Legislative Accomplishments
HB2877 - Creates the Covid 19 Emergency Housing Assistance Act
This bill is designed to provide a safety net for individuals and families suffering from financial hardships due to COVID-19
Individuals and families will have a form of protection when facing homelessness, instability, or any other critical hardship caused by Covid-19. Their health and well-being won't be jeopardized, housing assistance will be provided in order to preserve their families stability and livelihoods.
HB2908 - Creates an Elected and Representative School Board for the Chicago Public Schools
HB 2908 amends the Election Code to include members of the Chicago Board of Education under the Section on consolidated schedule of elections; offices designated. The Chicago Board
of Education (“Board”) members shall be elected by the electors of the school district at the consolidated primary elections beginning in 2023 and again in 2027. The School Code is amended to add provisions regarding the election of the Board.
HB3100 - Requires Implicit Bias Training for all Mandated Reporters
HB 3100 requires mandated reporters under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act
(“ANCRA”) to complete an initial implicit bias training within 3 months of their date of
engagement in a professional or official capacity, and to complete implicit training at least every
3 years thereafter.
HB3793- Sets Standard Guidelines for Termination of Parental Visitation by DCFS
HB3793 clarifies that when DCFS immediately restricts or terminates parent-child contact or sibling contacts, that it be based on credible evidence that the continuation of family contact would result in an immediate threat to the child’s health, safety, and welfare and such restrictions should only occur on an individual case-by-case basis.
HR88- Urges State Policy to Restrict and reduce the use of Restraint and Seclusion with Children
HR 88 urges policy decisions of state agencies and the Illinois General Assembly to align with the goal of preventing, reducing, and ultimately eliminating, the use of restraint and seclusion with children and adolescents.
Numerous sources document the harmful physical outcomes associated with manual restraint, including dehydration, choking, loss of strength or mobility, incontinence, and injuries, including bruises, rug burns, broken bones, and cardiopulmonary complications, or death.
HB5525 - Creates the Commission on Children of Incarcerated Parents
Amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Creates the Commission on Children of Incarcerated Parents, within the Department of Human Services, which shall reflect the diversity of the State of Illinois, including geographic, racial, ethnic, and diversity of life experience. Provides that the Commission shall be responsible for implementing and coordinating the recommendations of the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents.
HB5581 - Establishes the Milwaukee Ave Polish Heritage Corridor
A member initiative, HB 5581 creates the Milwaukee Avenue Polish Heritage Corridor Act.
Provides that the part of Illinois Route 21, otherwise known as Milwaukee Avenue, that begins at Sangamon Street in Chicago and ends with Greenwood Road in the Village of Niles be designated as the Milwaukee Avenue Polish Heritage Corridor.
Provides that appropriate plaques may be erected by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) along this route in recognition of the designation.
SB106 - Requires DCFS make their annual report available online
SB 106 amends the Children and Family Services Act. This bill requires DCFS to post their annual report on their website and adds three groups of children to their annual reporting requirements.
SB652- Improves LSC Quorum Policies to Ensure Vacancies are Filled
SB 652 provides if a quorum on a local school council (LSC) falls below 7, then 4 members shall constitute a quorum, 2 of the 4 have to be elected to the LSC. The reason for the meeting must be to fill vacancies by appointments.
SB1833- Creates a New Initiative under DCEO for State Designated Cultural Districts
Creates a state-designated cultural districts designation and requires the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity to establish criteria and guidelines for areas to be designated as state-designated cultural districts. The bill has no stated effective date.
SB2460- Allows for the Use of City Key and other Municipal IDs to Access State Services
SB 2460 requires Illinois departments and buildings to allow residents to use Illinois municipal I.D. cards when gaining admission into state-owned buildings and as a secondary form of identification when accessing state services. “Municipal Identification Card" means a photo identification card issued by a municipality. City Key acceptable.
HB2272 - Ensures that contractual schools are subject to the Freedom of Information Act
SB2272 is an important education oversight bill which ensures contract schools are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act. This ensures there is the same transparency for contract schools as is required for other public schools.
HB2649 - Creates the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents
HB2649 created the Task Force on Children of Incarcerated Parents. The purpose of this task force was to develop policy recommendations to reform our justice system to better address the needs of children and families impacted by parental incarceration.
HB2723 - Provides additional support to the Task force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and families.
HB 2723 amends the Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families Act by giving The Department of Children and Family Services administrative oversight and mandates that the department will provide additional support to the Task Force on Strengthening the Child Welfare Workforce for Children and Families. This legislation extends the dates for submitting preliminary reports to the General Assembly and Governor and extends the repeal date of the act and dissolution of the task force.
HB3331- Expands Access to the Homeless Prevention Program
HB 3331 amends the Homelessness Prevention Act by making changes to the types of assistance offered to households to prevent homelessness. Payment of a rent or mortgage arrearage
Payment of a security deposit. Payment of rent or mortgage.
HB 3331 adds that in no case shall the total assistance for a household be greater than the equivalent of 6 months of rent or mortgage payments.
HB3711 - Requires Baby Changing Stations in Public Restrooms
HB3711 provides that, in addition to any existing local, State, or federal law, all (male, female, and gender neutral) restrooms that are open to the public in a public building shall be equipped with baby changing facilities that are safe, sanitary, and usable.
HB 3711 defines a public building as:
A place of public accommodation as defined in the Equitable Restroom Act;
A State building open to the public; or
A retail store or restaurant that serves 50 or more customers per day on average.
SB1166 - Removes the Citizenship Requirement from Several Professional Licenses
SB 1166 does three things: 1) provides that no department may deny an occupational or professional license based solely on the applicant’s citizenship or immigration status; 2) removes the prerequisite of U.S. citizenship status and knowledge of the English language for licensure; and 3) allows for lawfully admitted permanent resident status where U.S. citizenship is still required.
SB1735 - Allows for Participants of Guaranteed Basic Income Programs to Keep Access to Public Benefit Programs
SB 1735 allows financial assistance, wages, cash transfers, and gifts that are provided to an individual enrolled in a program or research project, not funded by general revenue funds, whose purpose is to evaluate anti-poverty policies to be excluded for the purposes of determining eligibility and benefit levels for public aid whenever allowed by federal law.