Springfield Update
It was great to be back in Springfield this week, even though the ice and snow storm made travel home daunting and prevented me from finishing the newsletter on our usual schedule.

Friday was the deadline for bills to be advanced out of committee prior to floor action with a deadline of March 4th for the House to send bills over to the Senate. To say it was chaotic would be an understatement. In the past, if a member needed to be in one committee presenting a bill while participating in a hearing for a committee they were a member of, it meant running back and forth between hearing rooms sometimes in different buildings. The House continues to utilize a remote committee process which meant less physical running but sometimes meant being logged into zoom hearings on multiple devices (pictured here below).
To further add to a challenging week nine members of the House Republican caucus were ejected from the chamber Thursday for not wearing masks. Members who were ejected were told they could still participate remotely. This was all due to a debate over mask rules for the House chamber. Earlier in the pandemic, we approved House rules requiring face coverings to be worn in the chamber unless eating, drinking, or speaking into the microphone. Many Republicans who have consistently challenged the rule were emboldened by the legal challenges to statewide mask mandates. Earlier in the week, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, a committee comprised of an equal number of Democrats and Republicans, rejected a request by Governor Pritzker to reissue emergency rules that would re-impose the mask mandate statewide. An appellate court rejected Governor Pritzker's appeal against the blocking of the mask mandate and we’re now awaiting a response from the Illinois Supreme Court.

These conflicting actions have caused significant confusion even as we are rapidly approaching the end of the non-school mask mandate on February 28th. School districts are scrambling to make their own policies and watching the courts closely, although CPS has made clear that the safety agreement reached with CTU last month allows the mask mandate to remain in place as it pertains to our public schools. Given the lack of consistency with regard to vaccine uptake and adherence to the mandate, I am in support of maintaining the rule in the House for the foreseeable future, especially given recent reports of a newly emerging variant. It’s just too important for us to be able to maintain a quorum to take unnecessary chances. That said, I do believe it’s reasonable for us as a body to return to in-person committee action, as long as we continue to maintain remote access for witnesses and members who are unable to participate due to illness.
This week was also the first opportunity for my not-so-new Chief of Staff Torrence Gardner to join me at the Capitol for session. Torrence (pictured here below) was an invaluable asset as we navigated the chaos of deadline week, adding cosponsors to bills, tracking amendments, and juggling devices for committee hearings.
I am also happy to announce that 7 pieces of legislation that I am the lead sponsor for have passed out of committee this week and will begin to see floor action next week. I spent a lot of our session time on the floor describing my bills to colleagues and seeking their support and co-sponsorship. It’s especially helpful when negotiating tough bills to signal to stakeholders that there are large groups of members who support a legislative concept to motivate them to negotiate in good faith. There are a couple that are still being negotiated and will be amended next week to reflect the work of stakeholders before taking final votes, but I am excited to get those moving too.


One very important bill that I am working on that is nearly ready is HB4430. I have worked on this bill with advocates including the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, organizations representing licensed pharmacists and physicians, and retail pharmacies for a number of years. It was such a great feeling to finally have this bill heard and passed out of committee. This legislation would allow pharmacists to dispense HIV prevention drugs — including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to people at risk and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for people who may have been recently exposed to HIV — without a prescription. These lifesaving drugs are readily available but many communities face barriers to access from physicians. As we work towards a goal of “getting to zero” transmission of HIV, removing these barriers that particularly impact communities of color and other marginalized groups is a critical step.

We are scheduled again to return to Springfield next week for session Tuesday-Friday to begin advancing bills on the floor while we also begin to see bills passed over to our chamber from the Senate. I’ll begin to highlight bills I am picking up from Senate colleagues in next week’s newsletter.

If you’re interested in following our work, the committee schedule, meetings, and bill assignments are posted here.
Vote for Neighbor Halle Quezada for Lifesaver of the Year
Halle Quezada has been nominated for the NDPA Lifesaver of the Year Award. Halle has been advocating for years to improve safety measures along the lakefront. She lives in the 50th ward with her family. However, after witnessing drownings along our neighborhood beaches she decided to take action. She was instrumental in getting the life rings installed along our shoreline this summer. She is a great example of being a part of the solution when a problem arises. She is now working closely with our office to pass a bill that would require life rings along our state’s entire Lake Michigan shoreline. We expect this bill to pass this year, making Illinois the first Great Lakes state to adopt this mandate! For more on this bill click here.

