Budget deal coverage roundup
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* For your evening reading…
ADDED: Capitol News Illinois | Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue: The trio was especially short on details when pressed on how the state would manage the biggest unforeseen cost facing lawmakers: a still-growing program that grants Medicaid-type health care coverage to noncitizens ages 42 and over. The governor’s office recently estimated the program would cost $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year, or five times more than he had initially budgeted. “The Senate and the House have agreed to give us the tools to manage the program properly so that it doesn’t reach a ($1.1 billion) proportion … and instead allows us to provide health care for the people who are on the program now and make sure that we’re continuing the program going forward, but in a budget friendly way so that everybody gets the health care that they deserve,” Pritzker said. His office said those options include limiting future enrollment in the program, requiring copays, maximizing federal reimbursement and a possible move to managed care.
* Sun-Times | Pritzker, Democratic leaders reach budget deal, touting fiscal responsibility, unity — if not spending specifics: Five days after blowing a self-imposed deadline to pass a state budget, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Democratic leaders of the Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday announced they have reached a deal on a balanced budget featuring “mid-50-plus billion dollars” in spending.
* Tribune | Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Democratic legislative leaders reach deal on $50 billion budget: The cost of the Medicaid-style program that covers immigrants 42 and older who are in the country without legal permission or who have green cards but haven’t completed a five-year waiting period and therefore don’t qualify for the traditional insurance program for the poor will continue to put pressure on the state budget. […] The deal allocates about $550 million for the program, according to the governor’s office, and gives the administration “tools” to control the costs.
* WCIA | Pritzker announces agreed FY2024 Illinois budget: “I vowed to work with the General Assembly to bring fiscal sanity to Illinois while restoring a compassionate state government that invests in the things that build a stronger economy and future,” Pritzker said. “I’m pleased to say that’s exactly what this balanced budget does, for the fifth time in a row.”
* AP | Gov Pritzker, Illinois legislative leaders announce agreement on state budget: “Today’s agreement” Welch said, “proves once again that Democrats can produce a state budget that is both fiscally responsible and compassionate at the same time. We will pass a budget that is balanced, it’ll make smart investments in the services people need, and it will be a reflection of the values we share as Illinoisans.” Harmon called it “a responsible balanced budget that recognizes our shared goals and commitment to making progress on key issues for the people of Illinois.”
* Crain’s | Pritzker announces deal reached on state budget: Boasting about the state’s improved financial picture, Pritzker added that the budget achieves his goal of “restoring a compassionate state government that works to meet the needs of Illinois residents and invest in the things that build a stronger economy and a stronger future.”
* Chalkbeat | Illinois has a budget deal. Here’s what we know about proposed education funding for 2024.: Pritzker’s Smart Start Illinois would add $250 million to the Illinois State Board of Education’s early childhood block grant this year and the state’s Department of Human Services Early Intervention Program, Child Care Assistance Program, and Home Visiting Program.
* NBC Chicago | Pritzker, Democrats in General Assembly Reach FY 2024 Budget Deal: Illinois Republicans criticized the budget as a one-sided agreement that focuses too much on taxation. “Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats can twist words with the best of them, but the truth is that this budget constitutes a partisan wishlist, not a negotiation,” GOP Chairman Don Tracy said. “With complete control of government, Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend, with Illinois ranking at the top of every metric of tax burden on residents and driving away families year over year.”
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It’s almost a law
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Debt Free Justice Illinois…
Debt Free Justice Illinois, a statewide network of bipartisan organizations, and youth and racial justice advocates, today celebrates the passage of legislation through the Illinois General Assembly aimed at eliminating the unjust assessment of juvenile court fees and fines against Illinois youth and their families.
Today’s Senate passage is the final legislative action for the bill and a momentous step in the direction of economic justice for the state. Senate Bill 1463, sponsored by Senator Robert Peters and Representative Justin Slaughter, is aimed at abolishing juvenile court fees and fines in delinquency proceedings. Twenty other states, both majority Democratic and Republican, have eliminated or reduced these fees and fines in recent years.
“Today’s vote in the Illinois Senate is further proof that Illinois intends to continue moving in the direction of economic justice for Illinois youth and their families,” said Sen. Peters. “The status quo of unjust fees and fines do not work for our state’s young people and families and do not keep our communities safe. We must work toward accountability and rehabilitation for Illinois’ young people in the juvenile court system, not punishing them with monetary fees and fines.”
