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* Press release…
Yesterday, Governor Pritzker signed bipartisan legislation filed by State Representative Chris Bos (R-Lake Zurich) to support students. House Bill 3359 ensures students with developmental disabilities attending public universities or community colleges will be able to have their personal support workers at their sides during classes.
“I’m honored I was able to serve as the lead sponsor for this bipartisan legislation and see it signed into law by the Governor,” said Bos. “When I became aware of the situation involving a constituent in my district, I was frankly shocked. The fact that not one, but two, public community colleges had prevented a student with developmental disabilities from having his support worker with him in class didn’t make sense. Yesterday, we made sure this won’t happen again in Illinois and ensure all students will have access to the support they may need to be successful in the classroom.”
As Bos referenced, a student in the 51st House District had been denied the ability to have his support worker with him in class in pursuit of coursework in photography. To correct this problem, HB 3359 provides that if a student has a support worker, the governing board of the public university or community college district must permit the support worker to attend class with the student but is not responsible for providing or paying for the support worker. It further provides that if the support worker’s attendance in class is solely to provide personal support services to the student, the governing board may not charge the support worker tuition and fees for such attendance.
HB 3359 received unanimous support in both the Illinois House and Senate, where the legislation was carried by Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods)
* Restore Justice press release…
Restore Justice Applauds Governor Pritzker, Senator Fine, Representative Gabel, and the Illinois Department of Corrections for Supporting Families with Incarcerated Loved Ones
We applaud Governor JB Pritzker, Senator Laura Fine, Representative Robyn Gabel, and the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for their partnership in taking a step towards better supporting families with incarcerated loved ones. Senate Bill 1976 was signed into law on August 20, 2021, after unanimously passing through the Illinois House and Senate.
Senate Bill 1976 creates a Family Liaison within IDOC to receive complaints, suggestions, and requests from visitors and help to resolve issues. Previously, those with incarcerated loved ones had to rely on the staff at a particular facility to address visitation issues, including conflicts over visitation rules, concerns with staff behavior, or questions. These same staff members may have been directly involved in the issue.
One family member explained the significance of this bill by recalling an earlier experience when they needed help. “I drove 6 plus hours to visit my son and I brought his brother to see him. We had not seen him in over a year. The officer at the front desk stated my 12-year-old son needed a state ID even though it isn’t part of IDOC’s policy. I had brought his birth certificate but that was not enough. When I asked to speak to a supervisor I was told, ‘I am the supervisor.’ I had to turn around and drive home without seeing my son. I wish I would have had someone I could call.”
Visits can also be stressful and humiliating for families. Another family member shared, “They gave my friend a stapler to staple her blouse closed because they felt it showed too much of her collarbone. Yet, they denied another woman her visit for the same thing.”
Regular in-person visits have substantial benefits to people who are incarcerated as well as their families. Senator Laura Fine and Representative Robyn Gabel sponsored Senate Bill 1976. These legislators are champions of families and understand the importance of visits to promote rehabilitation, successful reentry, and increasing family stability.
* Press release…
Senator Linda Holmes’ (D-Aurora) legislation to allow pregnant women to use a disabilities vehicle placard or sticker in their third trimester was signed into law by the governor Friday.
Holmes was motivated to sponsor the legislation, originally introduced by Representative Keith Wheeler (R-North Aurora) in the House, after hearing the story of Wheeler’s district office director Ben Marcum and his family, who inspired the measure.
“This family suffered a devastating loss that may have been avoided if this accommodation for expectant mothers had been in place two years ago,” Holmes said. “This can prevent future heartbreak if an expectant mother in her third trimester can get temporary disability parking access.”
When Marcum’s wife was pregnant with their first child in 2019, she faced a long, difficult walk from her car to her office, which only became more grueling as her pregnancy progressed. When Marcum tried to secure disability parking privileges for his wife, he was shocked to learn that pregnancy was not considered a qualifying condition. Unfortunately, his wife went into early labor at 21 weeks, and their son Henry only survived an hour.
The legislation would allow an expectant mother in her third trimester to use a disabilities placard for up to 90 days. To qualify, an individual would have to provide documentation proving that they have entered the third trimester.
“In memory of Henry Marcum and in honor of pregnant women who could use some additional support during their third trimester, I’m am happy to sponsor this commonsense measure,” Holmes said. “I’m grateful to Rep. Wheeler for bringing it to my attention.”
House Bill 3027 will take effect Jan. 1, 2022.
* A result of new laws…
Today, Illinois State Senator Robert J. Peters, Illinois State Senator Elgie R. Sims, Jr., and Illinois State Representative Justin Slaughter were presented with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ (NACDL) Champion of State Criminal Justice Reform Award at NACDL’s 20th Annual State Criminal Justice Network (SCJN) Conference. The award recognizes an individual or group whose tremendous efforts have led toward progressive reform of a state criminal justice system.
Senator Peters, Senator Sims, and Representative Slaughter ushered in the passage of the monumental 2021 Illinois Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act. The SAFE-T Act, also called the Criminal Justice Reform Omnibus, contains long-awaited comprehensive public safety reforms, including ending cash bail and reforming the pretrial system, policing reform, sentencing and prison reform, and victim service reform. This Act makes Illinois a national leader in public safety reforms and begins the process of addressing and untangling decades of racist, ineffective criminal legal system policies, in addition to making communities left behind by the criminal legal system safer. The legislators worked with numerous stakeholders across the state and spent countless hours drafting a bill that puts evidence-based reforms at the forefront, addresses widespread racial disparities, and improves support systems for victims of crime. All three legislators have dedicated their careers to addressing racism and inequity to better their communities and transform their state’s criminal legal system.
* Press release…
A measure led by State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) to expand the amount of birthing center licenses in Illinois was signed into law Friday by Governor JB Pritzker.
“Tragically, 75 women die every year while pregnant or within a year of pregnancy,” Van Pelt said. “It is even more heartbreaking to know that four out of five pregnancy-related deaths could have been preventable. That is why this measure is so important – we must do everything we can to combat the issues of maternal mortality, including increasing birthing centers.”
Currently, the Alternative Health Care Delivery Act provides for 10 birthing center licenses: four birthing center licenses in the Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, or Will Counties; three in municipalities with a population of 50,000 or more not located in the collar counties; and three in rural areas.
This initiative expands the available licenses for birthing centers under the Alternative Health Care Delivery Demonstration Program from 10 to 17, providing that birth center alternative health care models shall be located in the Westside of Chicago, the Southside of Chicago and East St. Louis.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 24, 21 @ 11:43 am
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“allow pregnant women to use a disabilities vehicle placard or sticker in their third trimester”
“his wife went into early labor at 21 weeks”
So they passed a bill based on one person’s experience that the bill wouldn’t have even helped?
Comment by SaulGoodman Tuesday, Aug 24, 21 @ 12:06 pm
Nobody seems to care that the data indicate that the State’s Redistricting plan dilutes the Black Vote in Representative District 9, Representative District 10 and Senate District 5, and that the Legislature reduced the number of majority Black districts from 10 years ago when the percentage of the Black population in Illinois remains the same as it did 10 years ago. No one cares that in spite of the demographic shifts, it is actually possible to draw two more Black districts than were drawn in 2010.
Comment by Valerie F. Leonard Tuesday, Aug 24, 21 @ 12:20 pm