Please take a moment to vote for Halle online. You can cast your vote online by clicking here
Office Closed Due To Observance Of President's Day
Our office will be closed on Monday, February 21st in observance of President's Day. Office hours will resume on Tuesday, February 22, at 9 am.
Pritzker To End Mask Mandate For Most Public Areas By February 28th
This past Wednesday Governor Pritzker announced that he will lift the indoor mask mandate for most public areas by February 28th. Governor Pritzker will push to keep face coverings on in schools for at least a few weeks beyond that February deadline.

This lifting of the mask mandate means that Illinois residents can go barefaced in grocery stores, restaurants, theaters, and most other places. Illinois residents, however, will still have to wear masks in congregate facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, and places where large areas of vulnerable residents reside as well as in places where federal masking rules remain in effect including mass transit.

Local officials can mandate mask-wearing if they want to. Cook County and Chicago are expected to follow the state's lead depending on the specific metrics of cases and hospital capacity. We will continue to update as new information becomes available.
COVID Update
COVID-19 cases continue to rapidly decline in Illinois. COVID-19 patients in hospitals continue to decline. As of Thursday night, the state was averaging 1,590 COVID-19 hospitalized patients as compared to the records set during this surge when we were averaging more than 7,300 hospitalizations. As shown in the graph above from IDPH's website hospitalizations have dropped even further. As of this week, the state's positivity rate has hovered around 3.1%. This is the lowest the positivity rate has been since mid-November.

Boosters have recently been shown to offer significant protection against the effects of the Omicron variant. Please continue protecting yourself and limiting the spread as much as possible. There is talk of a new sub-variant called stealth omicron. Health officials are monitoring this new potential sub-variant and as we learn more from the CDC and IDPH we will keep you updated.
To find a vaccine clinic within the City of Chicago click here.

For questions or info regarding COVID-19 testing click here.
COVID-19 Count as of Friday, February 18th:

Statewide Totals: 3,013,709 confirmed cases, 32,299 deaths and tests performed 53,621,982

If you have questions related to COVID-19 you can contact the
Illinois Department of Public Health:
Hotline: 800-889-3931
Email: dph.sick@illinois.gov

City of Chicago's Department of Public Health:
Hotline: 312-746-4835
Email: coronavirus@chicago.gov
The Biden Administration Distributes Rapid At-Home COVID Tests
Americans are now able to order their tests online at COVIDTests.gov, and tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering. Every household is eligible to order 4 tests.

To ensure equity and access for all Americans, the Administration will also launch a call line to help those unable to access the website to place orders, and work with national and local community-based organizations to support the nation’s hardest-hit and highest-risk communities in requesting tests.

Individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan who purchase an over-the-counter COVID-19 test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to have those test costs covered by their plan or insurance. Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover 8 free over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month. That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to get up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month. There is no limit on the number of tests, including at-home tests, that are covered if ordered or administered by a health care provider following an individualized clinical assessment, including for those who may need them due to underlying medical conditions.
IDPH Free COVID-19 Test 
The Illinois Department of Public Health is proud to be partnering with the Rockefeller Foundation to offer free COVID-19 tests to households in identified priority zip codes across the state. Eligibility is based on zip codes with the highest risk of Covid-19, using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) combined with state data on Covid-19 burden.


The website is live. Constituents living in eligible zip codes can go to www.AccessCovidTests.org to order a free test kit.
  • Each household will receive 1 kit with five tests within one to two weeks after ordering.
  • No payment information is required — both the tests and shipping are free to eligible residents.
  • The program is currently limited to one order per residential address.
Warren Park Vaccination Event
IDES 1099-G Information
IDES has released this statement in regards to the 1099-G tax forms. For a FAQs sheet from the IDES on all your questions related to the 1099-G form, click here. For an information packet on how to navigate your ILogin account, click here.
Reproductive Health Act Discussion With Representative Cassidy
Illinois’ Reproductive Health Act 
& the War on Women’s Choice: 
History, Policy, and Practice
__________________________________

Sunday, March 6, 2022
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm
Via Zoom 

Co-sponsored by the Chicago Women’s History Center 
and the Chicago Public Library’s Women’s History Month Committee

Join the Chicago Women's History Center for a discussion of the Reproductive Health Act passed in Illinois in 2019 which protects safe and legal abortions for women even if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Illinois is one of only six states to pass legislation maintaining access to legal abortion services while other states legislated restrictions. Panelists will discuss what the history of this act is and what its implications are for the future in Illinois.

