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Important bills moving in the Illinois General Assembly

March 11, 2009

Every year, Heartland Alliance identifies key pieces of legislation that will make positive changes in the programs and systems that impact vulnerable people.  Many of the ideas for this work come directly from Heartland Alliance program participants and staff based on the barriers they encounter at the local level.  The legislative session in Springfield is in full swing and several important bills have passed at the Committee level and are moving forward with active Heartland Alliance leadership and support:

  • Issue: Homelessness
    HB 897 will waive the fee for obtaining a state identification card for people who are homeless. The cost to for a state ID card increased five-fold in 2005, creating a significant financial barrier for people with low or no income.  This policy change will help reduce barriers unique to people experiencing homelessness.
  • Issue: Families and Poverty
    HB 2382 will improve the TANF cash assistance program by increasing the initial eligibility level to include families living below the extreme poverty level, increasing work incentives, and making other changes to improve access for those who need temporary assistance.
  • Issue: Housing and Treatment Alternatives
    HB 608 will fund a pilot of a community-based treatment program for women as an alternative to incarceration, modeled after a successful Heartland Alliance program. While this pilot was created in 2002, funding has not been appropriated by the state.
  • Issue: Families and Poverty
    HB 745 will create a "No Wrong Door" policy that allows people to apply for public benefits such as Foods Stamps, Medical Assistance, and TANF cash assistance at any Illinois Department of Human Services local community office rather than just the one assigned to them based on their home address.  This change is especially important as people's employers, child care providers, and other service providers are not always located in the same community in which they live.

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Sign up for Heartland Alliance's Action Alert system to receive updates on these and other pieces of legislation as the session progress.

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