“I’m proud to stand with the advocates across our state for economic justice and working families,” said Rep. Slaughter. “Our vision of a fairer and more just juvenile court system is one that many other states have embraced. I encourage Governor Pritzker to sign this bill into law as quickly as possible and continue our work of building up youth and families to dismantle system inequalities and protect Illinois’ most vulnerable communities.”
Juvenile court fees and fines can range from $25 to over $800 and can quickly add up to thousands of dollars for a single family, depending on where they live. This unjust disparity creates a patchwork of injustice across the state, landing hardest on youth and families of color living in underserved communities. […]
SB1463 would prohibit courts, state agencies, and local government entities from assessing fees and fines in juvenile court in delinquency proceedings and requires the automatic discharge of all outstanding debt. Enacting the bill is important in furthering the goals of strengthening Illinois’ vulnerable families, improving the way we approach youth rehabilitation, and increasing the credibility and effectiveness of our public systems.
* Rep. Harper…
A bill by state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, aimed at addressing the theft of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, is headed to the governor’s desk after unanimously passing both houses of the General Assembly.
“That protecting the most vulnerable people and families in our state is critically important should go without saying,” Harper said. “Sadly, theft of SNAP benefits that can deprive needy families, including children, of their access to proper nutrition have been a persistent and increasing problem. It’s past time that something was done.”
SNAP benefits are also sometimes referred to as “food stamps”. In recent years, food stamps have been issued to recipients using a debit-card system where benefits are loaded onto the recipient’s card. Thieves have targeted food stamp recipients by using devices (called “skimmers”) that are covertly inserted into payment machines at food retailers to steal card information, or devices that can need only be held near a victim’s wallet in order to remotely copy the information necessary to make a “clone” of the victim’s benefit card which the thief can then use. This type of benefits theft has been on the rise, and authorities have struggled to address it.
Victims of SNAP theft generally do not have their benefits replaced, meaning that recipients whose benefits are stolen often end up struggling to buy food until their next installment.
Harper’s House Bill 2214 would require the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to track and collect data as to the scope and frequency of SNAP benefits fraud, especially when it occurs by means of skimming or cloning. Beginning in 2024, IDHS would be required to report its findings to the General Assembly quarterly.
Harper’s original bill included a requirement that IDHS replace victims’ stolen benefits, but this measure was removed by a Senate amendment.
“This legislation represents a solid first step in addressing this pressing issue. Going forward, it will be necessary to do more to make victims of SNAP benefits theft whole again,” Harper said. “Nevertheless, IDHS as well as my fellow lawmakers and I can now look forward to having much more robust information about this problem and how and where it is occurring, which is sure to help us craft smart policies to address it.”
* Press release…
The Illinois Secure Communities Coalition and REFORM Alliance applaud the General Assembly for passing smart and sensible supervision reforms that will increase public safety, save taxpayer dollars, and promote stronger, more stable communities.
More than 100,000 people in Illinois are currently serving time on probation, parole, or mandatory supervised release. Instead of holding people accountable, contributing to public safety, and increasing stability in communities, Illinois’ supervision system too often operates as a revolving door back to prison. A Department of Corrections (DOC) report revealed that more than 1 in 4 - or 25% - of people released from prison in Illinois end up back behind bars for a non-criminal technical violation, (like missing a meeting with their probation officer) within three years of their release. This needless incarceration places a heavy burden on taxpayers, crime survivors, and Illinois’ communities.
With unanimous support in the House and Senate, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 423, evidence-based legislation to create a more effective and transparent supervision system. Along with decreasing taxpayer costs and reducing the likelihood of recidivism, these reforms also significantly contribute to public safety by creating an incentive for people to pursue recidivism-reducing activities like education. These improvements would also safely reduce supervision officers’ caseloads, allowing officers to spend more time on those individuals with the greatest risks and needs.
SB423 was sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Jehan Gordon-Booth, Rep. Patrick Windhorst and Senate President Pro-Tempore Bill Cunningham. It now awaits Governor Pritzker’s signature. There are four evidence-based provisions that are expected to become law:
1. Education credits. People on mandatory supervised release will be eligible to earn 90 days off their supervision terms by completing a secondary education diploma or career/technical certificate. These activities help individuals form a positive self-image and gain marketable skills, increasing their ability to transform their lives and provide for their families.