To register, click here. Registration at least 24 hours before the event is required. You’ll receive an email with a link to the secure Zoom meeting about 24 hours before the meeting.

For more information call 773-227-0093 or contact chicagowomenshistory@gmail.com
Trilogy's New Mobile Crisis Response Service
The Restore, Reinvest, & Renew Grant Program Re-Opened
Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton recently
announced $45 million in Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program funding to support community organizations that serve neighborhoods most impacted by economic disinvestment, violence, and the war on drugs. Organizations interested in applying for funding can review the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) by clicking here.
Energy Assistance For Winter Applications Open Until May 31st 2022
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Citizens Utility Board are reminding residents to apply for $200 million remaining in utility assistance under Gov. JB Pritzker’s Help Illinois Families initiative, an expansion of the Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program under the American Rescue Plan.

This initiative remains available for all qualifying households with low income, regardless of how they may be affected COVID-19.  The last day to apply online with the Request for Services form is April 15. After that date you can still apply through your local administering agency through May 31, 2022.

To learn more and to fill out a new application, visit helpillinoisfamilies.com.
LIHWAP Applications Open Until August 31st, 2023
The LIHWAP benefit is a limited, one-time, assistance program designed to help households that are facing the threat of imminent disconnection, have already been disconnected or have past due (arrearage) balances over $250 for their water and wastewater services combined. Customers may apply one time for water and one time for wastewater for the life of the program, which is December 1, 2021 – August 31, 2023.

Applications will be accepted through August 31, 2023 or until funds run out. You can apply online here or call the hotline at 1-(833)-711-0374.
Non-Profit Charitable Trust Grant Open Through March 31
The Charitable Trust Stabilization Fund, created in 2007, works to help small non-profits in Illinois. The Spring 2022 grant cycle applications are now open with a deadline of March 31. Grants can be applied to three categories: food, housing, and workforce and economic development. Grant applicants located in an area where pervasive poverty, unemployment, and economic distress exist will be given special attention.

Applicants will need to complete the online application in full and provide all requested documents and forms. Visit the Illinois State Treasurer's website for more information and how to apply. If you do not have access to a computer you can call the State Treasurer's office at 217-836-4590.
Non-Profit Arts and Culture Grants Open Through March 22
Citizen Class with Chinese Mutual Aid of Chicago
2021 Exemptions Auto-Renewal
In response to COVID-19, the Cook County Assessor’s Office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities, and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions; the Homeowner and Senior Exemptions will continue to auto-renew every year.

If a homeowner received any of the aforementioned five exemptions last year (tax year 2020), they do not need to reapply this year (tax year 2021). If the Assessor's Office requires additional information from a homeowner to process the auto-renewal, they will be sent a booklet in March 2022 with instructions on how to reapply. 
Become a Local School Council Member
Shop Where You Love
When: All month of February
Where: Rogers Park (Howard to Devon, Ridge to the Lake)
 
This winter season put your money where your heart is!
 
Next week the 2nd annual "Shop Where Your Heart Is" program begins.
 
You can participate in weekly drawings throughout the month of February to win gift cards from local businesses. Support our local independently-owned business community by shopping small during this winter season.
 
Participants can win weekly gift card prizes for local businesses with a grand prize of $1,000 at the end of the month.
 
More information here
Black History Month Celebration at Loyola Park
Chicago Public Schools Hiring Fair
A Just Harvest is Hiring
A Just Harvest has launched an apprenticeship opportunity for adults with interests in careers in the fields of urban agriculture, mentoring children, and who are looking to make an investment in themselves and their community. 

The program hires for 20 hours a week for nine months (March 7 through December 2). For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit A Just Harvest's website
Chicago Park District is Hiring
PACE is Hiring
JARC-Free Job Training
Cunneens Bar
ROGERS PARK — For 50 years, Steve Cunneen was a near-daily presence at his bar, talking with regulars and overseeing an establishment beloved by Rogers Park lifers and college kids alike.
His stewardship turned Cunneen’s Bar, 1424 W. Devon Ave., into a neighborhood institution that served as a gathering place for a diverse clientele. Cunneen was the bar’s life force. “Just the camaraderie of the place alone,” said Elliott Slutzky, a regular since the mid-’70s. “You just loved Steve. Steve Cunneen died Feb. 2 at 86, said his widow, Belinda Colin-Cunneen.
Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District

Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

5533 N Broadway

Chicago IL 60640
773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)