This week was a slightly lighter week after the rush of last week’s deadlines for passage of House bills. Floor and committee action mostly focused on resolutions, while members studied the bills passed by the Senate and chose bills for sponsorship.
We head into the second half of session with the House taking up bills passed out of the Senate, budget work intensifying, and mapmaking processes getting underway. In this issue, I’ll give a quick summary of each of the Senate bills I’ve taken up as lead sponsor. Watch future newsletters for updates on other big bills under consideration this session including the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA), cannabis clean up, gaming updates, elected school board, budget, remap, and others gaining traction.
SB148 (Sen. Omar Aquino) - This bill is the result of Rogers Park local school council members concerned about the chilling effect lopsided background check requirements have on the ability of undocumented individuals to participate in LSC elections. Elected school board members across the state face no background check in order to run for office, since state law makes clear that anyone who wishes to volunteer in direct contact with students must undergo a full background check. Any concerns about student safety are addressed with that underlying law since few school board or LSC members actually spend time in direct contact with students and if they do, they’ll face a full background check. If passed, candidates for LSC will no longer face an invasive federal background check that could put a parent at risk for deportation. Once the election is finished, Chicago Public Schools administration will be responsible to check all criminal history registries before seating a candidate.
SB626 (Jaqueline Collins) - Would update the amounts credited towards criminal and traffic fines for community service hours from $4/hour to ensure that each hour of community service is valued at no less than the minimum wage.
SB828 (Mike Simmons) - Creates a requirement that any meeting of party officials for purposes of appointment to fill a legislative vacancy be scheduled with a minimum notice and be publicly broadcast.
SB1079 (Melinda Bush) - Updates requirements for licensure as a certified trainer in sexual harassment prevention.
SB1706 (Cristina Castro) - Updates and clarifies that equipment designed specifically for cannabis consumption is not subject to taxes associated with tobacco vaping products to prevent “double taxing” of these products.
SB2129 (Robert Peters) - Allows a prosecutor to motion for a resentencing hearing for someone who is currently serving a longer sentence than they would if they were sentenced today. Identical to HB3443, which is currently in the Senate.
SB2204 (Elgie Sims) - Clarifies the definition of stalking to include threats.
SB2339 & SB2340 (Kim Lightford) - Clarifies issues raised by CBS2 with regard to concerns about breaches of victim privacy in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. New Clerk Iris Martinez is seeking these changes to address victim privacy concerns.
SB2567 (Melinda Bush) - Amends the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act to clarify what constitutes a “neglected child” and removes references to age, instead relying on conditions and intentions.
We return to session next week from Tuesday-Friday. The deadline to get Senate Bills out of committee will be 5/14/21 with the deadline for passage of Senate Bills on 5/28/21 and adjournment set for 5/31/21.
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COVID-19 Count as of Thursday, April 29th:
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
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49th Ward Community Vaccination Event:
Friday, April 30th
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Heartland Health Centers and Alderwoman Maria Hadden are hosting a Community COVID Vaccination event this Friday, April 30th from 9am-5pm! Vaccines are free and open to anyone! Sign up for an appointment by clicking the image below.
Heartland Health Centers y alderwoman Maria Hadden están organizando un evento comunitario de vacunación contra COVID este viernes 30 de abril de 9 am a 5 pm. ¡Las vacunas son gratuitas y están para todos! Para regístrarse haga clic en la imagen de abajo.
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Local Plant Sale:
Howard Area Community Garden
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Volunteers have been propogating, donating, and selling organic non-GMO seedlings to benefit the Howard Area Community Garden for a few years now. This year, they're doing it from their home, but the plants are still grown by volunteers from seed, at the DePaul University greenhouse, with the same care and love.
Each plant is $3.00; extra donations to benefit HACG are very welcome, and will support the needs of urban gardeners at one of Chicago's oldest community gardens.
We will keep selling plants until they are gone (check the facebook event page for updates, details and a list of plant varieties). Parking is free. One block south of Pratt, one and a half blocks west of Sheridan.
Cash, PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or checks okay. Everything will be outdoors. Please wear your mask, we will too! Thank you for your support of urban agriculture in Chicagoland!
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Restaurant Revitalization Fund:
Opening Monday, May 3rd!
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The American Rescue Plan Act established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. This program will provide restaurants with funding equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023.
- Up to $5 million in assistance per location
- Money will go quickly, so prepare early and apply right away on May 3rd at 11 a.m.
- First 21 days are prioritized for small business owners who are women, veterans, and minorities
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Find more information HERE
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Application portal opens 8 a.m. Friday, April 30th, training application video found HERE
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Illinois Equal Justice Foundation:
Eviction Help Legal Solutions
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The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) is excited to announce the launch of Eviction Help Illinois, a statewide program comprised of 16 non-profit organizations that will provide free legal services, mediation services and referrals to housing resources in response to the eviction crisis.
All low-income residents in Illinois facing a housing issue are encouraged to contact the program. People can call the Eviction Help Illinois hotline at (855) 631-0811 or visit the website at evictionhelpillinois.org. To get started, individuals will need to answer a few simple questions about their housing issue. The goal of Eviction Help Illinois is to keep people in their homes and to prevent foreclosures on rental properties.
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Sincerely,
Kelly Cassidy
State Representative, 14th District
Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy
5533 N Broadway
Chicago IL 60640
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773-784-2002(phone)
773-784-2060(fax)
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