2. Virtual check-ins. SB423 creates a statewide, permanent framework to enable people on probation, parole, and mandatory supervised release to report to their probation officers remotely. This mitigates one of the most common sources of technical violations while providing greater flexibility for officers to manage their caseloads and connect with people on supervision in a manner that better supports their rehabilitative goals. Many counties in Illinois embraced the greater use of technology for remote reporting during the pandemic, and successfully maintained accountability and protected community stability and safety.
3. Sensible supervision conditions and drug testing. The newly passed legislation requires that courts impose individualized supervision requirements on each defendant, ensuring that one-size-fits-all conditions do not unduly serve as barriers to success. This also includes ensuring that drug testing is utilized only when there is a reasonable suspicion of illicit drug use, which will conserve state resources and limit interruptions to employers.
4. Prisoner Review Board transparency. People on mandatory supervised release or parole have the opportunity to go in front of the Prisoner Review Board (PRB) to file for early discharge. But to date, the process lacked transparency. SB423 standardizes the case review process for early termination of supervision and creates clear guidelines and timelines. Those who are denied early discharge by the Department of Corrections (DOC) or PRB will have clear guidance on how they need to improve to be a good candidate in the future. This ensures that people are aware of the hurdles they must clear to be considered in the future and reduces the current frustration and confusion that comes from the lack of information and guidance accompanying present decisions.
…Adding… Maria Pappas…
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas spearheaded the passage of groundbreaking property tax reform legislation to help struggling homeowners.
The Illinois General Assembly passed the legislation today, Wednesday, May 24. It is expected to be signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker soon.
One of the key provisions of the legislation is that it will drop the interest rate homeowners and businesses in Cook County are charged for late property tax payments from 18% to 9% a year.
The interest rate reduction will save property owners between $25 million and $35 million a year with most of those savings benefiting Black and Latino communities.
It will also close loopholes that tax investors have exploited at the expense of local governments and allow the county to move away from the Scavenger Sale.
A news release is attached and also available here.
* Personal PAC…
Personal PAC, one of Illinois’ most prominent reproductive rights advocacy organizations, and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, celebrated the passage of HB3326 by the full Illinois General Assembly on Wednesday. The bill ensures that Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) cannot be used for tracking individuals seeking reproductive healthcare or individuals assisting them, and that restricts data sharing with other governments or law enforcement agencies related to healthcare needs or immigration status.
“Anyone seeking abortion care in Illinois should not be harassed in any fashion, and this first-in-the-nation legislation will prevent Automatic License Plate Readers from being used as a tool for tracking, harassing or criminalizing lawful behavior,” said Secretary Giannoulias. “I am committed to allowing individuals to pursue and obtain the lawful healthcare they need without government intrusion. This legislation sets common-sense standards and protocols to ensure that Automatic License Plate Reader data is used properly.”
“We are thrilled the passage of HB3326 and thank chief sponsors Rep. Ann Williams, Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, and Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias for their championing of this crucial civil liberties issue that will help ensure that Illinois remains an oasis for safe access to abortions and other reproductive healthcare. HB3326 ensures that those seeking healthcare in Illinois can trust that their license plate data will be secure and protected, and that Illinois law enforcement agencies and municipalities will never turn their information over to states seeking to persecute them. This legislation is a model for the nation, and we are proud to have been part of the coalition that led to its passage.”
* Chicago Community Trust…
A coalition of community developers, affordable housing advocates and tax policy experts led by The Chicago Community Trust today applauded the Illinois Senate for passing legislation to reform Illinois’ delinquent property tax sale system that will increase investment in historically disinvested communities across the state. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk.
Senate Bill 1675 Amendment 1 reforms the Illinois Property Tax Sale system by closing loopholes that prevent blighted properties from redevelopment and allows local governments to intervene to save abandoned properties after only one failed delinquent tax sale rather than watching them to cycle through the tax sale system for years while the property deteriorates, requiring taxpayer-funded maintenance and eventually demolition. The measure, which was crafted in partnership with the Cook County Treasurer, is supported by cities with high concentrations of vacant properties across Illinois, including Chicago, Peoria, Rockford, Decatur and Kankakee.
These common-sense reforms would empower local governments to work with community developers and residents to restore vacant properties to return them to viable use. In Cook County alone, an estimated 50,000 vacant or abandoned properties are concentrated in its Black and Latinx neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West sides and in the south suburbs.
The legislation is the result of three years of community engagement convened by the Trust and grounded in findings from intensive academic research, including a landmark 2021 study by the Center for Municipal Finance at the University of Chicago analyzing the Cook County Scavenger Sale. The bill aims to increase homeownership, build community wealth and make the tax sale system work for communities instead of private tax buyers and institutional investors.
