Progress Illinois

The state legislature's three big-ticket items are all in limbo at the moment: The Senate today postponed action on ethics reform legislation; details about state budget negotiations are few and far between; meanwhile, Gov. Quinn is refusing to sign the recently-approved capital bill until the legislature addresses the first two matters. 

That being said, the General Assembly has taken steps in the past two weeks to address some other important issues. Here's a brief update on the collection of bills we've been tracking this session:

Health & Human Services: Last Friday, we highlighted the passage of HB 2383, a bill sponsored by State Rep. Will Burns to expand the eligibility criteria for Illinois' Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. On Tuesday, Rep. Sara Feigenholtz's No Wrong Door Bill (HB 745) unanimously passed out of the Senate as well and is now headed to the governor's desk. As Doug Schenkelberg of the Heartland Alliance explained, the law allows "initial applications for TANF, Food Stamps, and Medical to be submitted at any Department of Human Services (IDHS) office, not limited to the office that is assigned to a person based on home address." He added, "We are inserting choice into a system that too often robs those who use it of their dignity." .

Education: As we noted in the Early Bird, Rep. Cynthia Soto's bill to reform the school closure process in Chicago (HB 363) cleared both chambers on Tuesday. While the bill's original purpose -- to place a moratorium on all CPS school closings -- was heavily modified, CPS officials will now have to divulge publicly where and how schools schools get built, which schools get repaired first, and also which schools get closed.

State Pensions: Rep. Kevin McCarthy's measure (SB 1292) to establish a two-tiered pension system in Illinois appears to have stalled after zooming through committee earlier this week.  Yesterday, we explained how the two-tiered plan, as designed by Gov. Quinn, would actually end up costing taxpayers nearly $100 million more over the next four decades than the current system. A separate measure to establish a Pension Modernization Task Force (HJR 59) has attracted 35 co-sponsors since being introduced on Wednesday. 

Housing: Although the banking association and housing advocates are still negotiating over the terms of a promising foreclosure mitigation bill, lawmakers took small steps to ensure homeowners are protected from the economic fallout of foreclosure. Last Thursday, the Senate passed Burns' legislation (HB 3863) extending protections to renters who are entangled in the foreclosure crisis and Rep. Esther Golar's bill (HB 2653) allowing those facing foreclosure to tap into state homeless prevention funds.  Both are now headed to the governor's desk.

Law Enforcement: After passing the Senate in March, the House approved Sen. Kwame Raoul's proposal (SB 48) to form a commission that will investigate allegations of torture under former Chicago police commander Jon Burge.  The Senate also passed a measure (HB 3961) introduced by State Rep. Constance Howard (D-Chicago) and Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Westchester) to clarify the expungement process laid out in the Criminal Identification Act.

Tax Increment Financing: No doubt prompted by the dust-up following the Republic Windows sit-in, Rep. John Fritchey's measure (HB 4326) forcing companies that receive TIF funds to pay back their subsidy if they renege on their contract passed both chambers last Friday.

Gay Rights: While it is still lodged in the House Youth and Family Committee, it's rumored that Rep. Greg Harris' civil unions bill (HB 2234) could be attached to a "shell bill" that's already been approved by the Senate. The hope is that this option would ease the measure's passage through both chambers and onto Gov. Pat Quinn's desk before the session winds down.

Both chambers will reconvene on Tuesday, giving them six days until the May 31 session deadline.

Image used under a Creative Commons license by Flickr user sterno74.