* WAND…

A bill moving in the Illinois Senate could protect families from evictions under crime free housing ordinances.

Most local governments have laws in place to allow landlords to evict renters if they are charged with crimes or call law enforcement for help. This legislation could prevent evictions for criminal activity tenants are not involved in or simply calling police to help after domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

“You shouldn’t be evicted from your home for calling 9-1-1 because you need help,” Senate President Don Harmon said Wednesday. “You shouldn’t be evicted from your home because your autistic child calls 9-1-1. You shouldn’t be evicted from your home because an uninvited person shows up at your front door.” […]

Although, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and Illinois Municipal League opposed the bill. Leaders from both organizations said they agree that people should not be evicted following calls for service. They noted there is no penalty included in the proposal for landlords refusing to correct an issue at their property.

* Tribune…

In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Gideon v. Wainwright that every person has a constitutional right to free legal representation in criminal cases, including poor people who are unable to afford a private attorney.

On Tuesday, the 62nd anniversary of the landmark court decision, an Illinois House committee approved by a 10-5 vote a measure that would create a statewide public defender’s office to assist under-resourced county public defenders throughout Illinois.

It’s the first time the bill, dubbed by advocates as the Funded Advocacy & Independent Representation bill, or FAIR Act, has moved forward since a version was introduced last year by Democratic Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park. But lawmakers in favor of the bill, which is primarily geared toward rural counties, acknowledged it still needs some changes before advancing through the legislative process.

Advocates point to multiple reports from 2019 to 2023 that show about 60% of Illinois counties have no government office of public defense, and instead contract with private attorneys, often part time.

SB2264 passed out of Senate Executive on a partisan vote.

* Sen. Mike Porfirio…

A new initiative by State Senator Mike Porfirio could improve safety for thousands of first responders across Illinois, following the tragic passing of Andrew Price, a Chicago firefighter who fell through a light shaft while fearlessly suppressing a fire on the roof of a restaurant.

“First responders like Andrew risk their lives for us every day,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “We owe it to him and all those who serve us to take any steps we can to improve their safety.”

Porfirio’s proposed bill targets the risks firefighters face as they traverse roofs with light shafts, open courts and skylights. The bill would require roof openings to be covered or for a parapet to be built around them to increase their safety. The bill also would require local municipalities to complete a survey of buildings under their jurisdiction to share with local police and fire departments. Existing buildings with flat roof openings would be integrated over time and not require immediate modifications.

Price’s widow, Lara, spoke in support of the bill during the Senate Local Government Committee on Wednesday.

“Light shafts aren’t rare,” said Price. “There are deadly openings on roofs across the country, especially in buildings where firefighters are called most often.”

Senate Bill 1742 passed the Senate Local Government Committee.

* WAND…

A new bill by State House Democrats would look to remove move-in fees from Illinoisan when they rent a new home.

Right now, landlords are able to charge a move-in fee alongside a security deposit and other fees when renters move in.

State Rep. Nabeela Syed (D-Palatine) said these are junk fee’s that are unnecessary.
“I have not encountered a very legitimate reason thus far as to why someone would be able to charge a move-in fee that’s different from a security deposit,” Syed said. […]

The bill passed out of the House housing committee on a partisan 10-6 vote. It now heads to the House floor, where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.

* WAND…

A plan by State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-Berwyn) would limit the yearly rent increase on mobile homes to three percent. Rashid said hedge funds and big investment firms are buying mobile home lots in bulk to gain a profit from mobile home renters.

“One prominent park investor Frank Rolfe infamously likened his tenants to hostages,” Rashid said. “I’m quoting him. One of the big drivers to making money is the ability to increase the rent. If we didn’t have them hostage, if they weren’t stuck in these mobile home lots, it would be a whole different picture. We’re like a Waffle House where everyone is chained to the booths.”

While receiving support from his Democrat colleagues, some Republicans opposed the bill. State Rep. Mike Coffey (R-Springfield) said the limit on rent could make owning mobile homes nonviable in Illinois. […]

The plan passed out of the House housing committee on a partisan 10-6 vote. It now heads to the House floor where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.

* Illinois Environmental Council, Alliance for the Great Lakes…

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Following the anticipated Illinois Senate Environment and Conservation Committee passage of cornerstone legislation phasing out the use of certain types of single-use plastics statewide, State Sen. Laura Fine and environmental advocates part of Plastic Reduction Lobby Day will gather to discuss the significance of advancing bills, forecast next steps in the legislative process, and unveil the suite of plastic reduction bills being considered by the Illinois General Assembly this year.

