September 9, 2008

In spite of a difficult political and budgetary environment, Heartland Alliance succeeded in getting two important pieces of legislation passed during the 2008 legislative session with nearunanimous approval from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. In August, Governor Blagojevich signed legislation to create the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty, which will create a substantive, measurable strategy for Illinois that will cut the number of people living in extreme poverty in half by 2015.

The second bill, the Commission on Children and Youth, will coordinate key public and private stakeholders to develop a strategic plan to advise state planning, priority setting, and investments of resources for children and youth. Governor Blagojevich has indicated he will also sign this bill into law. Heartland Alliance also worked diligently to ensure the state maintained funding for resettlement and mental health services to refugees in Illinois and worked in a coalition to secure a 9 percent increase in the cash assistance received by families using Temporary Aid to Needy Families. Unfortunately, these victories were tempered by budget battles that have cut critical funding for supportive housing, school based health centers, and homeless youth. Heartland Alliance's policy and advocacy team will continue to advocate for the state to dedicate needed resources to Illinois' most vulnerable residents.

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