“Introducing this legislation is a big step forward for the Trust to advocate for systemic solutions in some of our most vulnerable and disinvested communities,” said Andrea Sáenz, President & CEO of The Chicago Community Trust. “We’re hopeful that putting the Trust’s name and century-old reputation behind this measure will send a clear message that we fully believe in the transformative power of this bill. Reforming Illinois’ property tax code can create a ripple effect, spurring investment in neighborhoods with high rates of vacant property, which, in turn, will stabilize neighboring property values, preserve homeownership, and strengthen the county tax base. This legislation is the spark we need to revitalize communities that have borne the brunt of the discriminatory policies of the past.”
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2023 end of spring session cheat sheet
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This post will be updated as language is introduced and bill statuses change. I’ll also carry the content over from day to day. If you see a mistake, or believe something should be added, please speak up in comments or just text me. Thanks.
* Still waiting on language/numbers for the big ones…
* House Second Reading…
SB 1559 - Cannabis omnibus (Could be changed)
* House Third Reading…
* Senate Third Reading…
* House Concurrence…
HB 1199 - Italian-American Heritage Month (Insider joke)
HB 2878 - Tollway PPP program expansion
HB 3903 - Red light camera regulation/ethics
HB 3902 - Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act - Amendment would allow restricted drone surveillance of parades (background here)
* Senate…
HJR 23 - Local 150’s I-55 tolled lanes
* Passed both chambers…
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* Sources have been saying for a while now that the governor and the Democratic leaders wanted to have a press conference to announce a budget deal. Well…
What: Governor Pritzker to join Speaker Welch and Senate President Harmon to brief media on FY24 budget negotiations.
Where: Governor’s Ceremonial Office, Illinois State Capitol, Springfield.
When: 2:30 pm
Watch: www.illinois.gov/livevideo
This post will be updated.
…Adding… They have two of these signs, one on each side of the lectern…
*** UPDATE 1 *** Pritzker…
I’m standing alongside Senate President Don Harmon and House Speaker Chris Welch to announce that we have an agreement on a balanced budget for the coming year.
…Adding… Senate President Harmon thanked all the staff for their hard work and said…
The Senate hopes, we hope to take action tonight to be able to deliver the legislation to the House so that the House can act as soon as Friday, and then send it straight to the governor. I applaud the trust and cooperation we’ve developed. I’m not sure either chamber in the past would have trusted the other chamber to adopt the budget without an amendment. I appreciate Speaker Welch’s commitment.
Please pardon all transcription errors.
…Adding… Speaker Welch…
For the second year in a row, we are increasing funding for the Local Government Distributive Fund to help communities across the state fund essential services and programs like public health, safety, and basic infrastructures. […]
We are looking forward to continuing to cross the t’s and dot the i’s here in the next couple of hours so that we can get this agreed budget on the board and over to the House.
…Adding… Pritzker on the exploding costs of the healthcare program for undocumented immigrants…
The Senate and the House have agreed to give us the tools to manage the program properly so that it doesn’t reach a proportion that you named and instead allows us to provide health care for the people who are on the program now and make sure that we’re continuing the program going forward, but in a budget friendly way so that everybody gets the healthcare that they need. […]
We had seven options that we presented that are ways in which the program could be managed. We did not have the tools in law for us to actually be able to do that. And so we asked for those tools, we’ve been given them and we’ll be using any number of those seven.
…Adding… Asked about Invest In Kids, the tax credit program for private school scholarships, Pritzker said…
This is not something that’s been covered by the budget agreement. It’s something that still has time, potentially, but it’s not something that’s in the budget agreement.