SB1531, a bill phasing out single-use foam foodware sponsored by Sen. Fine, and SB1872, a bill phasing out single-use plastic shopping bags at large retailers sponsored by Sen. Cristina Castro have strong bipartisan and stakeholder support going into the committee hearing. Advocates are pointing to the historic nature of their imminent passage, as no statewide retail phase-out of single-use plastics has ever passed in Illinois, despite the introduction of such bills for decades.

The Senate Environment and Conservation Committee is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 20.

* WAND…

Illinois House Democrats hope to require public universities and community colleges with student health services to provide contraception and medication abortion.

Campus health care professionals would be tasked with discussing contraception and abortion options with students before sending prescriptions to campus pharmacies.

The legislation also states that these services could be provided through in-person appointments, telehealth, or other licensed providers.

Rep. Anna Moeller (D-Elgin) said this is a top priority for the Pritzker administration this spring. Moeller presented the bill to the House Higher Education Committee Wednesday night with help from University of Illinois Senior Emma Darbo. The brain and cardio science student said she plans to go to medical school soon in hopes of providing equitable and inclusive reproductive healthcare. […]

House Bill 3709 passed out of the House Higher Education Committee on a partisan 7-4 vote. It now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

* Sen. Mike Simmons…

Continuing his work to remove barriers when accessing housing and state services, State Senator Mike Simmons is moving legislation that would remove a notary requirement for unhoused residents who apply for a free state identification card.

“A major barrier for unhoused folks is that they often have no form of official identification, which means they cannot apply for a job, a transit card, housing, and much more. In order to apply for a free state ID, the person is currently required to get the signature of a notary. This is simply too difficult,” said Simmons (D-Chicago). “Easing the requirement for unhoused residents to get ID cards means they can get back on their feet sooner.”

Currently, application fees for standard Illinois state IDs are waived for unhoused individuals, but their application must be accompanied by a notarized affirmation. This can be difficult for individuals with little financial resources, as notary fees vary but can cost up to $25. Under Senate Bill 1173, the notary requirement for unhoused individuals to apply for and obtain a state ID would be lifted.

“This is a simple fix to allow our unhoused neighbors in Illinois to get their ID cards without the burdensome process of finding a notary,” said Simmons. “Many daily tasks may require identification and we want to make sure all members of our communities can easily obtain IDs so they can access the services they need.”

Senate Bill 1173 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

* Capitol News Illinois…

A Senate committee passed a bill this week that would give specialized training on human trafficking and establish coordination across multiple state agencies and partners.

Advocate and Chicago-native Brenda Myers-Powell, who was a victim of human trafficking for 25 years starting as a child, spoke at the state Capitol on Wednesday in support of the bill.

“I wish someone had recognized the signs when I was vulnerable,” Myers-Powell said. “The expanded screening for youth in state care could have identified my situation before it escalated. The creation of standards of care means survivors like me won’t have inconsistent, sometimes retraumatizing responses I encountered.” […]

Senate Bill 2323 follows multiple recommendations from the state Joint Human Trafficking Working Group formed in 2023. The recommendations included victim screening, multi-agency coordination, victim-focused training and more. […]

If the bill is implemented, multiple state agencies would have to make new units that work across jurisdictions and have specialized training to work with victims and potential future victims.

“As a transportation hub, Illinois ranks among the highest in the number of human trafficking cases in the whole United States,” Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield, the bill’s lead sponsor, said Wednesday.

* Sen. Graciela Guzmán…

Thanks to a new initiative from State Senator Graciela Guzmán to expand the accepted payment plans for homes through community land trusts, more people may soon have the opportunity to become homeowners.

“Housing is a human right. We should be doing everything in our power to make it more affordable and accessible for everyday Illinoisans, including homeownership,” said Guzmán. “Community land trusts are a great pathway to make the dream of homeownership a reality and allow for folks to have more stability in their living situation. I am excited that this initiative will work to make this method of landownership more common, and to continue to build on the ingenuity of their model.”

Community land trusts, or CLTs, are community-based, nonprofit organizations that manage a parcel of land to preserve long-term affordability of homes created through subsidies. CLTs sell homes on the land they manage at affordable prices to a qualifying homebuyer. Oftentimes, they place limits on the incomes of people looking to purchase homes to ensure affordable housing is going to people in the most financial need. Driven by constituents, for constituents, this model aims to keep folks in the community that may otherwise be priced out by corporate rent and mortgage rates.

Senate Bill 1261 would further incentivize prospective homebuyers to invest in CLTs by making the IHDA Access Forgivable, Access Deferred, and Access Repayable mortgage programs available to people seeking property owned by a community land trust. These programs offer more flexibility for buyers to pay their mortgage, which may encourage people to invest in property with CLTs. […]

Senate Bill 1261 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.