in large enough quantities to distribute to the general public at the time, to Allied soldiers during WWII, and to countless individuals in the almost century since.

"When we look to our future as a state, it is proper to honor our past. Penicillium rubens was discovered in Peoria at our National Agriculture Utilization Laboratory and paved the way for Penicillin to improve health outcomes all over the world through the twentieth century. Life expectancy was lengthened worldwide because of this momentous work. If that is not a milestone worthy of recognition and hometown pride, then I certainly don't know what is," State Representative Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) said.

P. rubens will officially become the state microbe on January 1, 2022.

AURORA – A longtime advocate of giving responsible gun owners a more modernized approach to obtaining firearm identification, State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) championed a law to streamline the FOID card process while keeping guns away from people who pose a threat to themselves or the community. 

"Responsible gun owners across the state have been fighting a backlog of FOID card applications for years," Koehler said. "When the Illinois State Police has to spend time and resources on addressing the backlog, they aren't able to appropriately prioritize keeping our communities safe from gun violence."

Under the new law, the FOID card renewal process will be expedited for safe and responsible gun owners in an effort to reduce hassle and prevent future backlogs. Lawful gun owners will additionally find it easier to keep their FOID cards and concealed carry licenses on them at all times through a new electronic option that will be made available for both documents.

"The law signed today streamlines the FOID card process for lawful and responsible gun owners in Illinois while closing loopholes that allow firearms to fall into dangerous hands," Koehler said. "Today is the first step toward having a safe and effective FOID system here in Illinois.”

Click here to listen to audio from the signing event.

House Bill 562 was signed into law Monday and will take effect Jan. 1, 2022.

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois residents will have their right to grow vegetable gardens protected thanks to legislation presented by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that was signed into law Friday.

“Every Illinoisan should have the option to grow their own food and increase their self-sufficiency without unnecessary oversight or regulations,” Koehler said. “I’m glad to see this legislation signed into law as I know it will expand options for people across the state when it comes to providing for themselves and their families.”

This legislation creates the Vegetable Garden Protection Act, which establishes the right to grow a vegetable garden on private property, and prevents municipalities from prohibiting the cultivation of vegetable gardens absent any other concerns. The bill was presented in response to an Illinois municipality telling a resident that she was not permitted to grow a garden in her own backyard. Cities still maintain their ability to set regulations for gardens and garden structures based on building code ordinances and zoning. The legislation solely prevents municipalities from singling out gardens when regulations are established.

The Vegetable Garden Protection Act will go into effect January 1, 2022.

PEORIA – State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) announced an expanded state program will help connect Peoria-area small businesses to financial assistance to help them recover from COVID-19.

“Our community is built on small businesses,” Koehler said. “They were hit hardest by the pandemic, and we need to make sure that they have the resources they need to recover and move forward.”

The community navigator outreach program, which helps connect small businesses to economic recovery grant programs, is expanding to include an additional 13 support organizations across the state, which were selected through a competitive process.

Navigator organizations will perform extensive outreach to small and hard-to-reach businesses to ensure that they are aware of the relief available to them, and will provide one-on-one assistance on relief grant applications.

“I would like to thank the Economic Development Council for the Peoria Area and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation for stepping up and being a resource to small businesses in the Peoria area,” Koehler said. “I want to see as many local entrepreneurs as possible get back on their feet.”

Small businesses can visit the DECO website or call (800) 252-2923 to learn more about recovery programs available to them.