* Two from Amdor…

* Only one of these bills (HB4647) has so far advanced. Media advisory…

Employees, legislators push to raise wages for Direct Support Personnel (DSPs)
New bills include “passthrough” language ensuring funds go to workers, require employers to report on demographics of workforce

Direct Support Personnel (DSPs) who provide the best possible care for individuals with developmental disabilities will hold a State Capitol news conference tomorrow (Wednesday, March 9) and testify before a House subject matter hearing on bills to raise DSP wages, ensure state funding goes to workers and require provider agencies to report to the General Assembly on wage rates, turnover and the demographics of their workforce.

The DSPs are members of AFSCME Council 31 and SEIU Healthcare Illinois.

News conference

WHO: DSPs, their unions and state lawmakers including Sens. Cristina Castro (invited) and Celina Villanueva and Reps. Marcus Evans and Lamont Robinson
WHERE: State Capitol blue room
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, March 9)

Legislative hearing

WHO: DSPs and their unions
WHERE: House Labor & Commerce Committee, Virtual Room 5 www.ilga.gov
WHEN: 2:00 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday, March 9)

Both events will be carried live on BlueRoomStream. DSPs from Chicago, its suburbs, Rockford and central Illinois will be available for media interviews.

The employees, their unions and lawmakers are urging passage of:

• SB 3607 (Villanueva) and HB 4616 (Evans) to raise wages by $3.50 an hour in the coming year and ensure these funds go to workers, not other purposes; and

• HB 4647 (Robinson and Castro) to collect data on wage rates, turnover and workforce demographics to inform advocates, policymakers and legislators.

Background
In Illinois, more than 27,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live in community residential settings and rely on DSPs to enhance their quality of life. From daily personal care (eating, grooming, and dressing) to teaching essential skills and attending to complex medical needs the work of DSPs is physically and emotionally demanding. Over the past five budget cycles, Illinois has increased funding for these services by 52%, yet starting wages remain barely above minimum wage in many agencies, turnover is often 50% or more and vacancies are staggeringly high.

Further, though agency reimbursement has increased to $16.00 per hour for DSP services, the starting wage at many agencies remains barely above minimum wage. This disparity exists because the state has funded increases earmarked for DSP wages but not always required community agencies to pass the wage increases through to workers.

* Press release…

The Illinois Bankers Association (IBA) applauds House passage of legislation that would create a task force dedicated to reforming the home appraisal process to address inequalities in home ownership created by decades of policies that have particularly impacted minority homebuyers.

Sponsored by Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, D-Chicago, HB 4410 creates the Real Estate Valuation Task Force to address institutional racial and ethnic bias in the home appraisal process and propose reforms to this important part of the mortgage lending process.

“We should all be embarrassed about the long history of discrimination in housing lending for Black and Brown families, which result in very painful consequences that last for generations,” said Rep. Robinson. “This task force is an important step forward to recognize the damage from this institutionalized discrimination and develop a framework for changing how we value property to make sure all residents are treated fairly. I thank the lending organizations for working with me to create this task force and pursue solutions that will matter, especially in minority communities.”

Home appraisals are a common obstacle to obtaining a mortgage loan. According to a recent Lending Tree survey, 58% of Black homeowners believe their race, sexual orientation, or another protected demographic was factored into their home appraisals. Home appraisal valuations are set by appraisers, with banks and other mortgage loan originators strictly prohibited from setting these values.

However, Illinois is currently facing an appraiser shortage. As a result, appraisers are performing valuations with little first-hand knowledge about the communities they work in. The Real Estate Valuation Task Force would seek real solutions to address valuation disparities and engage more people in the profession, especially from communities that are most impacted by inequitable lending practices.

“On behalf of bankers across the state, we commend Rep. Lamont Robinson and the General Assembly for taking steps towards equitable reforms of the mortgage lending process. Inequitable lending in the homebuying process is a decades old problem, and the banking industry is dedicated to unraveling the policies that unfairly impact minority homebuyers,” said Ben Jackson, Executive Vice President of Government Relations for the IBA. “Addressing homeownership disparities requires participation from all parties in the homebuying process, and we look forward collaborating and enacting real change for home lending practices in our state.”

The measure now heads to the Senate for consideration.

* This bill is sitting in Senate Assignments, which is that chamber’s version of House Rules. The Senate’s 3rd Reading deadline was February 25th. Center Square…

A consumer advocacy group says a measure that would ban flavored tobacco products in Illinois, including vapes, could do more harm than good.

State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Lake Forest, has been a steadfast supporter of banning flavored tobacco products, which she said are intentionally targeted to children with candy-like names. She has introduced Senate Bill 3854, which would prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco. The measure remains in a Senate committee.

Elizabeth Hicks, U.S. Affairs analyst with the Consumer Choice Center, said enacting a flavor ban for vaping products will push adult consumers to switch back to smoking combustible tobacco at a time when smoking cigarettes has been trending down in Illinois.