…Adding… Senate President Harmon was asked about any Republican support…
I’m very hopeful and my next stop is to chat with the Republican Leader.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The one-pager…
Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
The FY 24 budget is a balanced plan with conservative revenue estimates that builds on our fiscal progress while making transformative investments in early childhood and higher education, workforce development, and efforts to fight violence and poverty
Highlights
Fiscal Responsibility – 5th balanced budget
• This budget builds on four years of historic fiscal progress with balanced budgets, eight credit rating upgrades, a Rainy Day Fund set to surpass $2 billion, the elimination of the bill backlog, and $1 trillion in GDP
• $200 million additional pension payment beyond what’s required, bringing total pension stabilization investments to $700 million
• $450 million to pay off rail-splitter bond debt – saving the state $60 million in interest and virtually eliminating all short and medium-term debt
Education
• Early Childhood
o Smart Start IL — $250 million to fund the first year of the Governor’s early childhood plan with funding increases to eliminate preschool deserts, stabilize the childcare workforce, expand the Early Intervention Program and Home Visiting programs, plus funding to begin the overhaul of the childcare payment management system
o $50 million for early childhood capital improvements
• K-12
o $350 million for K-12 evidence-based funding formula
o $45 million for the first year of a three-year pilot to fill teacher vacancies
o $3 million to expand access to computer science coursework
o $1.6 million to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library statewide
• Higher Education
o $100 million in additional MAP grant funding, ensuring everyone at or below the median income can go to community college for free
o $100 million increase for public universities ($80.5 million) and community colleges ($19.4 million) – the highest increases in more than two decades
Fighting Poverty
• HOME ILLINOIS — $85 million increase, bringing state funding to over $350 million, to support homelessness prevention, affordable housing, outreach, and other programs
• $20 million investment in a new Illinois Grocery Initiative to expand grocery access to underserved rural towns and urban neighborhoods
Health and Human Services
• Nearly $75 million increase for DCFS to hire 192 staff, expand training and protection, increase scholarships for youth in care, and improve facilities
• $22.8 million in funding to begin implementing the new Children’s Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative
• $18 million increase to support reproductive health initiatives
• $24 million for a rate increase for home workers who assist the elderly, increased outreach to the elderly, and an increase for Adult Day Service
• Continued funding for the $250 million Reimagine Public Safety Act to prevent gun violence and expanded funding for youth employment programs
• $53.5 million to overhaul IDPH disease monitoring IT and prepare for future public health emergencies
• Over $200 million increase to better serve Illinoisans with developmental disabilities
Economic Development
• $400 million to close major economic development deals and attract businesses and jobs to the state
• Expanded workforce development programs to build a pipeline in the industries of the future, like data center, EV, and clean energy
• Taking another step towards phasing out of the franchise tax
• $20 million to Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets Capital Program
• $40 million for forgivable loans to launch more social equity cannabis businesses
• $10 million to fund a “one-stop business portal” to foster entrepreneurship
…Adding… ILGOP…
“Governor Pritzker and Illinois Democrats can twist words with the best of them, but the truth is that this budget constitutes a partisan wishlist, not a negotiation. With complete control of government, Illinois Democrats continue to tax and spend, with Illinois ranking at the top of every metric of tax burden on residents and driving away families year over year.
It’s time for Governor Pritzker to govern responsibly and stop dreaming about the White House” said Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy.
…Adding… Leader McCombie…
In response to Democratic leaders announcing a budget agreement, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie released the following statement:
“I have repeatedly said it, but will say it once more:
Republicans and Democrats have shared priorities and past promises that need to be kept. Extension of the Invest in Kids Scholarship & the R&D tax credit, fully phasing out the franchise tax, and making essential changes to the estate tax code - SHARED priorities that should be included in budget discussions. Today we learned from Governor Pritzker and Democratic leaders that our shared priorities are not included. I am incredibly disappointed for Illinois families.”
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* Click here for the report. Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul today released a comprehensive report detailing decades of child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in Illinois. The report concludes a multi-year investigation into child sex abuse by members of the clergy in all six Catholic dioceses in Illinois. Attorney General Raoul’s report reveals names and detailed information of 451 Catholic clerics and religious brothers who abused at least 1,997 children across all of the dioceses in Illinois.
The Attorney General’s Report on Catholic Clergy Child Sex Abuse in Illinois – released this morning during a press conference in Chicago – represents the state of Illinois’ first comprehensive accounting of child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in the six dioceses across Illinois. The nearly 700-page report features detailed narrative accounts of child sex abuse committed by Catholic clerics. Many of the narratives were written in consultation with survivors, are based upon their experiences, and told from the survivor’s point of view. Although the report formally concludes the investigation the Attorney General’s office opened in 2018, it contains 50 pages of the office’s recommendations to the dioceses for the handling of future child sex abuse allegations.
“I was raised and confirmed in the Catholic church and sent my children to Catholic schools. I believe the church does important work to support vulnerable populations; however, as with any presumably reputable institution, the Catholic church must be held accountable when it betrays the public’s trust,” Raoul said “It is my hope that this nearly 700-page report will provide some closure to survivors of child sex abuse by Catholic clerics by shining a light both on those who violated their positions of power and trust, and on the individuals in church leadership who covered up that abuse,” Raoul said. “These perpetrators may never be held accountable in a court of law, but by naming them here, the intention is to provide a public accounting and a measure of healing to survivors who have long suffered in silence.”
