Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – It was a pretty fruitful legislative session this year for State Senator Doris Turner.

Turner tells the WTAX Morning Newswatch in addition to helping get the state budget passed, she had 18 bills of her own that are either making their way, or have made their way, to the Governor’s desk.

“Some of them are things that will help state agencies do things a little bit better, a little bit more efficiently, I worked with them on it,” said Turner.  “Other things that are around education, healthcare, just a variety of things, and I think there will be a really positive effect on my constituency, as well as the state.”

Turner describes the state budget as being something difficult she helped work on, “the most difficult budget that I’ve worked on,” but good.

“There’s a little bit of something for everybody, and something we can feel hopefully good about,” said Turner.

Turner, however, voted “no” on all three bills related to the state budget.

One of the bills Turner says she’s most proud of relates to the death of Sonya Massey in 2024 — a bill that requires an officer’s previous employers to pass on records and other information to a potential future employer.  She says it could become a model for other states.

“We’re actually looking at working with other states,” said Turner.  “We’re looking at working with them to see if we can take this on a national basis.”

Turner says police departments want good law enforcement officers on the street, and the bill will ensure that.  Governor JB Pritzker says he’ll sign it.

Another bill that would allow Sangamon County voters to decide whether elected officials should be recalled didn’t make it, but Turner says it could come up in the fall veto session.