Before Raoul’s investigation, the Catholic dioceses of Illinois publicly listed only 103 substantiated child sex abusers. By comparison, Raoul’s report reveals names and detailed information of 451 Catholic clerics and religious brothers who abused at least 1,997 children across all of the dioceses in Illinois.
Attorneys and investigators in Raoul’s office reviewed more than 100,000 pages of documents held by the dioceses and received more than 600 confidential contacts from survivors through emails, letters, interviews and phone calls. Raoul’s office also worked closely to record accounts of the survivor experiences of children who were sexually abused by clerics.
“I am extremely proud of the work done by my office’s team of investigators and attorneys who faced challenges and intervening factors including a pandemic and a ransomware attack to the office’s IT infrastructure. The emotional impact of the work was unique to this investigation, and our team committed to approaching the investigation with grace and compassion,” Raoul added. “I thank each of them for the tireless work and commitment to allowing survivors to share their experiences.”
Raoul’s nearly 700-page report is organized into five sections, with sections highlighting detailed information on each diocese’s historic handling – and inaction – of child sex abuse, data analysis showing the extent of child sex abuse by clerics in each Illinois diocese, and specific recommendations from the Attorney General’s office to the dioceses for handling future child sex abuse allegations.
The survivor narratives demonstrate a troubling pattern of the church failing to support survivors, ignoring or covering up reports of abuse, and survivors being revictimized by the church when they came forward to report being abused. Repeatedly, church officials prioritized the reputation of the institution over protecting children, frequently giving abusive priests the benefit of the doubt – giving abusers the chance to abuse again – and even covering up the abuse by misleading the public. The Attorney General’s investigation also found instances in which church officials were in a position to report abuse but chose not to do so. As a result, many narrative accounts demonstrate the continued trauma and impact survivors continue to experience decades later.
As a result of the Attorney General’s investigation, Illinois Catholic dioceses have adopted uniform policies to improve the handling of alleged child sex abuse. Among those are policies requiring dioceses to investigate allegations against clerics who are deceased, have resigned or been laicized. Additional policies require the dioceses to ensure that allegations against religious order and extern clerics are investigated, and to publicly list a religious order or extern cleric who is substantiated as a child sex abuser if the cleric had sufficient connection with the diocese.
While these policies demonstrate a step in the right direction, they do not go far enough. Attorney General Raoul’s report includes 50 pages of recommended policies the office strongly encourages the dioceses to enact to further improve the handling of future allegations of child sex abuse. Those recommendations range from how the dioceses communicate with and support survivors, investigate and make determinations related to alleged abuse, as well as disclosure and transparency protocols, mediation and compensation, and the handling of allegations related to religious orders.
Raoul’s report contains detailed descriptions of child sex abuse, assault and trauma. Resources for survivors of child sex abuse can also be found in Attorney General Raoul’s report.
…Adding… Sun-Times…
In August 2018, shortly after then-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced an investigation into whether the Catholic church in Illinois had fully disclosed the scope of child sex abuse by priests and other clergy members, Cardinal Blase Cupich said the church had nothing to hide.
“Our record’s clean,” the top Catholic cleric in Chicago told a closed-door gathering of about 200 men studying at the Mundelein seminary to be priests, according to sources who were there. “I’m confident that, when the attorney general looks in our files . . . that she will, in fact, find that we’re doing our job.”
“We posted all of the names,” Cupich told the group, referring to the publicly available church list of clergy members in the Archdiocese of Chicago deemed to have been credibly accused of sexual abuse.
Cupich’s assertions were far off the mark, according to the results of the investigation announced Tuesday by Madigan’s successor, Kwame Raoul, who said the archdiocese, covering Cook and Lake counties, and the rest of the Catholic church in Illinois failed to acknowledge hundreds of allegedly abusive priests and other religious figures.
…Adding… Ugh…
* Also, from the report…
. What can be said is that as things stand, the Diocese of Springfield has yet to reconcile itself with its past. To do that, the diocese must commit to transparency and survivor healing through deeds, listening to survivors and their pleas for trauma-informed responses. The diocese must also openly acknowledge that turning its back for half a century on the needs of children suffering sex abuse at the hands of its clerics was in no way “virtuous.”
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